Physico-chemical characterization of Tunisian plant fibers and its utilization as reinforcement for plaster based composites

•Tunisian natural fibers have been used as reinforcing agents for boards.•Alfa, rush, date palm stipes, date palm and dwarf palm leaflet have been characterized.•These fibers can replace commercial plant fibers as reinforcement for plaster based composites. Alfa leaves, rush stems, palm leaflets and date palm wood are important renewable raw materials available in Tunisia where they are commonly used in handcrafts (like basketwork and carpets for example). To add value to these plants by using them as a potential reinforcement in so called natural fiber composites a better understanding of their physico-chemical properties is needed. As an application, we have studied the possibility of using alfa leaves, rush stems, palm leaflets as reinforcement in building materials trying to replace commercial fibers. Thus, the effect of hygroscopic parameters were studied and showed different behaviors depending on the raw material origin and morphology. Palm tree stipe is more sensitive than other fibers concerning the impregnation yield and saturation degree. The chemical composition was established. The contents of holocellulose and lignin were comparable to those found with fibers and wood (softwood and hardwood). Extractives in different solvents and ash contents are relatively high. Extractives from fibers are similar in their values and correspond also to those of palm tree stipe, but they are higher than those of hardwood. About ash contents, the same observation was found. Flexural strength of Tunisian fiber-plaster based composites show a maximum of resistance between 4.8 and 5.6MPa with a strengthening rate of 5% in comparison with commercial plant fiber that presents a bending strength of 4.8MPa for also a strengthening rate of 5%.