Impact of alkali treatment conditions on kenaf fiber polyester composite tensile strength
The increase of environmental issues awareness has accelerated the utilization of renewable resources like plant fiber to be used as reinforced material in polymer composite. However, there are significant problems of compatibility between the fiber and the matrix due to weakness in the interfacial...
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| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Trans Tech Publications Inc
2014
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.660.285 http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.660.285 http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/6416/1/Impact_of_alkali_treatment_conditions_on_kenaf_fiber_polyester_composite.pdf |
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| Summary: | The increase of environmental issues awareness has accelerated the utilization of
renewable resources like plant fiber to be used as reinforced material in polymer composite.
However, there are significant problems of compatibility between the fiber and the matrix due to
weakness in the interfacial adhesion of the natural fiber with the synthetic matrices. One of the
solutions to overcome this problem is using chemical modification like alkali treatment. In this
study, the impact of alkali treatment conditions on short randomly oriented kenaf fiber reinforced
polyester matrix composite tensile strength was investigated. The experimental design setting was
based on 2 level factorial experiments. Two parameters were selected during alkali treatment
process which are kenaf fiber immersion duration (at 30 minute and 480 minute) and alkali solution
temperature (at 40oC and 80oC). Alkali concentration was fixed at 2% (w/v) and the kenaf polyester
volume fraction ratio was 10:90. The composite specimens were tested to determine the tensile
properties according to ASTM D638-10 Type I. JOEL scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was
used to study the microstructure of the material. The result showed that alkali treatment conditions
setting do have the impact on tensile strength of short randomly oriented kenaf polyester composite.
The interaction factors between immersion time and temperature was found to have prominent
factors to the tensile strength of composite followed by the immersion time factor. |
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