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Fabrication and Characterization of Cane Fiber Reinforced Unsaturated Polyester Resin Composites

M. H. A. Begum*
Industrial Physics Division, BCSIR Laboratories, Dhaka, Bangladesh

N. I. Tanvir
Industrial Physics Division, BCSIR Laboratories, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

Cane fiber of the generas Acoruscalamus, Daemonorops Draco, Daemonoropsmollis climbing palms of tropical Asia, belonging to the family palmae (palm family) and unsaturated polyester resin were used for the preparation of composites. Cane fiber was modified with 5%, 10%, 15% NaOH solution. Various physical and mechanical properties of the composite for different orientations of fiber were measured. The physical properties i.e. water absorption of treated fiber reinforced composites is lower. But the moisture content of cane fiber decreases with higher concentration of alkali solution used for treatment. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is higher for treated fiber reinforced composites than the raw fiber reinforced composites for any types of orientations of fibers and the tensile strain of treated fiber reinforced composites is lower than the raw fiber reinforced composites. The UTS value for treated cane fiber composites increases with increasing weight percentage of fiber than the raw fiber reinforced composite.

Keywords: Cane fiber, Composites, NaOH solution, Orientation of fiber, Reinforced, Treated fiber.

Location: BCSIR Laboratories, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Resource Development and Management

Commodity: Cane fiber

Objectives:

In this study, we investigate the physical and mechanical properties of cane fiber reinforced polyester resin composite. Composites are made with the raw fibers and NaOH treated fibers at different orientation. The physical and mechanical properties of those composites were investigated.

Methodology:

The raw materials used for preparing the samples were unsaturated polyester resin (UPR), hardener (methyl ethyl ketone peroxide “MEKP”) and cane fiber. About 500 gm cane fiber are collected from the skin or bust surrounding the stem of the genera calamus, daemonorops and korthasia climbing palms of sylhet (Bangladesh) belonging to the family palmae (palm family). Unsaturated polyester resin and MEKP hardener were collected from the local market. Raw cane fiber was treated with NaOH solution to extract impurities from cane fibers such as hemi-cellulose, lignin, aromatic acids, ester etc. which might weaken the adhesion between fibers and matrix. Cane fibers were immersed in NaOH solution of volume % of 15% and the treatment time was 24 hours which was the optimum condition among the treated fibers for volume % of 5%, 10% and 15% for 30 min, 1 hour, 24 hours, 48 hours and 96 hours at room temperature. The fibers were washed with distilled water to neutralize the NaOH solution for 3 hours under flowing water. Then they were dried at 80°C for 24 hours in an oven and cut into 6 inch and 8 inch long pieces. Cane fibers were orientated in different forms for preparations of different types of samples. At first the gap between two fibers was equal to the width of a single fiber, then the gap was equal to the width of two fibers and lastly samples were prepared without any gap between the fibers. The directions of fibers were longitudinal and vertical for a sample. At first a bottom part of mild steel or stainless steel was taken according to the size of the fiber sheet, a melot paper was placed on dried bottom part. Then a mixture of resin and hardener was spread evenly on the melot paper. After this one sheet of cane was placed on the open mold and covered with melot paper. Another metal sheet similar to that of the bottom one was placed on the melot paper and the total set up was given on the UTM (Model: FS300 KN, Company: Testometric, Origin: England) to give pressure so that the resin can evenly distributed. The prepared samples were allowed to cure in this stage under approximate 10 KN/ (25 cm ×25 cm) pressure in UTM at room temperature for 24 hours. After applying the required pressure and allowing particular time, the sample (prepared by the above mentioned method) was collected from the UTM machine.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 54(3), 247-256, 2019

Article Link (Online Journal): DOI: 10.3329/bjsir.v54i3.42677

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

On the basis of physical and mechanical properties of the composite the optimum condition of fiber treatment was 15% NaOH treated fibers at 24 hours. UTS value, 74.58 MPa was higher for 15% NaOH treated fiber at 24 hours for reinforced composite than the raw fiber reinforced composites. UTS increases with the increase of wt% of fiber.Tensile strain is lower for the treated fiber reinforced composite than the raw fiber reinforced composite. Tensile strain increases with the increase of wt% of raw fiber reinforced composite but decreases with the increase of wt% of treated fiber reinforced composite.Moisture content decreses with the increase of NaOH concentration and time.Water absorption is lower for treated fiber reinforced composite than the raw fiber reinfoced composite.

Knowledge Management: Journal