Effect of Chemical Treatment and Fiber Loading on Mechanical Properties of Borassus (Toddy Palm) Fiber/Epoxy Composites
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Publication Details
Author list: Reddy KO, Maheswari CU, Reddy KR, Shukla M, Muzenda E, Rajulu AV
Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
Place: ABINGDON
Publication year: 2015
Journal: International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization (1023-666X)
Journal acronym: INT J POLYM ANAL CH
Volume number: 20
Issue number: 7
Start page: 612
End page: 626
Number of pages: 15
ISSN: 1023-666X
eISSN: 1563-5341
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
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Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the mechanical properties of untreated and chemically modified Borassus fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. Composites were prepared by the hand lay-up process by reinforcing Borassus fibers with epoxy matrix. To improve the fiber-matrix adhesion properties, alkali (NaOH) and alkali combined with silane (3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane) treatment of the fiber surface was carried out. Examinations through Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were conducted to investigate the structural and physical properties of the Borassus fibers. Tensile properties such as modulus and strength of the composites made with chemically modified and untreated Borassus fibers were studied using a universal testing machine. Based on the experimental results, it was found that the tensile properties of the Borassus-reinforced epoxy composites were significantly improved as compared with the neat epoxy. It was also found that the fiber treated with a combination of alkali and silane exhibited superior mechanical properties to alkali-treated and untreated fiber composites. The nature of the fiber/matrix interface was examined through SEM of cryo-fractured samples. Chemical resistance of composites was also found to be improved with chemically modified fiber composites.
Keywords
Borassus fruit fiber, Chemical treatments, composites, morphology, Spectroscopy, Tensile testing
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