fabrication and characterization of natural fiber reinforced composite

Abstract

newline ABSTRACT newlineIn recent years utilization of nature-based materials has become a matter of immense concern due newlineto increasing environmental awareness in terms of sustainability, safety and maintaining ecological newlinebalance. newlineReinforcement of natural fibers has established a strong alternative to replace synthetic fibers for newlinethe production of polymer composite materials. Bio- materials are being used now a days in every newlinepossible field of engineering. These bio- based materials include plant based natural fibers like newlinesisal , jute , flax, hemp, ramie , coir , oil-palm etc. , animal fibers like silk, wool, angora etc. These newlinefibers are reinforced with polymer to fabricate bio- composites. newlineBio- composites have ignited the minds of various material scientists to be used in various newlineindustries like automobile, aerospace, marine, textile and sports. Application areas of natural fiber newlinereinforced composites are spreading in every field of engineering having structural and nonstructural newlineapplications. newlineThe current research work aims at highlighting the issues and challenges associated with newlineprocessing of plant based thermoset composite. In this work, natural fiber i.e., Sisal and Flax were newlinereinforced with epoxy matrix to fabricate natural fiber reinforced composite (NFRC). The hand newlinelay-up technique was used for the fabrication using compression molding machine. Developed newlinecomposites were characterized for their physical properties, mechanical properties and newlineTribological properties. newlineSisal fiber was reinforced with epoxy matrix in four conditions (i) without any chemical treatment newline(Type A composites) (ii) sisal was treated with 4% NaOH solution (type B) (iii) Sisal was treated newlinewith 10% NaOH solution (Type C) (iv) Hybrid composite (Type D) was formed with Sisal and newlinexii newlineFlax. Hand-lay-up technique was used for the fabrication of the composites using cold mold of newlinemild steel. Developed composite were characterized for their chemical properties, physical newlineproperties, mechanical properties and Tribological properties. newlinePhysical properties (density), chemical characterization (FTIR Spectroscopy and X-Ray newlineDiffraction) and thermal analysis (TGA and DTA) of untreated composite, 4% treated composite, newline10% treated composite and Flax and Sisal hybrid composites were performed. For the density newlinecalculations Archimedes principle was used. FTIR spectroscopy shows the presence of newlinehemicellulose, cellulose, lignin and pectin in the composites. DTA test is performed to understand newlinethe type of polymerization process (endothermic or exothermic). TGA test is performed to newlineunderstand the thermal stability of the composites. newlineMechanical properties (Tensile, Compression, Flexural, Impact, Hardness) for untreated newlinecomposites, treated composites and hybrid composites were evaluated. The effect of chemical newlinetreatment and mixing of another natural fiber (Flax) were investigated. SEM micrographs of newlinefractured surfaces after mechanical characterization were analyzed to reveal the surface condition newlineand possible mechanism of failure. Tensile tests concluded that maximum tensile strength was newlineachieved by hybrid (flax and Sisal) composite i.e., type D which was 29.98 MPa. Compression tests newlineconcluded that maximum compressive strength was achieved by chemically treated Sisal fiber (4% newlineNaOH) treated composites i.e., Type B. Maximum flexural strength was achieved by treated Sisal newlinefiber (4% NaOH) reinforced composites i.e., Type B. All composites were undergone for hardness newlineand impact testing and it was concluded that maximum flexural strength was achieved by treated newlineSisal (4% NaOH) reinforced composites i.e., type B which was 82.646 MPa. Impact test was done newlineon Automatic Impact tester and it was concluded that maximum Impact strength was achieved by newlinexiii newlinehybrid composites (Flax and Sisal). Hardness tests were done on Shore D hardness teste. Hardness newlineresults for all types of composites varied from 74 to 82. newlineTribological performance of the developed bio-composites were evaluated for conditions newlinementioned above in terms of frictional characteristics and sliding wear and dry contact condition newlineat different process parameters such as applied load (20N to 60N), sliding distance(0-700m) and newlinetime period for which observations were made was 5 minutes, 10 minutes and 15 minutes. newlineExperimental results of wear Analysis confirmed that type A composites attained the maximum newlinewear rate. Specific wear rate (SWR) decreases from type B to type C composites which means newlinethat as the concentration of chemical treatment increases, specific wear rate decreases and hybrid newlinecomposite gets greater SWR than SFRC.