Certain experimental investigations on the effect of nanoclay and jute fiber on the technical properties of epoxy matrix

Abstract

In recent years the natural fiber reinforced polymer composites are preferred due to their availability ease of production low cost appreciable properties and light weight Such composites have an improved environmental behaviour stability durability and an optimised load bearing capacity compared to polymer composites reinforced with synthetic fiber derived from fossil fuels The present investigation is aimed at studying the effect of fiber length fiber content wt% surface modification and nanoclay dispersion on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of Jute Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites JFRECs The epoxy matrix composites were developed by using hand lay-up process followed by the compression moulding technique for both untreated and NaOH treated chopped randomly oriented short jute fibers in the presence and absence of Cloisite 20A nanoclay Furthermore the fiber length 10, 20, 30 and 40 mm, weight fraction of fiber 0, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25% NaOH molar concentration for surface modification ( and 10% and nanoclay dispersion 1 3 5 and 7 wt% were varied to obtain the optimum mechanical properties. The static and dynamic mechanical, water absorption, free vibration and tribological properties of the prepared composites were determined as per ASTM standards newline