Physico-Mechanical Properties of Jute-Coir Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polypropylene Composites

The term hybrid composite refers to the composite containing more than one type of fiber material as reinforcing fillers. It has become attractive structural material due to the ability of providing better combination of properties with respect to single fiber containing composite. The eco-friendly nature as well as processing advantage, light weight and low cost have enhanced the attraction and interest of natural fiber reinforced composite. The objective of present research is to study the mechanical properties of jute-coir fiber reinforced hybrid polypropylene (PP) composite according to filler loading variation. In the present work composites were manufactured by using hot press machine at four levels of fiber loading (5, 10, 15 and 20 wt %). Jute and coir fibers were utilized at a ratio of (1:1) during composite manufacturing. Tensile, flexural, impact and hardness tests were conducted for mechanical characterization. Tensile test of composite showed a decreasing trend of tensile strength and increasing trend of the Young-s modulus with increasing fiber content. During flexural, impact and hardness tests, the flexural strength, flexural modulus, impact strength and hardness were found to be increased with increasing fiber loading. Based on the fiber loading used in this study, 20% fiber reinforced composite resulted the best set of mechanical properties.

Authors:

• Salma Siddika
• Fayeka Mansura
• Mahbub Hasan

Keywords:

• Mechanical Properties; Coir
• Jute
• Polypropylene
• Hybrid Composite.

References:

[1] T. W. Chou, Micro Structural Design of Fiber Composite, University of
Delaware, USA, pp. 231-284.
[2] H. G. B. Premalal, H. Ismail and A. Baharin, "Comparison of the
mechanical properties of rice husk powder filled polypropylene
composites with talc filled polypropylene composites", Poly. Test., Vol.
21, pp. 833-839, 2002.
[3] C. J. Wolf, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology, Vol. 7, UK, 1998.
[4] A. K. Rana, A. Mandal, B. C. Mitra, R. Jacobson, R. Rowell and A. N.
Banerjee, , "Short jute fiber reinforced polypropylene composite: Effect
of compatibilizer", J. App. Poly. Sci., Vol. 69, pp. 329-338, 1998.
[5] M. M. Thwe and K. Liao, "Effects of environmental aging on the
mechanical properties of bamboo-glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix
hybrid composites", Comp. A, Vol. 33, pp. 43-52, 2002.
[6] H. S. Yang, H. J. Kim, J. Son, H. J. Park, B. J. Lee and T. S. Hwang,
"Rice-husk flour filled polypropylene composites; mechanical and
morphological study", Comp. Stru., Vol. 63, pp. 305-312, 2004.
[7] C. W. Lou, C. W. Lin, C. H. Lei, K. H. Su, C. H. Hsu, Z. H. Liu and J. H.
Lin, "PET/PP blends with bamboo charcoal to produce functional
composites", J. Mat. Pro. Tech., Vol. 192-193, pp. 428-433, 2007.
[8] A. K. Rana, A. Mandal and S. Bandyopadhyay, "Short jute fiber
reinforced polypropylene composites: effect of compatibilizer, impact
modifier and fiber loading,", Comp. Sci. Tech., Vol. 63, pp. 801-806,
2003.
[9] S. Joseph, M. S. Sreekala, Z. Oommen, P. Koshy and S. Thomas, "A
comparison of mechanical .properties of phenol formaldehyde
composites reinforced with banana fibers and glass .fibers", Comp. Sci.
Tech., Vol. 62, pp. 1857-1868, 2002.
[10] K. Ajay, S. S. Chauhan, J. M. Modak and M. Chanda, "Mechanical
properties of wood-fiber.reinforced polypropylene composites: effect of
a novel compatibilizer with isocyanate functional group", Comp. A, Vol.
38, pp. 227-233, 2007.
[11] S. Biswas, Q. Ahsan, I. Verpoest and M. Hasan, "Effect of Span Length
on the Tensile Properties of Natural Fibers", Advanced Materials
Research, 2011, Vol. 264-265, pp. 445-450.
[12] ASTM Standard D 638-01, Standard Test Methods for Tensile
Properties of Plastics, Vol. 8, USA, 2002.
[13] ASTM Standard D 790-01, Standard Test Methods for Flexural of
Unreinforced and Reinforced Plastics and Electrical Insulating
Materials, Vol. 8, USA, 2002.
[14] ASTM Standard D 6110-97, Standard Test Methods for Determining the
Charpy Impact Resistance of Notched Specimens of Plastics, Vol. 8,
USA, 2002.
[15] Md. S. Jamil, I. Ahmed and I. Abdullah, "Effect of rice husk filler on the
mechanical and thermal properties of liquid natural rubber
compatibilized high-density polyethylene natural rubber blends", J. Poly.
Res., Vol. 13, pp. 315-321, 2006.
[16] M. R. Rahman, M. M. Haque, M. N. Islam and M. Hasan,
"Improvement of physico-mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced
polypropylene composites by post treatment", Comp. A, Vol. 39, pp.
1739-1747, 2008.
[17] H. S. Yang, H. J. Kim, J. Son, H. J. Park, B. J. Lee and T. S. Hwang,
"Water absorption behavior and mechanical properties of lignocellulosic
filler polyolefin biocomposites", Comp. Stru., Vol. 72, pp. 429-437,
2006.
[18] Md. R. Rahman, Md. M. Huque, Md. N. Islam and M. Hasan,
"Mechanical properties of polypropylene composites reinforced with
chemically treated abaca", Comp. A, Vol. 40, pp. 511-517, 2009.
[19] J. C. Lin, L. C. Chang, M. N. Nien and H. L. Ho, "Mechanical behavior
of various nano particle filled composites at low-velocity impact", Comp.
Stru., Vol. 27, pp. 30-36, 2006.
[20] K. Jayaraman, "Manufacturing sisal-polypropylene composites with
minimum fiber degradation", Vol. 63, pp. 367-374, 2003.
[21] P. V. Joseph, G. Mathew, K. Joseph, G. Groeninckx and S. A. Thomas,
"Dynamic mechanical properties of short sisal fiber reinforced
polypropylene composites", Comp. A, Vol. 34, pp. 275-290, 2003.
[22] S. Mishra, J. B. Naik, Y. P. Patil, "The compatibilising effect of maleic
anhydrideon swelling and mechanical properties of plant-fiberreinforced
novolac composites", Comp. Sci. Tech., Vol. 60, pp. 1729-
1735, 2000.