Effect of fiber surface treatments on mechanical and abrasive wear performance of polylactide/jute composites

The main focus of this work is to improve the adhesion of jute fiber with polylactide (PLA). For this purpose, surface of the jute fiber was modified by alkali, permanganate, peroxide and silane treatments. The surface modified fibers were characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Unidirectional composites were prepared with treated jute fibers and PLA matrix by hot pressing of solvent impregnated prepregs. Surface treatments resulted in enhancement of tensile and flexural properties and reduction in Izod impact strength. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) results showed that, treated composites have higher storage modulus and lower tangent delta with respect to untreated composite. The degree of interfacial adhesion between the jute fiber and PLA was estimated using adhesion parameter obtained through DMA data. The results of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed a higher thermal stability for silane treated composites. Experimental results on abrasive wear tests revealed that the wear resistance of composite is sensitive to fiber/matrix adhesion.     

单向竹原纤维表面改性对其增强不饱和聚酯树脂复合材料性能的影响

采用碱处理、碱-偶联剂联合处理对竹原纤维进行表面改性,通过缝合-模压工艺制备了单向连续竹原纤维/不饱和聚酯树脂(BF/UP)复合材料。研究了不同表面改性方法对BF/UP复合材料静态、动态力学性能、吸水性能等的影响,并用SEM、红外光谱等技术研究了改性处理后纤维的表面及复合材料界面结合情况。结果表明:经过不同表面处理后BF/UP复合材料的性能均有所改善。当采用5wt%碱-3wt%偶联剂联合处理时,BF/UP复合材料综合性能最优,其拉伸强度、弯曲强度、弯曲模量、剪切强度较未处理的分别提高了34.29%、15.95%、11.26%、29.39%;复合材料存储模量(33℃)较未处理的提高了63.80%,损耗因子有所降低;BF/UP复合材料24h、720h吸水率较未处理的分别减小了55.35%、27.32%。SEM和红外光谱结果表明,改性处理后竹原纤维表面杂质减少,附着了一层偶联剂膜,BF/UP复合材料中纤维与树脂之间的界面结合更好。     

Studies on the characterization of piassava fibers and their epoxy composites

This paper presents morphology, physical and strength properties of piassava fiber, a very rigid fiber having a potential to be used as composite reinforcement. Composites of continuous and aligned piassava fibers with and without alkali treatment dispersed in epoxy matrix were subjected to three point bend, tensile, and Izod impact tests. Composites with fibers above 20 vol.% showed an effective reinforcement behavior both in flexural and tensile tests, while the impact energy linearly increased for the amount of piassava fibers used in this study. Fractographic study revealed a relatively weaker fiber/matrix adhesion acting as preferential site for crack nucleation. Evidence was also found for crack arrest by the fiber above 20 vol.%. This, together with spiny surface protrusion in the piassava fibers, was found to be responsible for the reinforcement of the epoxy composites.     

汉麻纤维表面改性对其增强聚丙烯复合材料性能及挥发性有机化合物释放影响

通过非织造-热压工艺制备了汉麻纤维增强聚丙烯（HF/PP）复合材料。采用热重-质谱联用仪（TG-MS）研究了HF/PP复合材料的挥发性有机化合物（Volatile organic compounds,VOC）释放来源及汉麻经聚乙烯醇（PVA）改性和尿素改性对HF/PP复合材料VOC释放的影响,同时研究了两种改性方法对HF/PP复合材料热学性能和力学性能的影响。结果表明：HF/PP复合材料中的VOC主要来源于汉麻纤维,改性后的HF/PP复合材料力学性能相比未处理的均有不同程度的提升,尿素改性后,HF/PP复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度达到最大值,较未处理时分别提升了19.32%和15.04%。PVA改性后,HF/PP复合材料的拉伸模量、弯曲模量和剪切强度达到最大值,相比未改性时分别提升了17.72%、15.94%和24.72%。改性后HF/PP复合材料热稳定性能和VOC释放相较未处理时均得到了优化：PVA改性后HF/PP复合材料热稳定性最优,三个阶段总活化能较未处理时提高了121.99%,达到了392.56 kJ·mol^-1,并且HF/PP复合材料热稳定性与界面性能密切相关;尿素及PVA改性后HF/PP复合材料的总VOC（TVOC）释放量相较未处理时均降低。     

Processing and characterization of chemically modified wood sawdust reinforced (diospyros,dialium) epoxy composites

Polymer composite materials based on natural fiber such as wood had been widely used for research purposes and engineering interests. The interest in wood reinforced polymer composites had grown quickly due to their better performance in aspects of mechanical properties compared to pure wood. In this study, wood sawdust of diospyros (kayu malam) and dialium (keranji) were chosen to be incorporated into an epoxy-based polymer composite. The wood is made into sawdust, which was treated with boric acid and hydrogen peroxide. Surface treatment with these reagents was used to improve the mechanical properties of the polymer composite compared to untreated wood polymer composite. Sawdust reinforced epoxy composite that was fabricated are with different weight percentages from 0 % (no wood), 5 %, 10 %, 15 % to 20 % wt % for comparison on their tensile, flexural, and impact strength properties. Tensile, flexural, and impact tests were performed to determine the changes in mechanical properties where it was found that tensile strength had increased by 34 percent with an optimum keranji and kayu malam fiber weight of 15 wt % for both boric acid and hydrogen peroxide treatments. For flexural strength, in both wood fibers, the optimum fiber weight was found to 15 wt %, and the addition of wood had increased the strength by 57 percent. As for impact strength, it decreased as the weight of fiber increased, where it was assumed that the addition of wood might have increased the crack initiation. Adhesive bonding between hydrophilic wood sawdust and the hydrophobic epoxy polymer was the phenomenon that was focused on this research. The range of optimum weight percentage of sawdust would be determined from the experiment result.     

Effect of plasma treatment on mechanical properties of jute fiber/poly (lactic acid) biodegradable composites

Surface treatment of natural fibers is one of the important methods to improve the mechanical properties of the composite material. In this paper, plasma treatment (PT) for various exposure timings (30, 60, 90, and 120?s) was performed to study the mechanical properties of jute fiber and its composites using poly (lactic acid) (PLA) as the matrix. The results were compared with alkali (AT) and plasma treated (PT) fiber composites. Bundle fiber test was carried out for untreated, AT, and PT jute fiber composites. PT fiber composites showed superior properties compared to other treatments. Micro-droplet test results showed that the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of PT fiber composite is higher than that of AT fiber composites. Mechanical properties and hardness were increased on subjecting the fiber to plasma treatment. Tensile strength, young’s modulus and flexural strength were increased in an order of 28, 17, and 20%, respectively, for plasma polymerized jute fiber composites. Moreover, plasma polymerization leads to increase (>20%) in the flexural strength than untreated fiber composites. It is inferred that plasma treatment improves the interfacial adhesion between the jute fiber and PLA. These results were also confirmed by scanning electron microscopy observations of the fractured surfaces of the composites. Overall, plasma polymerization is an effective and eco-friendly method for the surface modification of the lingo cellulosic fiber to increase the compatibility between the matrix (hydrophobic) and fiber (hydrophilic).     

Tensile,flexural and torsional properties of chemically treated alfa,coir and bagasse reinforced polypropylene

Mechanical properties of alfa, coir and bagasse fibers reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites have been investigated. In order to improve the composite’s mechanical properties, fibers were alkali treated before compounding to remove natural waxes and other non cellulosic compounds. The mechanical properties of the composites obtained with these three fibers were found to be superior to those of the neat polymer. Addition of various amount of reinforcement fibers yielded noticeable increases in both tensile and flexural modulus as well as the torsion parameter. 56–75% increases in tensile modulus were observed by the use of alfa, coir and bagasse while the flexural modulus increased by 30–47% when compared to neat PP. An increase in torsion modulus is also observed when the fiber content exceeds a threshold level. A power law model was developed using an experimental data to calculate the torsion modulus of fiber-reinforced composites at various fiber loading and frequencies.     

Effect of fiber surface modification on the mechanical and water absorption characteristics of sisal/polyester composites fabricated by resin transfer molding

Sisal fibers were subjected to various chemical and physical modifications such as mercerization, heating at 100 °C, permanganate treatment, benzoylation and silanization to improve the interfacial bonding with matrix. Composites were prepared by these fibers as reinforcement, using resin transfer molding (RTM). The mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strength were examined. Mercerized fiber-reinforced composites showed 36% of increase in tensile strength and 53% in Young’s modulus while the permanganate treated fiber-reinforced composites performed 25% increase in flexural strength. However, in the case of impact strength, the treatment has been found to cause a reduction. The water absorption study of these composites at different temperature revealed that it is less for the treated fiber-reinforced composites at all temperatures compared to the untreated one. SEM studies have been used to complement the results emanated from the evaluation of mechanical properties.     

A study of the mechanical properties of short natural-fiber reinforced composites

The degree of fiber–matrix adhesion and its effect on the mechanical reinforcement of short henequen fibers and a polyethylene matrix was studied. The surface treatments were: an alkali treatment, a silane coupling agent and the pre-impregnation process of the HDPE/xylene solution. The presence of Si–O–cellulose and Si–O–Si bonds on the lignocellulosic surface confirmed that the silane coupling agent was efficiently held on the fibres surface through both condensation with cellulose hydroxyl groups and self-condensation between silanol groups.

The fiber–matrix interface shear strength (IFSS) was used as an indicator of the fiber–matrix adhesion improvement, and also to determine a suitable value of fiber length in order to process the composite with relative ease. It was noticed that the IFSS observed for the different fiber surface treatments increased and such interface strength almost doubled only by changing the mechanical interaction and the chemical interactions between fiber and matrix.

HDPE-henequen fiber composite materials were prepared with a 20% v/v fiber content and the tensile, flexural and shear properties were studied. The comparison of tensile properties of the composites showed that the silane treatment and the matrix-resin pre-impregnation process of the fiber produced a significant increase in tensile strength, while the tensile modulus remained relatively unaffected. The increase in tensile strength was only possible when the henequen fibers were treated first with an alkaline solution. It was also shown that the silane treatment produced a significant increase in flexural strength while the flexural modulus also remained relatively unaffected. The shear properties of the composites also increased significantly, but, only when the henequen fibers were treated with the silane coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies of the composites failure surfaces also indicated that there is an improved adhesion between fiber and matrix. Examination of the failure surfaces also indicated differences in the interfacial failure mode. With increasing fiber–matrix adhesion the failure mode changed from interfacial failure and considerable fiber pull-out from the matrix for the untreated fiber to matrix yielding and fiber and matrix tearing for the alkaline, matrix-resin pre-impregnation and silane treated fibers.     

陶瓷/树脂/纤维超混杂复合材料的界面控制

以具有不同表面状态的泡沫SiC陶瓷为基本骨架,以改性酚醛树脂为基体,加入短切高硅氧玻璃纤维制备了陶瓷/纤维/树脂超混杂复合材料,研究了界面控制对超混杂复合材料界面粘结强度的影响.结果表明,对于泡沫SiC陶瓷骨架,在表面生长多孔过渡层或表面堆积SiC颗粒等方法可提高树脂陶瓷之间界面的粘结强度.通过良好的界面控制,可显著提高复合材料的弯曲强度和弯曲模量,模量的提高比强度的提高幅度更大.偶联剂处理使高硅氧纤维与树脂基体的粘结强度增加,从而提高复合材料的弯曲强度.     

Mechanical and thermal characterization of epoxy composites reinforced with random and quasi-unidirectional untreated Phormium tenax leaf fibers

The present work investigates tensile and flexural behavior of untreated New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) fiber reinforced epoxy composites. Two series of laminates were produced using the same reinforcement content (20 wt%), arranged either as short fibers or quasi-unidirectional ones. Composites reinforced using quasi-unidirectional fibers showed higher modulus and strength both in tensile and flexural loading, when compared to neat epoxy resin. Short fiber composites, although still superior to epoxy resin both for tensile and flexural moduli, proved inferior in strength, especially as concerns tensile strength. These results have been supported by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which allowed characterizing fiber–matrix interface, and by acoustic emission (AE) analysis, which enabled investigating failure mechanisms. In addition, thermal behavior of both untreated phormium fibers and composites has been studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), revealing the thermal stability of composites to be higher than for phormium fibers and epoxy matrix alone.     

The effect of fibre content on the mechanical properties of hemp and basalt fibre reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites

In this study, mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strengths of hemp/phenol formaldehyde (PF), basalt/PF and hemp/basalt hybrid PF composites have been investigated as a function of fibre loading. Hemp fibre reinforced PF composites and basalt fibre reinforced composites were fabricated with varying fibre loading i.e. 20, 32, 40, 48, 56 and 63 vol%. The hybrid effect of hemp fibre and basalt fibre on the tensile, flexural and impact strengths was also investigated for various ratio of hemp/basalt fibre loading such as 1:0, 0.95:0.05, 0.82:0.18, 0.68:0.32, 0.52:0.48, 0.35:0.65, 0.18:0.82 and 0:1. Total fibre loading of the hybrid composites was 40 vol%. The results showed that the tensile strength and elongation at break increase with increasing fibre loading up to 40 vol% and decrease above this value for hemp fibre reinforced PF composite. Similar trend was observed for flexural strength and the maximum value was obtained for 48 vol% hemp fibre loading. Impact strength of hemp/PF composite showed a regular trend of increase with increasing fibre loading up to 63 vol%. Tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength values of basalt/PF composites were found to be lower compared to hemp/PF composites. The tensile strength and elongation at break of basalt/PF composite increased by incorparation of basalt fibre up to 32 vol% and decreased beyond this value. Flexural strength of basalt/PF composite decreased linearly with fibre loading. However, the maximum impact strength was obtained for 48 vol% basalt fibre loading. For hemp/basalt hybrid PF composite, the tensile strength decreased with increasing basalt fibre loading. On the other hand, the flexural and impact strengths showed large scatter. The maximum flexural strength value was obtained for 0.52:0.48 hemp/basalt ratio. Corresponding value for impact strength was obtained for 0.68:0.32 hemp/basalt fibre ratio.     

Surface treatment of coir (Cocos nucifera) fibers and its influence on the fibers’ physico-mechanical properties

Coir, an important lignocellulosic fiber, can be incorporated in polymers like polyacrylate in different ways for achieving desired properties and texture. But its high level of moisture absorption, poor wettability and insufficient adhesion between untreated fiber and the polymer matrix lead to debonding with age. In order to improve the above qualities, adequate surface modification is required. In our present work, fiber surface modification by ethylene dimethylacrylate (EMA) and cured under UV radiation. Pretreatment with UV radiation and mercerization were done before grafting with a view to improve the physico-mechanical performance of coir fibers’. The effects of mercerization on shrinkage and fiber weight losses were monitored at different temperature and alkali concentration. We observed that, fiber shrinkage is higher at low temperature and 20% alkali treated coir fibers yielded maximum shrinkage and weight losses. It was found that higher shrinkage of the polymer grafted fiber showed enhanced physico-mechanical properties. The grafting of alkali treated fiber shows an increase of polymer loading (about 56% higher) and tensile strength (about 27%) than 50% EMA grafted fiber. The fiber surface topology and the tensile fracture surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and were found improved interfacial bonding to the modified fiber–matrix interface.     

Impact fatigue behaviour of vinylester resin matrix composites reinforced with alkali treated jute fibres

An impact fatigue study has been made for the first time on 35% jute/vinylester composites containing both untreated and alkali treated fibres. Longer alkali treatment removed the hemicellulose and improved the crystallinity and gave better fibre dispersion. The flexural strength properties of the composites made from treated fibre were superior. 4 h alkali treated jute fibres gave the optimum combination of improved interfacial bonding and fibre strength properties. However this was not reflected in their impact fatigue behaviour. On the contrary, the composites reinforced with 8 h alkali treated fibres displayed superior impact fatigue properties. Here, the fibres suffered catastrophic fracture with microfibrillar pull-out at some places and improved the fatigue resistance property of the composites as evident from SEM micrographs.     

Influence of fiber content on the mechanical and thermal properties of Kenaf fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composites

The aim of this paper is to study the influence of fiber content on mechanical (i.e. tensile, flexural, impact, hardness and abrasion resistance) and thermal (i.e. TGA) properties of Kenaf bast fiber reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) composites. The composite was prepared by melt-mixing method, followed by compression molding process. Different fiber loadings were prepared; namely, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% weight percent. A 30% fiber loading exhibited the best tensile strength, while modulus increased with increase of fiber content, and strain deteriorated with increase of fiber content. Flexural strength and modulus increased with increase of fiber loading. Increase of fiber loading resulted in decline in impact strength. Hardness increased by addition of 30% fiber content. Abrasion resistant decreased with increase of fiber loading. Fiber loading decreased thermal stability of the composite.     

超高分子量聚乙烯纤维的液相氧化改性及其环氧树脂基复合材料的力学和摩擦性能

为增强超高分子量聚乙烯(UHMWPE)纤维与环氧树脂(EP)基体之间的界面粘结强度,采用重铬酸钾溶液对UHMWPE纤维进行表面改性并制备UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料。结果表明,UHMWPE纤维经液相氧化后表面刻蚀痕迹明显,表面粗糙度明显增加,结晶度增加了11.3%,与乙二醇的接触角减小了14.12°。与纯环氧树脂相比,纤维含量为0.4%的未改性UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料的拉伸强度降低18.04%,纤维含量为0.6%的液相氧化改性UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料的拉伸强度降低51.55%,未改性UHMWPE(纤维含量0.5%)和液相氧化改性UHMWPE(纤维含量0.4%)纤维/EP复合材料的冲击强度分别提升了3.29%和4.39%。当纤维含量为0.3%时,液相氧化改性UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料的弯曲强度比纯环氧树脂增加6.55%,比未改性UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料增加19%。当纤维含量由0增大到0.5%时,改性和未改性UHMWPE纤维/EP复合材料的摩擦系数先增加后减小。     

Development and Characterization of the Midrib of Coconut Palm Leaf Reinforced Polyester Composite

In this paper, midrib of coconut palm leaves (MCL) was investigated for the purpose of development of natural fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites. A new natural fiber composite as MCL/polyester is developed by the hand lay-up method, and the material and mechanical properties of the fiber, matrix and composite materials were evaluated. The effect of fiber content on the tensile, flexural, impact, compressive strength and heat distortion temperature (HDT) was investigated. It was found that the MCL fiber had the maximum tensile strength, tensile modulus flexural strength, flexural modulus and Izod impact strength of 177.5MPa, 14.85GPa, 316.04MPa and 23.54GPa, 8.23KJ/m² respectively. Reinforcement of MCL enhanced the mechanical properties of pure polyester, including that of tensile strength (by 26%), tensile modulus (by 356%), flexural strength (by 41.81%), flexural modulus (by 169%) and Izod impact strength (by 23 times), but the compressive strength was adversely affected. HDT decreased due to fiber loading, but increased with weight fraction of fiber content. Moreover, the experimental results were compared with theoretical model (Rule of mixture) and other natural fiber /polyester composites.     

Fiber surface treatment and its effect on mechanical and visco-elastic behaviour of banana/epoxy composite

Natural fibers offer many advantages over synthetic fibers but the notable disadvantage of natural fibers is its hydrophilic nature. Due to this nature an incompatibility between the fiber and matrix exist which decreases the properties of the composite. This defect can be overcome by chemical modification of fiber surface so as to make it less hydrophilic. In this work, alkali (NaOH) of various concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%) was used to treat the fiber surface and the effect of these concentrations on the mechanical and visco-elastic behaviour of the composites were carried out. From the experimental investigation, it is found that 1% NaOH treated fiber reinforced composites behaves superiorly than other treated and untreated fiber composite. Further, SEM image analysis also shows the effect of alkali concentration over the fiber surfaces which leads to improving the mechanical properties of the composite.     

Effect of fiber loading on the properties of treated cellulose fiber-reinforced phenolic composites

The effect of fiber loading on the properties of treated cellulose fiber-reinforced phenolic composites was evaluated. Alkali treatment of the fibers and reaction with organosilanes as coupling agents were applied to improve fiber–matrix adhesion. Fiber loadings of 1, 3, 5, and 7 wt% were incorporated to the phenolic matrix and tensile, flexural, morphological and thermal properties of the resulting composites were studied. In general, mechanical properties of the composites showed a maximum at 3% of fiber loading and a uniform distribution of the fibers in such composites was observed. Silane treatment of the fibers provided derived composites with the best thermal and mechanical properties. Meanwhile, NaOH treatment improved thermal and flexural properties, but reduced tensile properties of the materials. Therefore, the phenolic composite containing 3% of silane treated cellulose fiber was selected as the material with optimal properties.     

Influence of fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion on composite fracture behavior

A systematic study has been conducted to identify the effect of fiber/matrix interface strength on various composite properties. A new fiber treatment technique was developed to allow fibers to be treated and then made into prepregs and composites of acceptable quality. T500 carbon fibers were treated with release agent to establish the extreme case of poor fiber/matrix interface. Composite systems made of toughened epoxy R6376 and T500 fibers with and without such a treatment were subjected to a number of fracture and impact tests. For tests involving propagating pre-existing delamination cracks, such as double cantilever beam (DCB), end notched flexural (ENF) and crack lap shear (CLS) methods, the material properties were not appreciably affected by the release agent-treated fiber surfaces. For tests that had to initiate cracks in specimens without pre-introduced cracks, such as impact and edge delamination, the material variables and failure modes were highly sensitive to the fiber/matrix interface. The critical role of the fiber/matrix interface in crack initiation was demonstrated in this study.