Role of gamma radiation and EGDMA on the physico–mechanical properties of jute fabrics/polypropylene composites

Jute fabrics reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites (45 wt % fiber) were prepared by compression molding and their mechanical properties were investigated. Both jute fabrics and PP sheets were treated with gamma radiation (250–1,000 krad dose) at a rate of 350 krad/h. Irradiated jute fabrics were soaked into ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) solutions (5–40% by weight) and cured in an oven at different temperatures (40–100°C) for 60 min. The percentage of polymer loading (PL) was evaluated and found that 20% EGDMA‐treated jute fabrics contains the highest PL. Composites made of 20% EGDMA‐treated jute fabrics were studied further. It was found that the treatment using the EGDMA improved the mechanical properties of the composites significantly. Scanning electron microscopy and aging properties of untreated and treated composites were performed. POLYM. COMPOS., 2011. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers     

汽车内饰用PP/黄麻纤维复合材料力学性能

采用转矩流变仪混合造粒,通过注射成型方法制备了聚丙烯(PP)/黄麻纤维复合材料,研究了对纤维表面进行处理的NaOH浓度、纤维含量和相容剂的含量对PP/黄麻纤维复合材料力学性能的影响,采用扫描电镜对纤维表面及复合材料的断面形貌进行分析。结果表明:黄麻纤维经过碱处理后PP/黄麻纤维复合材料的力学性能优于纤维未处理的复合材料的力学性能,随着NaOH浓度的提高,PP/黄麻纤维复合材料的拉伸强度和冲击强度增加,在NaOH浓度为16%时,其拉伸强度和冲击强度最佳;其弯曲强度随着NaOH浓度的提高先增加而后下降,在8%浓度时,弯曲强度最大。随着纤维含量的提高,PP/黄麻纤维复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度先增加后下降,在纤维含量达到20%时,PP/黄麻纤维合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度达到最大。随着纤维含量的提高,PP/黄麻纤维复合材料的冲击强度降低。相容剂的加入使得PP/黄麻纤维复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度明显增加。     

A Comparative Study on the Mechanical Properties of Jute and Sisal Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

The aim of the present study is to investigate and compare the mechanical properties of raw jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites with sodium hydroxide treated jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites. This is followed by comparisons of the sodium hydroxide treated jute and sisal fiber reinforced composites. The jute and sisal fibers were treated with 20% sodium hydroxide for 2 h and then incorporated into the epoxy matrix by a molding technique to form the composites. Similar techniques have been adopted for the fabrication of raw jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The raw jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites and the sodium hydroxide treated jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites were characterized by FTIR. The mechanical properties (tensile and flexural strength), water absorption and morphological changes were investigated for the composite samples. It was found that the sodium hydroxide treated jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites exhibited better mechanical properties than the raw jute and raw sisal fiber reinforced composites. When comparing the sodium hydroxide treated jute and sisal fiber reinforced epoxy composites, the sodium hydroxide treated jute fiber reinforced composites exhibited better mechanical properties than the latter.     

Jute Reinforced Polymer Composite by Gamma Radiation: Effect of Surface Treatment with UV Radiation

Jute (Hessian cloth) reinforced polymer composites were prepared with a mixture of 2-hydroxy ethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and aliphatic urethane diacrylate oligomer (EB-204), and then cured under gamma radiation. Thick pure polymer films (2 mm thickness) were prepared by using the same monomer and oligomer at different weight ratios, and 500 krad of total gamma radiation dose at 600 krad/hr was selected for the curing of all composites. Total radiation dose, jute content, and monomer concentration were optimized with the extent of mechanical properties. Among all resulting composites, the composite of 38% jute content at monomer:oligomer = 50:50 (w/w) ratios showed the better mechanical properties, such as 108% increase in tensile strength (TS), 58% increase in bending strength (BS), 138% increase in tensile modulus (TM), and 211% increase in bending modulus (BM) relative to pure polymer film. The gel content values were also found to increase with the increase of jute content in the composite. But the elongation at break (Eb) for both tensile and bending was found to decrease with increasing jute content. The best mechanical properties were obtained when jute fibers were pre-irradiated with UV radiation, such as 150% increase in TS, 90% increase in BS relative to polymer film, 19% increase in TS, and 15% increase in BS relative to untreated jute-based composites. A water uptake behavior investigation of the resulting composites was also performed and composites based on UV-treated jute showed the minimum water uptake value.     

The effect of multiscale hybridization on the mechanical properties of natural fiber-reinforced composites

The main objective of this work was to investigate the effect of reinforcements at different scales on the mechanical properties of natural fiber-reinforced composites. Pure jute and interlaminar hybrid jute/glass fiber-reinforced polymer composites were fabricated. Different types of fillers in two weight fractions (1 and 3 wt. %) were used as second reinforcements in the hybrid jute/glass composites. Tensile, flexural, and impact tests were performed. It was found that the macroscale inter-play hybridization significantly improved the mechanical properties of the pure jute fiber based composites. When the fillers are used as second hybridization, the modified composites presented higher mechanical properties when compared to pure jute composites. However, the effect of fillers on the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites presented various trends due to the interaction between several factors (i.e., particle scale, content, and nature), which cannot always be separated. Increasing the synthetic filler content improved the tensile properties of the filled hybrid composites, while increasing the natural filler content worsen the tensile properties. The flexural strength of the multiscale hybrid composites was improved, while the impact properties were negatively affected.     

Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation on the Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Hessian Cloth/PP Composites with Starch

Hessian cloth (jute fabrics) reinforced poly(propylene) (PP) composites (45 wt% fiber) were prepared by compression molding and the mechanical properties were evaluated. Jute fabrics and PP sheets were treated with UV radiation at different intensities and then composites were fabricated. It was found that mechanical properties of the irradiated jute and irradiated PP-based composites were found to increase significantly compared to that of the untreated counterparts. Irradiated jute fabrics were also treated with aqueous starch solution (1–5%, w/w) for 2–10 min. Composites made of 3% starch-treated jute fabrics (5 min soaking time) and irradiated PP showed the best mechanical properties. Tensile strength, bending strength, tensile modulus, bending modulus and impact strength of the composites were found to improve 31, 41, 42, 46 and 84% higher over untreated composites. Water uptake, thermal degradation and dielectric properties of the resulting composites were also performed.     

Study on Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of Jute Fiber Reinforced Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Composites

Abstract

Jute fiber (Hessian cloth) reinforced low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were prepared by heat press molding techniques. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), and elongation at break of the composites were studied. The enhancement of TS (33%) and BS (50%) were obtained as a result of reinforcment jute fabrics in LDPE. In order to improve the mechanical properties and adhesion between jute and LDPE, hessian cloth were each treated with 2-hydroxyl ethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The HEMA-treated jute composite showed higher tensile and bending strength compared to untreated jute composite and LDPE. Dielectric properties like dielectric constant and loss tangent (tan δ) of jute, LDPE and composites were studied. Ferro to paraelectric phase transition occurred in both treated and untreated jute composites containing more than 20% jute. Water uptake behaviors of the composite were monitored and HEMA-treated composite showed lower water absorption behavior. The adhesion nature of jute and LDPE also characterized by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), better adhesion was observed between HEMA-treated jute and LDPE over untreated ones.     

Study on Effect of Incorporation of Gelatin Fiber in Jute Fabrics-Reinforced Linear Low Density Polyethylene Composite

Jute fabrics (50%)-reinforced linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) composite was prepared by compression molding and mechanical properties were studied. Gelatin fiber (2%–10%) was incorporated into the jute fabrics-based composites and their mechanical properties were investigated and compared with the control composite. It was found that with the increased of gelatin fiber content in the jute fabrics-based composites, the mechanical properties were found to be decreased, but water uptake and degradation properties were increased significantly. The composite containing 10% gelatin fiber lost 30.2% of its weight, 56.4% TS, 41.8% BS, 26% TM and 25.5% BM after 24 weeks in soil medium.     

Preparation,morphology and properties of natural rubber composites filled with untreated short jute fibres

Green composites were obtained by incorporation of short jute fibres in natural rubber matrix using a laboratory two-roll mill. The influence of untreated fibre content (1, 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 phr) on the mechanical properties, dynamic mechanical properties, swelling properties was examined. The behaviour of prepared green composites under cyclic compression was also investigated. Fibre dispersion in rubber matrix was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The highest tensile strength (21.1 MPa) and highest tear strength (39.9 N/mm) were found for composites containing 2.5 and 5 phr of short jute fibres, respectively. The results also suggested that increasing fibrous filler content resulted in increasing of tensile moduli 100, 200 and 300 % of elongation and hardness, and decreasing of rebound resilience and abrasion resistance of prepared jute/natural rubber composites. The cyclic compression test showed that increasing the amount of short jute fibres in the rubber matrix is related to increase of the energy dissipated in the composite. The incorporation of short jute fibres into the rubber matrix improves the stiffness of the composites, and it is related to the interaction between fibre surface and rubber matrix. The application of short fibres in higher amounts leads to formation of fibre agglomerates reducing the mobility of the rubber polymer chains. The mentioned agglomerates act as defects in rubber matrix, which caused decreasing of some properties, e.g. relative elongation at break.     

Preparation and properties of successive alkali treated completely biodegradable short jute fiber reinforced PLA composites

The natural fiber reinforced biodegradable polymer composites were prepared with short jute fiber as reinforcement in PLA (Poly lactic acid) matrix. The short jute fiber is successively treated with NaOH at various concentrations (5%, 10%, and 15%) and H₂O₂. The composites were prepared with untreated and treated short jute fibers at different weight proportions (up to 25%) in PLA and investigated for mechanical properties. The results showed that the composite with successive alkali treated jute fiber at 10% NaOH and H₂O₂ with 20% fiber loading has shown 18% higher flexural strength than neat PLA and untreated jute/PLA composite. The flexural modulus of the composite at 25% fiber loading was 125% and 110% higher than that of composites with untreated fibers and neat PLA, respectively. The impact strength of composite with untreated fibers at higher fiber weight fraction was 23% high as compared to neat PLA and 26% high compared to composite with treated fibers. The water absorption was more for untreated jute/PLA composite at 25% fiber loading than all other composites. The composite with untreated fibers has high thermal degradation compared with treated fibers but lower than that of pure PLA matrix. The enzymatic environment has increased the rate of degradation of composites as compared to soil burial. Surface morphology of biodegraded surfaces of the composites were studied using SEM method. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:2160–2170, 2016. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Fabrication and Characterization of Jute Fiber-Reinforced PET Composite: Effect of LLDPE Incorporation

The aim of the research was to study the effect of LLDPE incorporation in the jute fiber-reinforced PET composites (50% fiber by wt). The effect of LLDPE incorporation into PET was investigated by measuring the mechanical properties of the LLDPE blended jute fiber-reinforced PET composites. LLDPE was blended (20-80% by wt) with PET and the thin films were made by compression molding. Water uptake of the composites was also investigated. Degradation of all the composites was carried out in soil medium.     

Sustainable conducting polymer composites: study of mechanical and tribological properties of natural fiber reinforced PVA composites with carbon nanofillers

ABSTRACT

Ball milled jute fiber (JF) was added to Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)/20 wt.% multi-layer graphene (MLG) composites in various proportions (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.%) to prepare sustainable and biodegradable conducting polymer composites. Also, PVA/17.5wt.%MLG/2.5wt.%MWCNT/20wt.% JF composite was prepared for comparison purpose. A dynamic mechanical analysis of the composites was conducted to analyze their viscoelastic nature. The electrical conductivity of the composites was measured to study their suitability for various applications. Jute reinforcement increased the electrical conductivity of PVA/MLG nanocomposites. The PVA/20wt.%JF/17.5wt.%MLG/2.5wt.%MWCNT hybrid composite had the highest electrical conductivity of 3.64 × 10^?4 S/cm among all the composites prepared. Multilayered structures of the hybrid composite films were made by hot-pressing, and their effectiveness in electromagnetic interference shielding was tested. The shielding effectiveness of the composites decreased with jute addition. The wear resistance of PVA/MLG/JF composites increased with an increase in the jute content up to an optimum value of 10 wt.%, and then it started deteriorating.     

Development of Silicon Carbide Reinforced Jute Epoxy Composites: Physical,Mechanical and Thermo-mechanical Characterizations

The aim of the present study was to investigate the physical and thermo-mechanical characterization of silicon carbide filled needle punch nonwoven jute fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The composite materials were prepared by mixing different weight percentages (0–15 wt.%) of silicon carbide in needle punch nonwoven jute fiber reinforced epoxy composites by hand-lay-up techniques. The physical and mechanical tests have been performed to find the void content, water absorption, hardness, tensile strength, impact strength, fracture toughness and thermo-mechanical properties of the silicon carbide filled jute epoxy composites. The results indicated that increase in silicon carbide filler from 0 to 15 wt.% in the jute epoxy composites increased the void content by 1.49 %, water absorption by 1.83 %, hardness by 39.47 %, tensile strength by 52.5 %, flexural strength by 48.5 %, and impact strength by 14.5 % but on the other hand, decreased the thermal conductivity by 11.62 %. The result also indicated that jute epoxy composites reinforced with 15 wt.% silicon carbide particulate filler presented the highest storage modulus and loss modulus as compared with the unfilled jute epoxy composite.     

Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Jute Fabrics Reinforced Polyethylene/Polypropylene Composites: Role of Gamma Radiation

Jute fabrics reinforced polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and mixture of PP+PE matrices based composites (50 wt% fiber) were prepared by compression molding. It was found that the mixture of 80% PP + 20% PE hybrid matrices based jute fabrics reinforced composites performed the best results. Gamma radiation (250–1000 krad) was applied on PP, PE and jute fabrics then composites were fabricated. The mechanical properties of the irradiated composites (500 krad) were found to increase significantly compared to that of the non irradiated composites. Electrical properties like dielectric constant, loss tangent and conductivity with temperature variation of the composites were studied.     

Recycled milk pouch and virgin LDPE‐LLDPE‐based jute fiber composites

The present investigation deals with the thermo‐mechanical recycling of post consumer milk pouches (LDPE‐LLDPE blend) and its use as jute fiber composite materials for engineering applications. The mechanical, thermal, morphological, and dynamic‐mechanical properties of recycled milk pouch‐based jute fiber composites with different fiber contents were evaluated and compared with those of the virgin LDPE‐LLDPE/jute fiber composites. Effect of artificial weathering on mechanical properties of different formulated composites was determined. The recycled polymer‐based jute fiber composites showed inferior mechanical properties as well as poor thermal stability compared to those observed for virgin polymer/jute fiber composites. However, the jute‐composites made with (50:50) recycled milk pouch‐virgin LDPE‐LLDPE blend as polymer matrix indicated significantly superior properties in comparison to the recycled milk pouch/jute composites. Overall mechanical performances of the recycled and virgin polymeric composites were correlated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dynamic mechanical analysis showed that storage modulus values were lower for recycled LDPE‐LLDPE/jute composites compared to virgin LDPE‐LLDPE/jute composites throughout the entire temperature range, but an increase in the storage modulus was observed for recycled‐virgin LDPE‐LLDPE/jute composites. POLYM. COMPOS. 28:78–88, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Thermal,Mechanical and Morphological Characterization of Jute/Gelatin Composites

Jute fabrics/gelatin biocomposites were fabricated using compression molding. The fiber content in the composite varied from 20–60 wt%. Composites were subjected to mechanical, thermal, water uptake and scanning electron microscopic (SEM) analysis. Composite contained 50 wt% jute showed the best mechanical properties. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus and impact strength of the 50% jute content composites were found to be 85 MPa, 1.25 GPa, 140 MPa and 9 GPa and 9.5 kJ/m², respectively. Water uptake properties at room temperature were evaluated and found that the composites had lower water uptake compared to virgin matrix.     

Effect of lactic acid chain length on thermomechanical properties of star‐LA‐xylitol resins and jute reinforced biocomposites

Star‐shaped bio‐based resins were synthesized by direct condensation of lactic acid (LA) with xylitol followed by end‐functionalizing of branches by methacrylic anhydride with three different LA chain lengths (3, 5 and 7). The thermomechanical and structural properties of the resins were characterized by ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform IR spectroscopy, rheometry, DSC, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), TGA and flexural and tensile tests. An evaluation of the effect of chain length on the synthesized resins showed that the resin with five LAs exhibited the most favorable thermomechanical properties. Also, the resin's glass transition temperature (103 °C) was substantially higher than that of the thermoplast PLA (ca 55 °C). The resin had low viscosity at its processing temperature (80 °C). The compatibility of the resin with natural fibers was investigated for biocomposite manufacturing. Finally, composites were produced from the n5‐resin (80 wt% fiber content) using jute fiber. The thermomechanical and morphological properties of the biocomposites were compared with jute‐PLA composites and a hybrid composite made of the impregnated jute fibers with n5 resin and PLA. SEM and DMA showed that the n5‐jute composites had better mechanical properties than the other composites produced. Inexpensive monomers, good thermomechanical properties and good processability of the n5 resin make the resin comparable with commercial unsaturated polyester resins. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of electron beam treatment of jute on the thermal properties of random and two-directional jute/poly(lactic acid) green composites

In the present study, randomly aligned jute fiber/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and two-directionally aligned jute fabric/PLA green composites with jute (50% by weight) treated with electron beam at different dosages (0, 5, 10, 30, 50, and 100?kGy) were fabricated by compression molding technique and the effect of electron beam treatment on their thermal properties was investigated in terms of thermal expansion, thermal stability, dynamic mechanical thermal property, and heat deflection temperature (HDT). The dynamic storage modulus and HDT of neat PLA were significantly increased by incorporating jute fibers or fabrics into PLA, whereas the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and the damping property were decreased, reflecting the enhancement in the interfacial adhesion between the jute and the PLA by electron beam treatment with an optimal dosage of 10?kGy and the reinforcing effect by jute. The result exhibited that the thermal stability, storage modulus, and HDT of jute/PLA green composites were highest with the electron beam irradiation of jute at 10?kGy and lowest at 100?kGy, whereas the CTE and tan δ were lowest at 10?kGy and highest at 100?kGy. The thermal behavior of random jute/PLA green composites shows a similar tendency to that of 2D jute/PLA counterparts and the influence of electron beam irradiation on the thermal properties studied was consistent with each other. The thermomechanical analysis, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, and HDT results were in agreement with each other, showing a comparable effect of electron beam irradiation on composites thermal characteristics.     

Alkali treatment of jute fibers: Relationship between structure and mechanical properties

The mechanical properties of tossa jute fibers were improved by using NaOH treatment process to improve the mechanical properties of composites materials. Shrinkage of fibers during this process has significant effects to the fiber structure, as well as to the mechanical fiber properties, such as tensile strength and modulus. Isometric NaOH‐treated jute yarns (20 min at 20°C in 25% NaOH solution) lead to an increase in yarn tensile strength and modulus of ∼ 120% and 150%, respectively. These changes in mechanical properties are affected by modifying the fiber structure, basically via the crystallinity ratio, degree of polymerization, and orientation (Hermans factor). Structure–property relationships, developed for cellulosic man‐made fibers, were used with a high correlation factor to describe the behavior of the jute fiber yarns. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 71: 623–629, 1999     

Composites based on jute fibers and phenolic matrices: Properties of fibers and composites

Composites based on phenolic matrices and both untreated and alkali and ionized air–treated jute fibers were prepared. Different fiber lengths and fiber content were used to reinforce the phenolic matrices. The jute fibers were characterized with respect to lignin, holocellulose, ash, and humidity contents and also to the crystallinity index. The mechanical properties of fibers were investigated by means of tensile analysis and the morphology by SEM. The untreated and treated jute fiber–reinforced composites were characterized as to water absorption. The mechanical property and morphological aspects of the composites were evaluated by impact strength and photomicrographs obtained from SEM. Among the jute fiber treatments considered in the present work, the treatment with a solution of 5% NaOH presented the best results because: (1) the fiber presented a higher tensile strength, and a larger percentage of elongation at break; (2) the composite reinforced with this fiber presented the highest impact strength results when this was the unique treatment (20% of fiber), as well as when it was combined with ionized air (30% of fiber); and (3) the composite that presented the lowest water uptake was that reinforced with this fiber. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 1077–1085, 2004