Fabrication, Mechanical and Physical properties Characterization of Sisal Fiber reinforced Epoxy Composites for Automotive Parts
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Date
2021-09
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The demand for natural fibers to replace synthetic fibers in composites
manufacturing has grown as a result of the high energy consumption and
pollution created in the production and usage of synthetic fibers. Natural fibers
have several advantages over synthetic fibers, including low cost,
biodegradability, and nontoxicity. In this study, as received Sisal fibers (SF)
and those whose surface were chemically modified using 10 wt.% NaOH for 3 h
at 60oC and compression molded to produce epoxy matrix composites
containing 15, 25, 30, 35, and 40 wt.% of SFs. The composites' morphological,
thermal, tensile, flexural, impact physical, and structural characteristics were
studied before and after treatment. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM),
thermography analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) are some of the techniques used. The
impact of different fiber loadings and chemical treatments on the mechanical,
physical, and thermal characteristics of sisal fiber reinforced Epoxy composites
were studied. Mechanical properties of the composites were investigated using
InstronTM machine. The effect of chemical modification on water uptake of the
composites was also studied.
Surface chemical treatment of the SFs by soaking in 10 wt.% NaOH for 3 h at
60oC resulted in 20% increase in the cellulose content of the fiber. In the
treated SFs, FTIR spectroscopy revealed a decrease and removal of certain noncellulosic
components. Although the treated fibers increased, their tensile
strength and water absorption capacity decreased as compared to non-treated
fibers. The use of sisal fiber in reinforcing epoxy for both treated and untreated
led to increase in tensile modulus, tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural
modulus and crystallization temperature of the composite when compared to
less fiber loading. The rate of water absorption for composites containing
treated fibers is lower than that for composites containing untreated fiber.
Results also showed that increasing fiber content decreased the tensile strength and flexural strength after 30wt. percentage fiber loading is reached
and the impact strength increase with increase of fiber loading. After
characterization of the physical and mechanical properties of sisal fiber
reinforced epoxy composite, we have seen good agreement with the literature
reviewed materials so that this composite can also be used for substitute of
materials for automotive parts application. After all we have developed
lowvelocity drop weight impactor and we have seen the results which we found
from our test machine agreed with the other machines which has similar
features.
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Keywords
Automotive, Fabrication, Sisal fiber Reinforced Epoxy