Polyester composites reinforced with natural lignocellulosic fibers have attracted interest in several engineering areas due to their low cost, low energy consumption during fabrication in association with a number of possible applications. One of these applications is the replacement of traditional composites such as the fiberglass. Characterization of polyester composites incorporated with ramie fiber has recently been conducted for physical and mechanical properties. However, the effect of increasing temperature on these composites has not yet been fully investigated. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the thermogravimetric behavior of polyester composites reinforced with up to 30 vol% of ramie fibers. The analysis was conducted by TG and DTG techniques. The presence of ramie fibers induces sensible changes in the thermal stability of the polyester composites, showing a significant effect of the ramie fibers by reducing their temperatures of degradation.
Effect of Coconut Shell Powder as Filler on the Mechanical Properties of Coir-polyester Composites