Cassava/sugar palm fiber reinforced cassava starch hybrid composites: Physical, thermal and structural properties

The main purpose of this work is to investigate the effect of benzoyl treatment on the performance of sugar palm/kenaf fiber-reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites. Water absorption tests were carried out to confirm the effect of benzoylation treatment toward fabricating a more hydrophobic behavior of the hybrid composites. Both treated and untreated composites that have 10 wt.% of fiber loading with three different fiber ratios between sugar palm and kenaf (7:3, 5:5, 3:7) were analyzed. Physical and mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact strength were determined from this study. Morphological properties were obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was found that the tensile strength of sugar palm/kenaf-reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites was improved with the treatment of benzoyl with a value of 19.41 MPa. In addition, hybrid composite with treated sugar palm and kenaf fiber T-SP3K7 recorded the highest impact and flexural strength of 19.4 MPa and 18.4 MPa, respectively. In addition, SEM demonstrated that surface treatment enhanced the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites. Overall, it can be suggested that benzoyl-treated composites with a higher volume of kenaf fiber than sugar palm fiber will improve the mechanical characteristics of the hybrid composites.

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Mechanical performance of roselle/sugar palm fiber hybrid reinforced polyurethane composites

BioResources ◽

10.15376/biores.13.3.6238-6249 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 6238-6249

Author(s):

A. M. Radzi ◽

S. M. Sapuan ◽

M. Jawaid ◽

M. R. Mansor

Keyword(s):

Impact Strength ◽

Mechanical Performance ◽

Hybrid Composites ◽

Testing Machine ◽

Morphological Properties ◽

Scanning Electron Micrographs ◽

Melt Mixing ◽

Palm Fiber ◽

Sugar Palm Fiber ◽

Scanning Electron

The effect of sugar palm fiber (SPF) loading was studied relative to the mechanical properties of roselle (RF)/SPF/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) hybrid composites. RF/SPF/TPU hybrid composites were fabricated at different weight ratios (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, and 0:100) by melt mixing and hot compression. The mechanical (tensile, flexural, and impact test) and morphological properties of tensile fractured samples were examined using a universal testing machine, impact machine, and scanning electron microscope. It was found that the hybridization of RF/SPF increased its impact strength corresponding to the increases in the SPF content of the composites. The tensile and flexural properties of the hybrid composites decreased due to poor interfacial bonding between the fiber and matrix. Scanning electron micrographs of the tensile fractured surface of the RF/SPF hybrid composites revealed fiber pullouts and poor adhesion bonding. In conclusion, the hybridization of SPF with RF/TPU composites enhanced its impact strength while decreasing the tensile and flexural strength.

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