Static bending and impact behaviour of areca fibers composites

Abstract

Natural fibers are considered to have potential use as reinforcing agents in polymer composite materials because of their principle benefits: good strength and stiffness, low cost, and be an environmental friendly, degradable, and renewable material. A study has been carried out to evaluate physical, flexural and impact properties of composite made by areca fibers with randomly distributed fibers. The extracted areca fibers from the areca husk were alkali treated with potassium hydroxide to get better interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix. Then composite laminates were fabricated by using urea formaldehyde, melamine urea formaldehyde and epoxy resins by means of compression molding technique with varying process parameters, such as fiber condition (untreated and alkali treated), and fiber loading percentages (50% and 60% by weight). The developed areca fiber-reinforced composites were then characterized by physical, bending and impact test. The results show that flexural and impact strength increases with increase in the fiber loading percentage. Compared to untreated fiber, significant change in flexural and impact strength has been observed for treated areca fiber reinforcement.