CHARACTERIZATION OF THERMAL PROPERTIES OF POLYESTER MATRIX REINFORCED WITH SISAL FIBERS BY PHOTOACOUSTIC TECHNIQUE

摘要

Synthetic fibers are being replaced periodically by natural materials such as lignocellulosic fibers. Compared to synthetic fibers, natural fibers have shown advantages in many aspects such as environmental and economic. So there is a growing interest in these fibers. Sisal fiber extracted from sisal plant, presents significant properties to be studied, but until now few photoacoustic analysis on sisal fiber reinforced composites were performed. The present work had as its objective to investigate, by photoacoustic spectroscopy and photothermal techniques the properties of diffusivity, specific heat capacity and conductivity of polyester composites reinforced with sisal fibers. The thermal diffusivity and the specific heat variation were obtained with reasonable accuracy, the values are consistent with thermal insulators material.