Mechanical And Morphological Properties Of Raw And Alkali Treated Borassus Fruit Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

摘要

The use of natural fibers as reinforcement in Polymer Matrix Composites results in light weight, high specific strength and eco friendly Biopolymer materials. The raw and 5% alkali treated Borassus fruit fiber reinforced epoxy composites were prepared using five different fiber lengths 1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm and 10 mm respectively. The effects of fiber length as well as alkali treatment on tensile and impact properties were evaluated as per ASTM standards. It was found that the alkali treatment of the fibers improved the tensile and impact properties. The influence of fiber length is an important factor in the reinforcement of composites and it was observed that the 5mm length alkali treated fiber reinforced composites contribute better mechanical properties when compared to other length fiber composites. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis on tensile fractured specimens were also carried out to find out the chemical compounds present in the composites and fiber matrix adhesion characteristics.