Mechanical properties of hybrid glass/kenaf fibre-reinforced epoxy composite with matrix modification using liquid epoxidised natural rubber

Abstract

The hybridisation of natural fibre with glass fibre provides a method to improve the mechanical properties instead of using the natural fibres alone. This research is focused on the hybridisation of glass/kenaf fibre with the addition of liquid epoxidised natural rubber to enhance the desired mechanical properties of the composite by reducing the synthetic fibre usage and encourage the natural fibre consumption. Liquid epoxidised natural rubber was added to the epoxy matrix in order to improve its mechanical properties whilst E-glass fibre and kenaf bast fibre were used as the reinforcement in the composite. Liquid epoxidised natural rubber (3%) was added as a toughening agent. Two types of kenaf fibre were prepared -untreated and treated with 6% NaOH -whilst the glass fibre was treated using a silane coupling agent. The flexural test, Izod impact test, environmental stress cracking resistance analysis and scanning electron microscopy analysis were performed to determine the effect of fibre treatment and liquid epoxidised natural rubber addition on the mechanical properties of the hybrid fibre-reinforced composite. It was found that the treatment and the addition of liquid epoxidised natural rubber contribute to the increment of the impact strength by 40% whilst the flexural properties recorded a 13% and 15% increment for both flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively. The environmental stress cracking resistance analysis showed that the composites are more affected in acid medium followed by base medium and then with the control medium (air). The addition of liquid epoxidised natural rubber seems to improve the stability of the samples in the medium initially but tends to decrease rapidly over time due to debonding of the rubber particles.

Recent advances in bio‐based epoxy resins and bio‐based epoxy curing agents

“…LENR was added to a hybrid glass/kenaf fiber‐reinforced epoxy composite in order to boost the mechanical properties of the hybrid composite closer to that of the solely glass fiber‐reinforced epoxy. And, indeed, addition of LENR increased impact strength by 40%, flexural strength by 13%, and flexural modulus by 15% . The success of the LENR showed that a mix of synthetic and natural fibers could be used for commercial applications along with the strengthening addition of LENR.…”

Mechanical Characterization of Natural Fiber based Polymer Matrix Composite -A Review

“…Tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength of Sisal fiber-Ceramic Fiber Wool-Glass fiber with Epoxy resin is more than Aloe Vera-Ceramic Fiber Wool-Glass fiber with Epoxy resin. Muhammad et al [21] studied the mechanical properties of hybrid glass/Kenaf fiber-reinforced epoxy composite with the matrix modification using Liquid Epoxidized Natural Rubber (LENR) as a toughing agent. The results showed that the hybridization of Kenaf fiber with the glass fibre could produce better composite…”

Tensile and Flexural Properties of Silica Nanoparticles Modified Unidirectional Kenaf and Hybrid Glass/Kenaf Epoxy Composites

“…The processing and fabrication of kenaf fiber composites lead to the fracture and damage of the composite structures. As such, kenaf fiber composites are always modified with other materials called fillers [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. The combination of kenaf fiber with fillers or its hybridization with other types of reinforcing fibers could be very cost-effective and enhance the mechanical performance of the kenaf fiber composites.…”