TITLE:
Production and Properties of Short Jute and Short E-Glass Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene-Based Composites
AUTHORS:
Md Nuruzzaman Khan, Juganta K. Roy, Nousin Akter, Haydar U. Zaman, Tuhidul Islam, Ruhul A. Khan
KEYWORDS:
Jute Fiber; E-Glass Fiber; Composites; Compression Molding; Polypropylene
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Composite Materials,
Vol.2 No.2,
April
26,
2012
ABSTRACT: Short jute fiber (2 - 3 mm) reinforced polypropylene PP-based composites (20% fiber by weight) were fabricated using compression molding and the mechanical properties were evaluated. Tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM), elongation at break (Eb%), flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (FM), impact strength (IS), and hardness of the composites were found to be 32 MPa, 850 MPa, 12%, 38 MPa, 1685 MPa, 18 kJ/m2 and 96 shore-A, respectively. Then short E-glass fiber (2 - 3 mm) reinforced PP-based composites (20% fiber by weight) were fabricated and mechanical properties were compared with short jute-based composites. Short jute-based composites showed excellent mechanical properties and comparable to short E-glass-based composites. Soil degradation test of both types of composites indi-cated that jute/PP composites significantly lost much of its mechanical properties but E-glass/PP composites retained major portion of its original integrity. Interfaces of the degraded composites were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and supported the biodegradation properties of jute/PP composites.