HYBRID COMPOSITE BASED ON SISAL FLAX & GLASS FIBER

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1 HYBRID COMPOSITE BASED ON SISAL FLAX & GLASS FIBER M.Sudhagar 1, Arunkaarthick.V² 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Kavery Engineering College, Salem, Tamilnadu 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Kavery Engineering College, Salem, Tamilnadu Abstract The mechanical properties of epoxy matrix composites reinforced with hybrid glass, sisal-flax fibers were evaluated. There is incorporation of both fibers into a single matrix and the epoxy resin will stabilize mechanical properties and lowering manufacturing costs. In this research the tensile strength, flexural strength, were studied for composite material reinforced with hybrid fibers for sisal, flax and glass. These fibers were mixed with epoxy resin in different reinforcement percentage (40%, 40% and 20%) and the effects on the above mechanical properties were studied. It shows an improvement in mechanical properties after reinforcement of fibers and the value of mechanical properties will increase with increasing percentage of reinforcement. Using this dash board component is being made on its basis. Keywords Hybrid fibers, Composite material, Mechanical properties. I. INTRODUCTION Composite material is a material consisting of two or more physically and (or) chemically distinct phase, suitably arranged or distributed. A composite material usually has characteristics that are not depicted by any of its components in isolation. Using this definition, it can be determined that a wide range of engineering materials fall into this category. For example, concrete is a composite because it is a mixture of Portland cement and aggregate. Fiber glass sheet is a composite since it is made of glass fibers imbedded in a polymer. The incorporation of several different types of fibers into a single matrix has led to the development of hybrid bio-composites. The behavior of hybrid composites is a weighed sum of the individual components in which there is a more favorable balance between the inherent advantages and disadvantages. Also, using a hybrid composite that contains two or more types of fiber, the advantages of one type of fiber could complement with what are lacking in the other. As a consequence, a balance in cost and performance can be achieved through proper material design. The properties of a hybrid composite mainly depend upon the fiber content, length of individual fibers, orientation, extent of intermingling of fibers, fiber to matrix bonding and arrangement of both the fibers. The strength of the hybrid composite is also dependent on the failure strain of individual fibers. Maximum hybrid results are obtained when the fibers are highly strain compatible. II. MATERIALS Flax Fiber: Flax fibers are taken from the stem of the plant and are two to three times as strong as those of cotton. As well, flax fibers are naturally smooth and straight. It has fiber diameter (calculated by assuming the cylindrical form of the fiber) equal to 150 μm, its apparent Young s Modulus 50GPa and Shear Modulus 28.2GPa and its Poisson s Ratio 0.23 and its Bulk Density 1.5 All Rights Reserved 77

2 (a) (b) Fig 1: (a) flax plant, (b) flax fiber Sisal Fiber: Sisal Fiber is one of the most widely used natural fiber and is very easily cultivated. The plant known formally as Agave sisalana. These plants produce rosettes of sword-shaped leaves which start out toothed, and gradually lose their teeth with maturity. As well, sisal fibers are naturally smooth and straight. It has fiber diameter (calculated by assuming the cylindrical form of the fiber) equal to 150 μm, its apparent Young s Modulus 45GPa and Shear Modulus 18.2GPa and its Poisson s Ratio 0.23 and its Bulk Density 1.5 g/cc. (a) (b) Fig 2: (a) Sisal Plant, (b) Sisal All Rights Reserved 78

3 Glass Fiber: Glass fibers are manufactured from molten glass, from which glass monofilaments are drawn and then gathered to strands. The strands are used for preparation of different glass fiber products (yarns, roving s, woven fabrics, mats)., its apparent Young s Modulus 80GPa and Shear Modulus 50.2GPa and its Poisson s Ratio 0.23 and its Bulk Density 2.5 g/cc. Fig 3: Glass fiber 2.2. Matrix Properties Epoxy is thermosetting polymer that cures (polymerizes and cross links) when mixed with hardener. Epoxy resin of the grade Araldite AW106 and the hardener used was HV 953 U at a ratio of 1: Fibre Length and Fibre-Resin Ratio. To obtain the highest value of strength of the composite it has been analyzed for various sizes of chopped fiber length and fiber resin mixing ratio were taken up for 20, 40, 60, 80mm of chopped fiber length and specimen were prepared for 60:40 ratio of fiber resin combinations for each chopped fiber length. Totally 4 plates were prepared to take test with a standard testing thickness of 4mm. Here Hand lay-up method is used for fabricate the natural fiber composites. III. METHODOLOGY First the natural fibers are cleaned in the distilled water. The cleaned natural fibers are dried in the sun light. The dried natural fibers are again cleaned by chemical cleaning process. In chemical cleaning process the 10% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is mixed with distilled water. The dried natural fibers dipped in the diluted sodium hydroxide solution. It again dried in the sun light. The dried natural fibers are cut in the length of 20, 40, 60 and 80mm. 3.1 Requirement for Fabricate Natural fibre Composites Epoxy resin Hardener Natural Fibers Glass Fibers Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) Roller Stirrer 3.2 Matrix Preparation: In mould preparation the resin is mixed with hardener in the ratio of 1:1. The mixture is strewed with stirrer for 15 minutes All Rights Reserved 79

4 3.3 Fabrication Process After the fibers are treated and dried thoroughly these fibers were cut into the required size and the fibers are separated loose such that it can disperse in the resin mix evenly at the time of fabrication. The mould is cleaned through to remove any dirt material. The base plate is fixed inside the frame for fabricate the natural fiber composites; hardener is mixed with resin in 1:1 ratios. The fiber resin ratios are taken as 40:60 for various lengths of chopped fiber (20, 40, 60, 80mm) are used. The mixed resin and hardener is filled in the pattern. The prepared natural fibers and glass fibers are randomly poured in the resin hardener mixture without any gap. Fig: 4 Manufactured Plates The roller is rolled in the mould. Again the mould is filled in pattern by next layer and fibress poured randomly. The process is simultaneously done till reaching the required height. The lid is fixed on the top of the frame for distribute the load evenly on the mould. The setup is kept in the dry place for 24 hours. After 24 hours the mould is take away from the pattern, finally the natural fiber composite is fabricated Orientation of Fiber in the Mould: Alignment of fiber in the mould along with the resin mix is termed as Orientation. This defines the properties of the composite to be fabricated. Many methods of orientation are there. They are random, longitudinal axis, transverse axis, woven fiber of both orientations etc. here the random orientation has selected for fabrication. IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION All the plates are fabricated are cut to the required sizes and the following tests were carried out in the composite. Tensile test as per ASTM D3039, and Flexural test as per ASTM D790 were done and the results are tabulated further in the report. 4.1 Formulae Used : Tensile Stress (σt) = Load/Area = P/A Flexural Stress (σf) = 3Fl/2bd Results: After the fabrication of these plates they were tested for the above said mechanical properties and the results were tabulated and the graphical comparison of the same is done as per the ASTM standards Tensile Test: From the test results, the values are tabulated in worksheet and also noted that the behavior of the composite possesses at various fiber lengths and the ratios of fiber and resin. The Ultimate All Rights Reserved 80

5 strength reaches to a highest value of 44.49MPa when the length of the fiber is 40mm and 40:60 fiber resin ratio. It is noted in Graph 1. Graph 1: Tensile strength vs Fiber length Flexural Test: From the test results, the values are tabulated in worksheet and also noted that the behavior of the composite possesses at various fiber length and the corresponding fiber resin ratio. As the fiber length increases, strength also increases up to maximum value at MPa and gradually decrease when the length of the fiber is 60 mm, 80mm and 40:60 fiber resin ratio. It is noted in Graph 2. Graph 2: Flexural strength vs. Fiber length 4.3. Conclusion: A polymer matrix composite contains the sisal fiber, flax fiber and glass fiber as the reinforcement phase was successfully fabricated. The mechanical properties of fabricated natural fiber reinforced composites were observed. It is found that the composite material has good flexural strength at 40 mm length and 60:40 fiber resin ratio. Maximum tensile strength is achieved from 40 mm fiber with 40:60 ratio of fiber resin Component manufactured: A dash board component fig (5) is manufactured using 40mm fiber length of 40:60 ratio of fiber resin due to its good flexural property. Usually dash board is made up of polyester as it has poor appearance and bad quality. So the component is manufactured using composite. Fig:5 Dashboard All Rights Reserved 81

6 REFERENCES 1. Benjamin Lazarus.S, Velmurugan.V (2012), experimental investigation for Mechanical properties of chopped random fiber compression moulded sun hemp polyester composites, European journal of scientific research. 2. Sakthivel.M, Ramesh.S (2013), mechanical properties of natural fiber banana, coir, sisal polymer composites, Science Park, Vol-1, Issue Harle.M (2014), the performance of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites: review, International Journal of Civil Engineering research Volume-5, Number Girisha.C, Sanjeevamurthy, Gunti Ranga Srinivas (2012), sisal/coconut coir natural Fibers-epoxy composites: water absorption and mechanical properties, IJEIT Volume2, Issue 2 5. Girisha.C, Sanjeevamurthy, Gunti Rangasrinivas (2012), tensile properties of natural fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites, International Journal of modern engineering research, Volume Slah Msahli, Faouzi Sakil, Jean-Yves Dren (2006), study of potential of fibers extracted from Tunisian agave Americana, AUTEX Research, Volume KG Sathyanarayan, K.K Ravikumar, K.Sukumaran (1986), structure and properties of some vegetable fibers, Journal of material science Kuruvila Joseph, Romildo Dias Toledo Filho, Beena James, Sabu Thomas, Laura Hecker de Carvalho, (1999), a review on sisal fiber reinforced polymr composites, Revista Brasileria dc All Rights Reserved 82