Title: An investigation on the use of sodium hydroxide treated Pandanus utilis fibres in compression moulded polyester composite

Authors: Laurent L'Entêté; Hareenanden Ramasawmy

Addresses: Mechanical and Production Engineering Department, University of Mauritius, 5th Floor Engineering Tower, Reduit, Moka, MU, Mauritius ' Faculty of Engineering, Mechanical and Production Engineering Department, University of Mauritius, 5th Floor Engineering Tower, Reduit, Moka, MU, Mauritius

Abstract: In this study, the use of Pandanus utilis natural fibre as a reinforcing agent in polyester was investigated with the aim of evaluating the tensile strength of the fibre, and its wettability based on two different NaOH treatments. Furthermore, the effect of the NaOH treated chopped fibre length on the tensile strength of the fibre composite was evaluated. The results have shown that a better tensile strength was obtained for the composites with the 2.5% NaOH treated fibres (11.10 ± 2.53MPa) as compared to the composite made with 0.5% NaOH treated fibres (8.32 ± 1.30 MPa), primarily due to a better wettability of the 2.5% alkaline treated fibre (87.37° internal contact angle) with the polyester resin. Within the tested range of short chopped fibre length (6 mm to 15 mm), it was shown that there was a general decrease in the tensile strength of the fibre composite.

Keywords: tensile strength; contact angle; NaOH treatment; Pandanus utilis; fibre length; wettability.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSPR.2022.121664

International Journal of Student Project Reporting, 2022 Vol.1 No.1, pp.68 - 82

Received: 18 Apr 2021
Accepted: 02 Jul 2021
Published online: 23 Mar 2022 *