Processing Parameters Optimisation of Nonwoven Kenaf Reinforced Acrylic Based Polyester Composites

The present work studies the dependence of mechanical properties of kenaf fibre (KF) reinforced acrylic based polyester composites on the processing parameters. Prior to moulding, non-woven kenaf fibre (NWKF) with areal density of 1200 g/m(2) was impregnated by acrylic based polyester resin using an impregnation line followed by a post-drying step. The flexural properties of the composites were investigated with respect to changes in impregnation and moulding conditions based on Design of Experiment (DOE) of Response Surface Methodology (RSM). RSM through Central Composite Design (CCD) was applied to develop a model of flexural properties with respect to the combination of processing variables. The mathematical regression models of the flexural properties were derived from the analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine the model significance. All processing variables in linear terms exhibit significant effect on the flexural strength of the composites. Optimisation of the independent variables to maximise the flexural properties was estimated and verified.