Evaluation of Calotropis gigantea as a Promising Raw Material for Fiber-reinforced Composite

In this study the feasibility of applying two kinds of mudar (Calotropis gigantea) fibers, namely bark fibers and seed fibers, as an alternative raw material for fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) is investigated. The chemical analysis of the bark and seed fibers indicates that their main components are holocellulose 76 and 69%, cellulose 57 and 49%, lignin 18 and 23%, and alkali soluble substances 17 and 15%, respectively. There are statistically significant differences in the bark and seed fiber dimensions. The bark fibers are long, with a thin wall relative to their diameter, and are therefore lightweight. The seed and bark fibers are very similar to hard- and soft-woods, in terms of chemical compositions and fiber dimensions, respectively. The mechanical properties of the mudar bark fibers are: tensile strength 381 MPa, strain at break 2.1% and Young's modulus 9.7 GPa. In general, both types of fibers have enough potential for replacing or supplementing other fibrous raw materials as reinforcing agent.