Evaluating Tensile Properties of Phragmites Karka Fibre Reinforced Polyester Composites

Short Phragmites Karka fibre reinforced polyester composites were fabricated using hand layup technique and tensile properties were evaluated. For better adhesion with matrix, the fibers were chemically treated with 10% NaOH for specific period of time. Both untreated and treated fibres with different weight fractions (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5% and 15%) were mixed with polyester matrix to fabricate the composite. The results indicated that, there is improvement in the tensile strength of polyester composite with untreated fibre up to a fibre content of 7.5% and then decreased. However the strength was increased with addition of treated fiber up to 15%. It was also seen that there was an increase in tensile modulus of composites with untreated and treated fibre up to 15% weight fraction; however the tensile modulus of composite with untreated fibre is higher than that of treated fibre composite. The % elongation is high in treated fibre composite than that of untreated fibre reinforced polyester composite. The strength of untreated fibre reinforced polyester composite at 7.5% fiber loading is 33.40MPa which is 13.2% higher than plain polyester resin where as the strength of treated fibre reinforced polyester composite at 15% fiber loading is 39.74MPa which is 34.7% higher than plain polyester resin. Also the tensile modulus of untreated fibre polyester resin at 12.5% is 737.18MPa which is 89% higher than plain polyester where as the tensile modulus of treated fibre at 15% is 630.85MPa which is 62.6% higher than plain polyester composite. The % elongation of plain polyester is 4.3% lesser than treated fibre reinforced polyester composite and 2.72% greater than untreated fibre reinforced polyester composite. It is concluded that Phragmites Karka fibre can be an emerging natural fiber reinforcement to enhance the tensile properties of polymer composites. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.