Mechanical Characterization of Arecanut Husk Fibre Composites Panels Under Static and Dynamic Loading Condition

Abstract

Arecanut husk fibre is an agricultural waste, which does not contribute to the economy of arecanut plantation. The use of arecanut husk fibre as reinforcing material in the preparation of low cost and low density composite panels provides usability to arecanut husk. Low cost and low density composites have wide range of applications in construction industry, marine structures, automobile industry and aerospace industry. The present work focuses on extraction of arecanut husk fibre with alkali treatment process by using 6 % of sodium hydroxide solution, composite panel preparation and determination of mechanical properties of composite panels under static and dynamic loading condition. Different fibre compositions (fine fibre, coarse fibre and coarse fibre sandwiched with glass fibre) of 15 % by weight were used in the present study. The tensile strength of composites made with fine fibres (15.1 MPa) was observed to be more than that of composites made with coarse fibres (10.8 MPa). Further improvement in tensile strength of composite panels made of coarse arecanut husk fibre layer sandwiched with two layers of glass fibre (24.8 MPa) was observed. The flexural strength of fine fibre composites was more when compared to that of the coarse fibre composites. The average flexural strength of composites reinforced with fine fibre, coarse fibre and coarse fibre sandwiched with glass fibre were observed as 85 MPa, 65 MPa and 240 MPa respectively. The coarse fibre composites resulted in higher impact strength when compared to fine fibre composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis, shows trend of storage modulus increased with increase in loading frequency and variation of increment in storage modulus decreased with increase in frequency. At room temperature, the values of storage modulus are 0.478 GPa, 0.573 GPa and 0.607 GPa for loading frequencies of 5 Hz, 10 Hz and 15 Hz respectively. The arecanut composite can retain its storage modulus up to 80 °C. The glass transition temperature of arecanut husk fibre composites is 105 °C.