Tensile properties of polymethyl methacrylate coated natural fabric Sterculia urens

The newly identified natural fabric from the tree of Sterculia urens was coated with Polymethyl methacrylate. The tensile properties of both the uncoated and Polymethyl methacrylate coated fabrics were studied. The tensile parameters such as maximum stress, Young's modulus and % elongation at break were determined using a Universal Testing Machine. The effect of alkali treatment and the Polymethyl methacrylate coating on tensile properties of the fabric was studies. The morphology of the fabric before and after alkali treatment and Polymethyl methacrylate coating was studied using the scanning electron microscopy and polarized optical microscopic techniques respectively. The improvement in the tensile properties on Polymethyl methacrylate coating was attributed to the filling up of the void regions of the uniaxial fabrics with Polymethyl methacrylate facilitating continuity. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.