Mechanical Properties of Jute Spun Yarn/PLA Tubular Braided Composite by Pultrusion Molding

Pultrusion is a continuous process with application in the manufacture of fiber-reinforced composite. The thermoplastic pultrusion molding is a manufacturing process in which generated by the resin fiber and reinforcement fibers are pulled through the heat die. The pressure was generated, also the resin fiber start melt and impregnate into the reinforcement fiber. In this investigation study the mechanical properties of jute spun yarn/PLA tubular braided composite by pultrusion molding. The systems for jute spun yarn/PLA braided composite were described in the term of materials design, structure design and processing design. The intermediate materials were prepared by comingle technique. The braiding technique manufactured preform which had jute fiber diagonally oriented at certain angles with the glass fiber inserted into the braiding yarns along the longitudinal direction of braiding structure. The braided preforms were pulled through the heated die where consolidation flow took place due to reduced matrix viscosity. The pultrusion experiments were fabricated the tubular braided composite with varying the structure of braided preform and pultrusion molding condition. The configuration of intermediate material and the molding temperature are influenced to the mechanical properties of jute spun yarn/PLA tubular braided composite. The quality of pultruded composite was evaluated by cross-section observation and mechanical properties evaluated by 4-point bending test. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.