Development and characterization of jute/polypropylene composite by using comingled nonwoven structures

High melt viscosity of thermoplastic matrices hinders the impregnation of fibers and their consolidation during fabrication of composites. In the present study, matrix (polypropylene) and reinforcement (jute) fibers were comingled at fiber to fiber level (fiber to matrix ratio of 30, 40, 50 and 60%) while making their nonwoven fabrics using dry laid process. Thermoforming process, in which polypropylene fibers are used and then melted for the development of composite plates. The results showed that the composite samples with 0.30 fiber volume fraction have higher mechanical properties (flexural, impact energy), while samples with 0.40 fiber volume fraction have higher tensile properties (tensile strength and modulus) due to good impregnation of fiber and better fiber-matrix interface. The composite having 0.30 fiber volume fraction has lowest value of moisture regain and diffusion coefficients than the other samples. Voids present in the microscopic images also confirmed the weak interface, when the fiber volume fraction increased up to 0.60.