Exploring Properties of Short Randomly Oriented Rattan Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composite for Automotive Application

The acrylic acid treated rattan fiber reinforced epoxy (RF/Epoxy) composite has been fabricated by taking various weight percentages (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt%) of fibers using hand layup followed by compression molding technique. The optimum fiber loading has been determined by regression analysis and it is found that 18 wt% of rattan fiber gives maximum tensile strength. The interaction of rattan fiber with epoxy matrix has been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) has been used to study the morphology of chemically modified rattan fiber and RF/Epoxy composite. The mechanical, thermal, and dynamic mechanical thermal properties of 18 wt% RF/Epoxy composite have been studied as per ASTM standards. From the results, it is observed that RF/Epoxy composite gives best properties at optimum (18 wt%) fiber loading. The maximum tensile strength and flexural strength of the composite are found to be 47.5 and 121 MPa, respectively, which is better in comparison to other natural fiber composites used for manufacturing different automobile body parts. Hence, it can be concluded that 18 wt% RF/Epoxy composite can be considered as a potential candidate for automotive body parts.

Automated summary

The fabrication and properties of acrylic acid treated rattan fiber reinforced epoxy composite were studied. The optimum fiber loading was determined to be 18 wt%, which resulted in the highest tensile strength. The interaction between rattan fiber and epoxy matrix was analyzed using FTIR spectroscopy and XRD. SEM was used to examine the morphology of the modified rattan fiber and RF/Epoxy composite. Mechanical, thermal, and dynamic mechanical properties of the 18 wt% RF/Epoxy composite were evaluated according to ASTM standards. The composite displayed superior properties compared to other natural fiber composites, making it a potential candidate for automotive body parts.