Mechanical properties of natural fibre reinforced polymer composites

During the last few years, natural fibres have received much more attention than ever before from the research community all over the world. These natural fibres offer a number of advantages over traditional synthetic fibres. In the present communication, a study on the synthesis and mechanical properties of new series of green composites involving Hibiscus sabdariffa fibre as a reinforcing material in urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin based polymer matrix has been reported. Static mechanical properties of randomly oriented intimately mixed Hibiscus sabdariffa fibre reinforced polymer composites such as tensile, compressive and wear properties were investigated as a function of fibre loading. Initially urea-formaldehyde resin prepared was subjected to evaluation of its optimum mechanical properties. Then reinforcing of the resin with Hibiscus sabdariffa fibre was accomplished in three different forms: particle size, short fibre and long fibre by employing optimized resin. Present work reveals that mechanical properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength and wear resistance etc of the urea-formaldehyde resin increases to considerable extent when reinforced with the fibre. Thermal (TGA/DTA/DTG) and morphological studies (SEM) of the resin and biocomposites have also been carried out.