EFFECTS OF FIBRE SURFACE TREATMENT ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF UKAM FIBRE REINFORCED POLYESTER COMPOSITES

^1*Okpanachi, George Echiye and ²Ogakwu Paul

*Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Kogi State

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal Polytechnic, Idah, Kogi State

e-mail: okpanachi1976@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This study arises on the opportunities of using ukam fibre as reinforcement for polyester matrix composites. Cellulose fibres are generally incompatible with polymers due to their hydrophilic nature. It has been suggested that the compatibility of hydrophobic thermoplastic and hydrophilic cellulose fibres can be enhanced by the modification of polymeric matrix of the fibre surface. Silane, alkaline and acidic treatments were used to perform the surface modification on the ukam fibre. The results revealed that an improvement in the fibre adhesion characteristics of the ukam fibers increased its tensile modulus by 12%, 68% and 79% after acidic, silane and alkaline treatment respectively. The tensile strength of the fibre composites improved by 46% after silane and alkaline treatment and the 32% water absorption rate reduced by 23% after alkaline treatment for the composites with treated fibers, the bending strength improved from 199.1 Mpa to 238.9Mpa by 20%, modulus improved from 11.89Gpa to 14.69Gpa by 23% and compressive strength increased from 0.238Mpa to 0.2834Mpa. Based on the results obtained in this work it can be concluded that fibre surface treatment have significant impact on the mechanical properties of natural fibres.

Keywords: Ukam fibre, polyester, compression, tensile, bending and composites.