Fracture of Natural Fiber Composites - Assignment Example

Fracture of Natural Fiber Composites (Jute Fiber) Name: Course: Instructor: Institution: Date of Submission: 1.0. METHODOLOGY 1.1. Material Selection and Preparation The Jute Fiber is a natural fiber that was selected for the fracture performance study. The Jute Fiber does not require complex planning and preparation to make it ready to be used in the fracture study process. Additionally, the jute fiber is used in many industries today, which stipulates that studying it fracture performance was beneficial in showing the additional areas it could be used. It was selected for these process based on many more applications issues named in the literature review. Through reinforcing it with the epoxy resin will brand it effective for application in many other areas, since the fracture performance of the material will stipulate the maximum load the material can bear prior to fracturing (Grcaeraj & Venkatachalam, 2015). The experimental procedures to determine the fracture performance of the jute fiber composites, which demonstrates the dependence of the mechanical properties on the mechanisms natural fiber composite failure, while determining the possible ways to improve such properties. Jute fiber is a long, shiny and soft vegetable that is coarsened into strong threads (Pickering, 2008). Jute Fiber on the roadside been dried after retting The experimental processes of composite materials is an evolving one demanding high loading structures among other mechanical testing procedures. The inherent properties of the fibers such as mechanical properties, physical and geometrical properties of the fiber demand new and different testing methods to determine their fracture performance (Zhou, et al., 2013). 1.1.1. Material Selection The natural jute fiber composite was selected for this experimental and research proposal. The natural jute fiber is a high density polyethylene (HDPE) attained through the palsule process without any fiber treatment process, which brands it a good thermal stability material (Signh & Palsule, 2014). The jute fiber is a naturally reinforced polymeric composite, which is eco-friendly and cost friendly among other benefits it has on the environment generally. As a natural fiber, it is renewable and biodegradable, which presents it as a better source of energy with low GHG emissions among others. The Jute fiber is a natural plant, and is mainly used in reinforcing other polymer composites instead or conventional fibers such as carbon or glass. The components of the jute fiber as a natural plant include the hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. They are effective mainly in the reinforcing of the thermoplastic matrices. The natural Jute fibers properties contents is as follows 61% to 71% cellulose content, 14% to 20 % of the hemicellulose, and 12% to 13% of the lignin. As such, it has poor compatibility in the hydrophobic polymer matrix. Additional, they have poor fiber matrix adhesions that limits the load, showing poor mechanical, thermal and physical composite properties. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF JUTE FIBER Properties   Density (g/cm3) 1.4 to 1.8 Young Modulus (Gpa) 30 Tensile strength (MPa) 700 - 800 Tensile Elongation (%) 1.1 -1.7 Cellulose content (%) 51% to 58% Lignin content 8% to 10% 1.1.2. Material Preparation a. Jute Fiber Preparation The preparation of the material was dependent on the mechanical tests to be conducted. The jute fiber has been consider hygroscopic and hydrophilic, which affects the poor load capacity and compatibility in the hydrophobic matrix of the polymer when reinforced with natural fiber composites, such as the jute. Therefore, to make the material compatible and eliminate the load limit, the jute fibers will be undergo some reinforcing tests, where the Jute Fiber undergoes preparation processes to ensure is improves the interfacial adhesion matrix. That is; the preparation of the material is presented in the pictorial representations given below. The jute fibers are pure before any treatment. The first stage of the treatment includes the process of cleaning the fibres using clean water to remove any dirt on the surface of the fiber. Secondly, the jute fiber will undergo the epoxy treatment process. The chemical mixture first used is the Sodium hydroxide with a 6% concentration, which is first diluted in water prior to the jute been placed in the mixture for treatment. As the solution is left to mix effectively, the jute fiber is prepared. That is; the jute fiber is placed in the mixture and left to heal for about 24 hours. The jute fiber used for the experiment was left in the mixture for exactly 24hours. After the treatment of Jute Fiber, the material was dried in the oven at a temperature of 60co. Once the jute fiber is as dry as needed, the last process involves cutting it to the samples that were used for the fracture performance experiment. The treated jute fibers were cut in lengths of 1cm to 1.5 cm using scissors. The samples prepared were then stored in cool dry places, while waiting for the composite to be prepared. The Jute fiber will be treated using the epoxy hardener mixture, though other chemical solutions could be used to treat the material. Others would include the sodium periodate, oligomeric siloxane, polymide (PA), 2-hydroxylethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and try-propylene glycol diacrylate (TPGDA) among many others. When the natural jute fiber composite has been effectively treated, it can withstand heavy loadings and high temperatures without easy fracturing. b. Epoxy Composites Preparation The epoxy resin is the main mixture that was prepared. The epoxy resin is perceived as the matrix of the polymer that is mainly used in the experimental process. The epoxy resin will be reinfored using the jute fiber to study its fracture performance. Today, the epoxy resins are modified to ensure they are effective in the fabrication of natural fibers such as the jute fiber composite to make it superior by increasing its mechanical property (Saba, et al., 2015). The epoxy composite was prepared in the lab following the intended standard procedures while the risk assessments were considered. The epoxy composite is prepared in association with the hardener at different ratios. Different ratio samples were used: the first sample used had 80% epoxy and 20% hardener; 2nd 75% epoxy and 25% hardener, 3rd sample was 70% epoxy and 30% of the hardener. The sample was needed as solidified, where the three samples after been left for 24hours had not solidied, leading to the application of the samples in the over for the solidification process to occur, which did not occur either. As a result, some of the jute fiber samples were damaged. New samples of the epoxy and hardener were used later following the same procedure, and the solidification occurred through the first sample. After, this success, the (FRE) fiber reinforceded epoxy composite was prepared, which would give the fracture performance of the Jute fiber. 1. Designing the FRE mould The samples were cut similar in size and shape for the results to be calculated accuratey during comparisons. The process involved drawing and determining the diminutions of the mould using the CAD software. The designed and built mould was made of wood, leading to poor results since the samples were distorted during the extraction process (Harikrishnan, et al., 2015). The second sample used the same wood material, but it was coated with CEARAWAX, which eliminated the leakage and improved extractions flexibility, but the extraction was also distorted, leading to the application of the plastic purchased mould for the exercise. The extraction process was successful using the plastic mould. 2. FRECs Development The Jute Fiber is then placed in the mould and left to solidify for 24hours in the mould. After 24hours, the samples are extracted and dried in the oven at 110co, which is the healing process as well. 3. FREC Specimen fabrication of the Dimensions The fabrication of the specimen follows the ATM D5045 standards where the desired dimensions were prepared for the fracture performance test. The fracture performance of the Jute Fiber samples contraction are presented (Rajasekar, 2014). The samples were cut manually, which increased the error level. The treated and healed Jute Fiber was cut into four main samples, and while using markings, the samples were made equal to each other. The grinding process was used to ensure the lines on the samples were straight including the edges. The drilling process was also used to make circles in the samples surfaces, using a drill press provided in the lab. The drill was 7.7mm in diameter. The saw was used for the pre-crack development of 15mm while the tip crack was made using the razor blade with a 0.005 thickness and 3mm long. This led to the development of the final Jute Fiber specimens to be used to determine the fracture performance of the material. 1.2. Fracture Testing Machine The universal tensile testing machine, model 810 was used to determine the fracture performance of the treated Jute Fiber. The machine was found and provided by the school’s lab. Prior to operating the machine, the standard working procedures including an analysis of risk assessment of the tensile machine were studied to guarantee effective operation of the material. 1.3. Experimental Procedure The experimental procedure was to identify the fracture performance of the treated jute fiber specimens that have been prepared following the procedures given above (Sanjay & Yogesha, 201). The Jute Fiber Specimens used were equal in all dimensions as expected by the ASTM D5045, where the prepared samples were stored in room temperatures while the wind speed allowed was about 1.5mm/m. The diameter of the circles made using the drill press were 7.7mm. Other dimensions used include the 16mm (thickness) * 50mm (width) and the pre-crack used was 15mm. The specimen to be tested for the fracture performance is the Jute Fiber. Four JFRE samples were used where the length of the fiber was 15mm. The toughness and fracture performance of the sample provided is given through the equation below. Kic = fracture toughness P = load applied on the tensile testing machine B = thickness of the material sample W = Width F(a/w) = factor of geometry applied. 1.4. Morphology Study The morphology study is done through microscopy scanning used for observing the JFRE (Jute Fiber Reinforced Epoxy) composite. The materials are scanned for the surface conditions to determine the fracture performance of the samples. The morphology specimens have to be coated prior to the investigation to study and determine the fracture performance of the material. The morphology study begins by studying the pre-crack propagation on the surface of the samples used. References Grcaeraj, P. P. & Venkatachalam, G., 2015. Investigations into the Tensile Strength of the Jute Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Matrix Composites. Engineering Review, 35(3), pp. 275-281. Harikrishnan, K. R., Varma, D. & Shivakumar, E., 2015. Mode I Fracture Toughness of Jute/ Glass ibre Hybrid Composite - An Experimental and Numerical Study. International Journal of Engineering Trends and Technology, 28(6), pp. 307 - 310. Pickering, K., 2008. Properties and Performance of Natural-Fibre Composites. Illustrated ed. New York: Elsevier. Rajasekar, K., 2014. Experimentl Testing of the Natural Composite Material (Jute Fiber). IOSR Journal of Mechanical and Civil Engineering, 11(2), pp. 1-9. Saba, N. et al., 2015. Recent Advances in Epoxy Resin, Natural Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites and their Applications. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites. Sanjay, R. M. & Yogesha, B., 201. Studies on Mechanical Properties of Jute/ E-Glass Fiber Reinfornced Epoxy Hybrid Composites. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, Volume 4, pp. 15-25. Signh, A. A. & Palsule, S., 2014. Thermal Properties of Jute Fiber Reinforced Chemically Functionalized High Density Polyethylene (JF/CFHDPE) Composites Developed by Palsule Process. Applied Polymer Composites, 2(2), pp. 97-108. Zhou, X. et al., 2013. Fracture and Impact Properties of Short Discrete Jute Fibre-einforced Cementitious Composites. Materials and Design, Volume 49, pp. 35-47. Read More