Fabrication and Characterization of H. sabdariffa Fiber-Reinforced Green Polymer Composites

Abstract

Present work is concerned with the evaluation of the mechanical properties of compression molded Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) fibre-reinforced Urea-Formaldehyde (UF) matrix based green polymer composites. Reinforcing of the Urea-Formaldehyde (UF) resin with Hibiscus sabdariffa (HS) fibre was accomplished in the form of short fibre (3 mm). It has been observed that mechanical properties of UF matrix increases with fibre loading and then decreases for higher loading (beyond 30%). Morphological and thermal studies of the matrix, fibre and short fibre-reinforced (SF-Rnf) green composites have also been carried out.

Keywords:

• Mechanical properties
• Natural fibers
• Polymer composites
• Reinforcement

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We express our sincere thanks to Director, National Institute of Technology Hamirpur (H.P.) India for providing the basic laboratory facilities. Financial assistance from University Grant Commission (New Delhi) provided through grant no. F.NO.-30-80/2004 (SR) is highly acknowledged.