Fabrication and characterization of jute cotton blended fabrics reinforced UPR based composite: effect of gamma radiation and reactive dye

Abstract

The usability of natural fibers is increasing day by day to curtail the versatile applications of synthetic polymers that pollute the environment. In this research work, blended fibers from jute and cotton were utilized as reinforcing materials whereas unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) was chosen as a matrix to fabricate composite materials. Various reactive dye percentages (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8%) and several gamma radiation doses (2.5, 5, and 7.5 kGy) were introduced to augment the properties of prepared composites where the 6% dye treatment and the 5 KGy gamma radiation dose presented paramount properties. Composites, fabricated by hand-lay-up technique, were characterized by mechanical properties (tensile strength, tensile modulus, and elongation at break), water uptake, Thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR), and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

KEYWORDS:

• Jute fiber
• cotton fiber
• reactive dye
• composite
• gamma radiation

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to give special thanks to the Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh and Bangladesh Jute Research Institute (BJRI), Ministry of Agriculture, Manik Mia Avenue, Dhaka-1207, Bangladesh as well as Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technology (IRPT), Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Savar, Dhaka-1349, Bangladesh, for providing required facilities for this research work. The authors also acknowledge the support of Glass Research Division, Institute of Glass & Ceramic Research and Testing, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR) for completing this research work.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Md. Tarik Hossain

Md. Tarik Hossain is working as a director in Bangladesh Jute Research Institute and before that he was working as a principal scientific officer and chief scientific officer at the same institute.

Md. Sahadat Hossain

Md. Sahadat Hossain is working as a sceinetific officer in Glass Research Division, Institute of Glass and Ceramic Research and Testing, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Samina Ahmed

Samina Ahmed is working as a chief scientific officer in Glass Research Division, Institute of Glass and Ceramic Research and Testing, Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Ruhul A. Khan

Ruhul A. Khan is working as a director in Institute of Radiation and Polymer Technology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Savar, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

A.M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury

A. M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury is a professor and working at University of Dhaka.