Investigation of Mechanical, Thermal, and Moisture Diffusion Behavior of Acacia Concinna FIBER/POLYESTER Matrix Composite

ABSTRACT

Acacia concinna is a climber shrub commonly found in the warm plains of central and south India, and it is an excellent herbal remedy for hair. In this investigation, fiber has been extracted from the stem portion of the Acacia concinna plant through the retting process; subsequently, the fibers were cut into 40 mm length. A part of extracted fibers were treated with 3% alkali concentration, and the remaining was kept as an untreated form. Composites were fabricated with raw and treated Acacia concinna fibers separately using a compression moudling process. During composite fabrication, five different fiber weight fraction was maintained, such as 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50%. Tensile, flexural, impact, hardness, moisture diffusion, and thermal properties were analyzed on the alkali-treated, and untreated fiber reinforced composites. The alkali-treated composite with 30% fiber weight fraction showed good tensile strength (129.38 ± 5.3 MPa), tensile modulus (1.986 GPa), flexural strength (137.31 MPa), flexural modulus (2.86 GPa), impact property (18.61 J/cm²), hardness property (95 HRRW) and water absorption characteristics (4.9%). SEM analysis confirms the improved surface of the alkali-treated composite material.

摘要

金合欢是一种攀缘灌木, 常见于印度中南部温暖的平原, 是一种很好的治疗头发的草药. 在本研究中, 通过脱胶过程从相思植物的茎部提取纤维; 随后, 将纤维切割成40mm长. 一部分提取的纤维用3%的碱浓度处理, 其余的保留为未处理的形式. 采用压缩成型工艺, 分别用生的和处理过的刺槐纤维制备复合材料. 在复合材料制造过程中, 维持了5种不同的纤维重量分数, 例如10%、20%、30%、40%和50%. 分析了碱处理和未处理纤维增强复合材料的拉伸、弯曲、冲击、硬度、水分扩散和热性能. 纤维重量分数为30%的碱处理复合材料具有良好的拉伸强度(129.38±5.3 MPa)、拉伸模量(1.986 GPa)、弯曲强度(137.31 MPa)、弯曲模量(2.86 GPa)、冲击性能(18.61 J/cm2)、硬度性能(95 HRRW)和吸水特性(4.9%). SEM分析证实碱处理复合材料的表面得到了改善.

KEYWORDS:

• Acacia concinna fiber
• tensile strength
• flexural strength
• impact strength
• hardness
• moisture diffusion

关键词:

• 金合欢纤维
• 抗拉强度
• 弯曲强度
• 冲击强度
• 硬度
• 水分扩散

Highlights

• Acacia concinna is a climber shrub and it is an excellent herbal remedy for hair.

• fiber has been extracted from the stem portion of the Acacia concinna plant through the retting process.

• A part of extracted fibers were treated with 3% alkali concentration, and the remaining was kept as an untreated form.

• Composites were fabricated with raw and treated Acacia concinna fibers.

• Tensile, flexural, impact, hardness, moisture diffusion, and thermal properties were analyzed on the alkali-treated, and untreated fiber reinforced composites.

Disclosure statement

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