An Investigation on the Interfacial Adhesion between Amine Functionalized Luffa Fiber and Epoxy Resin and Its Effect on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Their Composites

ABSTRACT

The objective of this work is to develop a natural fiber-reinforced epoxy composite with enhanced compatibility between resin and the fiber, achieved by amino silane treatment of Luffa fiber. Amine modification on the surface of the Luffa fiber is confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Composites with different volume fractions (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8%) of amine functionalized/un-functionalized Luffa fiber and epoxy resin are fabricated. The functionalized/un-functionalized Luffa epoxy composites are subjected to various studies such as tensile, flexural, and impact in the area of the effect of amine functionalization of fiber/epoxy composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis and fatigue analysis are carried out to enable a study on the effect of amine functionalization. Variations in thermal stability of the composites are studied using TGA analysis. A maximum tensile strength value of 18.3 MPa is reached for the 6% amine functionalized composite compared to the plain epoxy of 9.4 MPa. The amine functionalized fiber-reinforced composites show improved thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties as a result of improved interaction between the fiber and matrix.

摘要

本工作的目的是开发一种天然纤维增强环氧树脂复合材料，增强树脂与纤维之间的相容性，实现丝瓜纤维的氨基硅烷处理. 用傅立叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）和扫描电镜（SEM）研究了丝瓜纤维表面胺的改性. 制备了不同体积分数（2,4,6,8%）的胺功能化/非功能化丝瓜纤维与环氧树脂的复合材料. 功能化/非功能化丝瓜环氧树脂复合材料在纤维/环氧树脂复合材料胺功能化效应方面进行了拉伸、弯曲和冲击等研究. 进行了动态力学分析和疲劳分析，以研究胺功能化的影响. 用热重分析研究了复合材料热稳定性的变化. 6%胺官能化复合材料的最大拉伸强度值为18.3 MPa，与9.4 MPa的纯环氧树脂相比达到最大值. 胺基功能化纤维增强复合材料由于改善了纤维与基体之间的相互作用，表现出更好的热性能、力学性能和形态性能.

KEYWORDS:

• Luffa cylindrica fiber
• epoxy composites
• interfacial adhesion
• amino silane treatment
• fiber functionalization

关键词:

• 丝瓜纤维
• 环氧复合材料
• 界面粘附
• 氨基硅烷处理
• 纤维功能化

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB) (file No. EMR/2016/005615).