Physical and Mechanical Properties of Pinecone Scale Fiber/Vigna Mungo Powder Reinforced Polypropylene Based Hybrid Composites

ABSTRACT

This study accounted for fabrication, physico-mechanical, and morphological properties of extracted pine cone scale fiber (natural fiber) and vigna mungo powder (natural filler) reinforced polypropylene composite using the compression molding technique. The behavior of hybrid composites was examined through tensile, flexural, hardness, impact, and SEM characterizations. Compared to the neat polymer matrix, the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites improved. The flexural and hardness properties where significantly enhanced with the addition of Vigna mungo powder. The hybrid composite C2 (30% pine cone scale fiber reinforcement) showed the highest density tensile and impact strength. The composite C5 (30% vigna mungo powder reinforcement) showed the least density, lowest impact, and high flexural strength. This was attributed to the chemical treatment of the fibers, which improved the fibers’ tensile properties due to the removal of the wax layer from fiber surface. The study concluded that naturally occurring pine cone scale fiber and vigna mungo powder could be used as potential reinforcements and can be a viable alternative material for polymer-based composites.

摘要

本研究采用模压成型技术对提取的松果鳞片纤维(天然纤维)和绿豆粉(天然填料)增强聚丙烯复合材料的制备、物理机械和形态特性进行了研究. 通过拉伸、弯曲、硬度、冲击和SEM表征研究了混杂复合材料的性能. 与纯聚合物基体相比,杂化复合材料的力学性能有所提高. 绿豆粉的加入显著提高了材料的弯曲性能和硬度. 混杂复合材料C2(30%松果纤维增强)显示出最高的密度拉伸和冲击强度. 复合材料C5(30%vigna mungo粉末增强)显示出最小的密度、最低的冲击和高弯曲强度. 这归因于纤维的化学处理,由于从纤维表面去除蜡层,从而改善了纤维的拉伸性能. 该研究得出结论,天然存在的松果鳞片纤维和绿豆粉可作为潜在的增强材料,并可作为聚合物基复合材料的可行替代材料.

KEYWORDS:

• Hybrid composites
• mechanical properties
• natural fibers
• vigna mungo
• pinecone scales

Acknowledgments

The comments from anonymous reviewers and the editor have greatly improved the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.