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ABSTRACT
This research studies the thermogravimetric and dynamic mechanical analysis of woven glass/kenaf/epoxy hybrid nanocomposites filled with clay. Epoxy resin modified with 1.0 wt% silicon is sonicated with varying clay loading of 1.0, 3.0 and 5.0 wt%. The resin is then spread onto alternating woven glass and NaOH-treated woven kenaf. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals the benefits of dispersing clay onto the thermal properties of nanocomposite. Higher residue and higher temperature at 10 wt% mass loss is observed in clay nanocomposite. In addition to that, kenaf treatment, woven glass reinforcement and epoxy modification also help in improving the thermal stability of composites. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) reveals that TKG1% composite possessed the highest storage modulus at room temperature with 136.74% higher than UKG1% composite due to the polymer chain diffusion between well dispersed clay structures. TKG1% also achieved the highest loss modulus which indicates strongest internal friction among other composites. Despite that, TKG1% composite exhibited the lowest Tg which is 72°C. This could be reasoned with the elimination of hemicellulose due to fibre treatment that is responsible for stiffness in natural fibre. Elimination of hemicellulose is proven through Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis conducted on treated kenaf fibre at wavenumber 1514, 1696 and 1726 cm−1.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), particularly the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Department of Mechanical Engineering for the infrastructures lend, enabling the project to be completed. The authors would also like to acknowledge UPM for the research grant (9463900).