Enhancing the mechanical toughness of epoxy-resin composites using natural corn stalk fibre as reinforcements

Abstract

The effect of epoxy resin on reinforced corn stalk fibre blended with cotton and polyester in different proportions were studied, According to tensile test results it was found that P2 sample which is blended with cornstalk/ polyester (50:50) fibre with epoxy resin composite have highest tensile strength i.e. 13.46 MPa followed by cotton blended reinforced corn stalk natural fibre (50:50) with tensile strength 10.72 MPa. Flexural strength of specimen P2 (corn stalk/polyester (50:50)) was higher than that of rest specimens. When Corn stalk fibre blends ratio increased with polyester and cotton fibres the flexural strength decreased. It was observed that the flexural strength values decreased with the increase in weight% of corn stalk fibre. The flexural strength in case of 100% corn stalk reinforced composite specimen has lesser than other five composites specimens. Effect of the epoxy composites on the elongation at the break on different corn stalk blend with cotton and polyester fibre reinforced composites showed that there is a slight difference in the values of different blends. Composite made up with corn stalk/cotton (50:50) have higher elongation (3.82%) than the other composites, followed by cornstalk/cotton (70:30) and cornstalk/polyester (70:30) blended fibre composites. 100% corn stalk fibre has less elongation than the other comparable fibre composites. The decrease in the elongation at break is explained in terms of adherence of the filler to the matrix leading to stiffening of the fibre composite. Cornstalk fibre blended with polyester has higher impact strength than the cotton and 100% cornstalk fibre composites. This may be because of polyester have higher strength than the cotton and cornstalk’s single fibre. Although 100% corn stalk fibres comparatively have less impact strength than rest of the composite. The strength of composite mainly depends on the volume fraction of the fibre as well as the thickness of the composite material. Samples with 0.6-0.10 mm thickness can be used as light valued textile applications. Sample C1 (corn stalk/cotton 70:30) have the highest maximum load at break followed by P1 sample (corn stalk/polyester 70:30).