Manoranjan Saha

Comparative Studies of Mechanical and Interfacial Properties Between Jute and E-glass Fiber-reinforced Polypropylene Composites

Jute fiber (hessian cloth)-reinforced polypropylene matrix composites (50 wt% fiber) were fabricated by compression molding. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus, and impact strength of the composites were found to be 48 MPa, 2.5 GPa, 56 MPa, 4.5 GPa, and 18 kJ/m2, respectively. Then E-glass fiber (woven)-reinforced polypropylene-based composites (50 wt% fiber) were fabricated and the mechanical properties were compared with those of the jute-based composites. It was revealed that E-glass fiber-based composites had almost double the mechanical properties as compared to jute composites. The interfacial shear strength of the jute and E-glass fiber-based systems was investigated and found to be 2.13 and 4.66 MPa, respectively, measured using the single-fiber fragmentation test. Fracture sides after flexural testing of both types of the composites were studied by scanning electron microscope and the results revealed poor fiber matrix adhesion for jute-based composites when compared to that of the E-glass fiber composites.

Effect of Silane Treatment on the Mechanical and Interfacial Properties of Calcium Alginate Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composite

Calcium alginate fibers were treated with vinyl triethoxy silane [H 2C=CH-Si-(OC2H5)3] (5%, v/v) to reduce the strong hydrophilic nature of the fiber and also to improve the mechanical and interfacial properties of the calcium alginate fiber reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites (10 wt% fiber). The composites were fabricated by compression molding. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus, and impact strength of both the composite systems (PP/untreated calcium alginate fiber and PP/silane-treated calcium alginate fiber) were found to be 25 MPa, 1090 MPa, 36 MPa, 1480 MPa, and 17 kJ/m2 and 31 MPa, 1510 MPa, 48 MPa, 2270 MPa, and 21 kJ/m2, respectively. Degradation tests of composites were performed for 16 weeks in soil and it was found that the silane treated composites retained almost 84% of its original strength. The interfacial properties of the composite were investigated by using single fiber fragmentation test.

Surface modification of calcium alginate fibers with silane and methyl methacrylate monomers

Calcium alginate fiber, which is a natural fiber, was prepared by extruding aqueous sodium alginate solution (4 wt%) into an aqueous calcium chloride (2 wt%) bath. Polypropylene matrix calcium alginate fiber-reinforced unidirectional composites were fabricated by compression molding. In order to reduce the strong hydrophilic nature of the fiber and also to improve the mechanical properties of the composites, calcium alginate fibers were treated with five different formulations of vinyl triethoxy silane (1—5 wt%) and methyl methacrylate (10—50 wt%) along with methanol and photoinitiator and then cured under UV radiation.

Fabrication and Characterization of Jute Fiber-Reinforced PET Composite: Effect of LLDPE Incorporation

The aim of the research was to study the effect of LLDPE incorporation in the jute fiber-reinforced PET composites (50% fiber by wt). The effect of LLDPE incorporation into PET was investigated by measuring the mechanical properties of the LLDPE blended jute fiber-reinforced PET composites. LLDPE was blended (20-80% by wt) with PET and the thin films were made by compression molding. Water uptake of the composites was also investigated. Degradation of all the composites was carried out in soil medium.

Thermo-Mechanical and Interfacial Properties of Calcium Alginate Fiber-Reinforced Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Composite

Linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) matrix calcium alginate fiber reinforced unidirectional composites (10% fiber by weight) were fabricated by compression molding. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus and impact strength were found to be 19 MPa, 696 MPa, 32 MPa, 1150 MPa and 18 kJ/m2, respectively. Degradation tests of composites were performed for twelve weeks in soil and it was found that composites retained almost 70% of its original strength. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of the composites was also measured by single fiber fragmentation test (SFFT).

Effect of matrix modification by natural rubber on the performance of silk-reinforced polypropylene composites

Silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix composites were prepared by compression molding. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus, impact strength (IS), and hardness of the prepared composite (20 wt%) were found to be 54.7 MPa, 1826.2 MPa, 58.3 MPa, 3750.7 MPa, 17.6 kJ/m2, and 95, respectively. To improve the biodegradable character of the composite, natural rubber (NR) was blended (10, 25, and 50 wt%) with PP using extruder, and thin films were prepared by heat press for composite fabrication. Silk fiber-reinforced blended PP plus NRbased composites (20 wt% fiber) were fabricated and characterized. It was found that the mechanical properties of the composites decreased with the increase of NR in PP but IS improved significantly. The IS improved by 48% when 25% NR was incorporated in PP for the silk-based composites. The water uptake property of the composites was investigated. Degradation of all the composites was studied using simulating weathering, thermal degradation, and soil degradation tests. The study makes it clear that mechanical properties of silk/PP composites are greater than those of silk/PP plus NR composites. But silk/PP plus NR composites are more degradable than silk/PP composites, that is, silk/PP composites retain their strength for a longer period than silk/PP plus NR composites.

Study on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Jute-Reinforced Methyl Acrylate Grafted PET Composites

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granules were grafted with methyl acrylate (MA) from the solution containing 10% MA in methanol (86%) solvent and photo initiator (4%) for 10 min and then cured under UV radiation. MA-grafted PET films were prepared at 260°C and 5 ton pressure using heat press. Jute fabric-reinforced, MA-grafted, PET-based composites (25% fiber by weight) were fabricated by compression molding. Mechanical, thermal and soil degradation tests of the composites were performed. It was found that the MA grafted PET composites showed higher mechanical properties over the ungrafted PET/jute composite.

The Preparation and Characterization of Silk/Gelatin Biocomposites

There is a growing interest in the use of composite materials. Silk fiber/gelatin biocomposites were fabricated using compression molding. The fiber content in the composite varied from 10–30 wt%. Composite containing 30 wt% silk showed the best mechanical properties. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, bending strength, bending modulus and impact strength, hardness of the 30% silk content composites were found 54 MPa, 0.95 GPa, 75 MPa and 0.43 GPa and 5.4 kJ/m2, 95.5 Shore A, respectively. Water uptake properties at room temperature, accelerated weathering aging, irradiation, thermomechanical analysis, and degradation in soil were carried out in this experiment.

Preparation of Selective Ion Adsorbent by Photo-Curing of HEMA and Phosphoric Acid on PET Yarn

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) PET yarns were cured with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and phosphoric acid (PA) using UV radiation. Concentration of HEMA, soaking time, intensity of UV radiation and concentration of PA were optimized based on polymer loading (PL). It was found that the formulation containing 8% PA, 50% HEMA, 40% Methanol, 2% Photoinitiator (PI) showed maximum 114% of PL. The grafted yarns were then soaked in CuSO4 solution for 30–300 mins at different conditions. After withdrawing the yarns, the remaining copper in the solution were measured. It was revealed that copper was successfully adsorbed by using the grafted PET yarns.

Comparative Studies on the Mechanical, Degradation and Interfacial Properties between Jute and E-Glass Fiber-Reinforced PET Composites

Jute fiber mat (hessian cloth) reinforced PET-based composites (50% fiber by weight) and E-glass fiber matreinforced PET based composites (50% fiber by weight) were fabricated by compression molding and the mechanical properties tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM), elongation at break (%), bending strength (BS), bending modulus (BM), impact strength (IS) and hardness (Shore-A) of the composites were evaluated and compared. The interfacial properties of the both composites were also compared. Water uptake test and soil degradation test were also investigated.