Shukur Abu Hassan

Tensile and flexural properties of recycled glass fibre reinforced polyester composite

Abstract Composite materials are used in a wide range of applications. Unfortunately, composite materials have not been properly recycled, especially in thermoset-based polymer composites. Recycled glass reinforced polyester–polyester composite material from waste material was identified for this study. In the recycling process, the glass fibres were not separated from the polyester matrix, but instead the material was grinded into finely chopped substance which is to be used as reinforcement material for fabricating other composite materials. Compression moulding process was used for fabricating recycled glass fibre reinforced polyester plate. Load–extension and stress–extension curves of fabricated composite materials subject to tensile and flexural loading were produced, and then the mechanical properties of this material were determined experimentally. The effect of loading rate on flexural properties of recycled glass reinforced polyester–polyester materials was studied, and it was found that by increasing the strain rate, the flexural stiffness was increased.

Experimental Analysis of Kenaf Filament Wound Tubes under Axial Compression Load

The objective of this study was to determine the strength of kenaf filament wound tubes under axial compression load. Kenaf is natural reinforcement fibre in which need to explore its capability to replace and compare with other common commercial reinforcement materials. Axial compression test was performed as early indication to identify the performance of kenaf filament wound composite tubes. Comparisons have been done towards basalt, e-glass and carbon tubes using polyester as a resin. Axial compression test of kenaf/polyester and kenaf/epoxy tubes were conducted with different winding angles involved which are 450, 550, 650 and 750. The result shows the 450 kenaf/epoxy tubes generated the higher compressive strength followed by other winding angle in the ascending order. The layer strength identification have been conducted in 550 winding angle sample in which indicate the increment layer of winding is uniform between one, two and three layers in ascending orders. Comparison between the different reinforcement materials show carbon tubes produced the higher compressive strength followed by e-glass, basalt and kenaf. Kenaf/epoxy recorded 38.7% lower the e-glass tubes. Kenaf/epoxy tubes were observed to identify the improvement from kenaf/polyester tubes and results shows at least 22% increment have been generated. It can be concluded that kenaf presence as a reinforcement material was successfully combine as composite system under axial compressive load as well as lead to the promising indication to be introduced in low load bearing application.

Energy Absorption of Basalt Filament Wound Rectangular Tubes: Experimental Study

The objective of this study was to determine the energy absorption of basalt filament wound rectangular tubes under crushing test. Basalt fibre gained a lot of potential in various application due to low cost of this material together with its capability to breaking the domination of e-glass as a reinforcement material. Coupon tensile and axial compression (crushing) test were performed to investigate the strength and energy absorption performance of basalt filament wound rectangular tubes. Both test have been conducted using [±700]3 winding angle of sample configuration and comparison have been made in coupon test in which the basalt sample shows 8.7% higher than e-glass while produced opposite results in modulus of elasticity. Crushing test was performed in 25mm displacement with different loading rate which are 5, 10 and 15mm/min. The results obtained from three different conditions were compared showing a higher energy absorbed in the lower loading rate. The comparable crashworthiness of basalt suggest possible applications such as automotive industry which is requires a good energy absorb materials in some particular components.