School of Mechanical, Industrial and Aeronautical Engineering
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://wiredspace.wits.ac.za/handle/10539/19148
For information on accessing School of mechanical, industrial and aeronautical engineering content please contact Salome Potgieter by email : salome.potgieter@wits.ac.za or Tel : 011 717 1961
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item Effects of processing conditions on the mechanical and water absorption properties of resin transfer moulded kenaf fibre reinforced polyester composite laminates.(Elsevier, 2010-11) Rassmann, S.; Reid, R.G.; Paskaramoorthy, S.This paper focuses on the mechanical and water absorption properties of kenaf fibre reinforced polyester laminates manufactured by resin transfer moulding. Varying processing conditions were considered as alternatives to fibre treatments, thereby potentially avoiding additional cost and complexity in the manufacturing process. Laminates were produced by altering fibre moisture content, mould temperature and mould pressure following injection. Tensile, flexural, impact and water absorption tests were conducted. Processing conditions were found to have little effect on properties except for pressurisation which increased tensile and flexural strength and decreased water absorption at low fibre volume fractions. Examinations using a scanning electron microscope showed that all the laminates failed by fibre pull-out.Item The effects of alkali-silane treatment on the tensile and flexural properties of short fibre non-woven kenaf reinforced polypropylene composites.(Elsevier, 2012-09) Asumani, O.M.L.; Reid, R.G.; Paskaramoorthy, R.Kenaf fibre reinforced polypropylene composites were manufactured by compression moulding. The kenaf fibre was considered in three forms; untreated, treated with sodium hydroxide solution and treated with sodium hydroxide solution followed by three-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The effects of these chemical treatments on the tensile and flexural properties of the composites were investigated. Mechanical test results show that alkali treatment followed by three-aminopropyltriethoxysilane treatment (alkali-silane treatment) significantly improves the tensile and flexural properties of short fibre non-woven kenaf polypropylene composites. In particular, the specific tensile and flexural strengths of alkali-silane treated kenaf composites with 30% fibre mass fraction are, respectively, only 4% and 11% lower than those of composites made using glass fibre. Scanning electron microscopy examination shows that the improvements in the tensile and flexural properties resulting from alkali-silane treatment can be attributed to better bonding between the fibres and matrix.