PREDICTIVE MODELLING OF THE PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF NATURAL FIBRE REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES

Abstract

Polymeric composite substances which are based completely on virgin polymer resins are not completely biodegradable and are structurally so bulky for industrial use or application, hence polymer composites which are biodegradable with enhanced or improved mechanical and physical properties fabricated using natural fibres (biomaterials)such as okro (hibiscus esculentus) plantain (musa paradisiaca ) and okro (cissus populnea ) and a blend of high density polyethylene (HDPE) polymer resins is much desirable and a better alternative to the use of pure polymer resins for industrial and household applications. The work consist of fabricating a polymer composite specimen using the mentioned natural fibres and then testing for the physical and mechanical properties such as thickness swelling (%)water absorption capacity (%) and density (kg/m3) and then tensile strength ,tensile modulus (MPa), flexural strength (MPa) flexural modulus (GPa) elongation at break (%) The fabricated polymer composite specimens exhibited good qualities of high tensile strength of 44.13MPa,58.85MP and 36.80MPa for hibiscus esculentus, cissus populnea and musa paradisiaca respectively with corresponding densities of 0.65kg/m3,0.70kg /m3and 0.82kg/m3,The scenario show that cissus populnea fibre reinforced composite had the highest tensile strength, lower water absorption capacity and lower density