Preparation and characterization of natural silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene and synthetic E-glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites: a comparative study
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online October, 2011
Preparation and characterization of natural silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene and synthetic E-glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites: a comparative study
Bombyx mori silk fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) matrix and E-glass fiber-reinforced PP matrix composites were fabricated using compression molding. The prepared silk/PP composite tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), and impact strength (IS) were 55.1 MPa, 56.3 MPa, and 17 kJ/m2, respectively. E-glass fiber-reinforced PP matrix composites were fabricated in the same way and TS, BS, and IS values of these composites were 128.7 MPa, 141.6 MPa, and 19 kJ/m2, respectively. Environmental degradation of the composites showed that silk/PP composites degrade faster. Other degradation studies like thermal aging and soil degradation tests also gave similar result.
RodriguzEPetrucciRPugliaDJose KennyMKVazauezA. Characterization of composites based on natural and glass fibers obtained by vacuum infusion. J Compos Mater2005; 39(3): 265–282.
5.
HanSOLeeSMParkWHChoD. Mechanical and thermal properties of waste silk fiber reinforced poly(butylenes succinate) bio composites. J Appl Polym Sci2006; 100(6): 4972–4980.
6.
MohantySSushilVKSanjayNKSudhansuTS. Influence of fiber treatment on the performance of sisal polypropylene composites. J Appl Polym Sci2004; 94(3): 1336–1345.
7.
VollrathF. Biology of spider silk. International Int. J. Biol. Macromol1999; 24(2–3): 81–88.
8.
CraigCLRiekelC. Comparative architecture of silks, fibrous proteins and their encoding genes in insects and spiders. Compar Biochem Phys Biochem Mol Biol2002; 133(4): 493–507.
9.
GoslineJMDennyMWDemontME. Spider silk as rubber. Nature1984; 309: 551–552.
10.
GoslineJMDemontMEDennyMW. The structureand properties of spider silk. Endeavour1986; 10: 37–43.
11.
CunniffPMFosseySAAuerbachMASongJWKaplanDLAdamsWW. Mechanical and thermal properties of dragline silk from the spider Nephila clavipes. Polym Adv Technol1994; 5: 401–410.
BuckSELischerDWNemat-NasserS. The durability of E-glass/vinyl ester composite materials subjected to environmental conditioning and sustained loading. J Compos Mater1998; 32(9): 874–892.
14.
CameronNM. The effect of environment and temperature on the strength of E-glass fibers. Part 1: high vacuum and low temperature. Glass Technol1968; 9(1): 14–21.
15.
GarkhailSKHeijenrathRWHPeijsT. Mechanical properties of natural-fibre-mat-reinforced thermoplastics based on flax fibres and polypropylene. Appl Compos Mater2000; 7: 351–351.
16.
MadsenBLilholtH. Physical and mechanical properties of unidirectional plant fibre composites – an evaluation of the influence of porosity. Compos Sci Technol2003; 63: 1265–1265.
17.
Van VoornBSmitHHGSinkeRJde KlerkB. Natural fibre reinforced sheet moulding compound. Composites: Part A2001; 32: 1271–1271.
18.
GeorgeJIvensJVerpoestI. Mechanical properties of flax fibre reinforced epoxy composites. Die Angew Makro Chemie1999; 272: 41–45.
19.
HepworthDGBruceDMVincentJFVJeronimidisG. The manufacture and mechanical testing of thermosetting natural fiber composites. J Mater Sci2000; 35: 293–298.
20.
Van de weyenbergIIvensJDe CosterAKinoBBaetensEVerpoestI. Influence of processing and chemical treatment of flax fibres on their composites. Compos Sci Technol2003; 63: 1241–1246.
21.
Van de VeldeKKiekensP. Effect of material and process parameters on the mechanical properties of unidirectional and multidirectional flax/polypropylene composites. Compos Struct2003; 62: 443–448.
22.
BaiardoMEZiniScandolaM. Flax fibre-polyester composites. Composites Part A2004; 35: 703–703.
23.
RuhulAKMubarakAKHaydarUZShamimPNuruzzamanKSabrinaS. Comparative studies of mechanical and interfacial properties between jute and E-glass fibers reinforced polypropylene composites. J Reinf Plast Compos2010; 29: 1078–1088.
24.
MubarakAKRuhulAKHaydaruzzamanSushantaGSiddikyMNASahaM. Study on the physico-mechanical properties of starch-treated jute yarn-reinforced polypropylene composites: effect of gamma radiation. Polym Plast Technol Eng2009; 48(5): 542–548.
25.
DavisASimsD. Weathering of polymers. London: Elsevier Applied Science Publishers, 1983.
