Development of miscanthus fiber-reinforced polypropylene composite for application in motor vehicle headlamp casing

Abstract

The study is aimed at the development of miscanthus fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites for production of motor vehicle headlamp casings. Miscanthus fibers were extracted, alkali-treated, washed, dried, pulverized, and sieved to a fine particle size. The miscanthus fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites were prepared via an injection moulding process at fiber contents of 5 wt% to 35 wt%, an interval of 5%. The tensile, flexural, and impact tests on the composite samples were carried out in accordance to ASTM D638, ASTM D790, and ISO 179, respectively. Thermal stability analysis and steady-state structural analysis were carried out on the composite material in order to assess the integrity of the material for headlamp casing application. The results showed that the optimum tensile, impact, and flexural strengths of 83.75 MPa, 10.877 kJ/m², and 39.2 MPa of the composites, respectively, occurred at 25 wt% fiber loading. Great improvements were made on the mechanical properties of the composites due to reinforcement with miscanthus fiber when compared to the unreinforced polypropylene. The thermal stability analysis and structural analysis showed the suitability of the new composite material in its service environment. This study concludes that miscanthus fiber-reinforced polypropylene is a valuable material for the production of motor vehicle headlamp casings.