Abstract
The scope of the present paper is to study the perspectives of using natural fibres as reinforcing materials in polymers. In the present paper, the synthesis and characterisation of Hibiscus Sabdariffa fibre reinforced phenol-formaldehyde resin matrix based polymer composites have been reported. The effects of fibre loading on mechanical properties such as tensile strength, compressive strength, flexural strength, and wear resistance have also been determined. The polycondensation reaction between different molar ratios of phenol and formaldehyde has been carried out for the synthesis of phenol-formaldehyde resin polymer matrix in the presence of a base catalyst. Reinforcement of the phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin with Hibiscus Sabdariffa fibre was done with the filler in the form of 200 micron particles. The results reveal that mechanical properties such as: tensile strength, compressive strength, flexural strength and wear resistance of the PF resin increase up to 30% fibre loading and decrease beyond this fibre loading.