The mechanical performance of sugar palm fibres (Ijuk) reinforced phenolic composites

Sugar palm fibres are one of the natural fibres which have many features and need further study to understand their properties. The aim of this work is to investigate the flexural, compressive and impact properties of sugar palm fibres reinforced phenolic composites. Sugar palm fibres were used as a filler (particle size 150 μm) and with loading of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 vol.%. The fibres were treated by sea water and then fabricated into composites by hot press technique. Flexural, compressive, and impact tests were carried out as per ASTM D790, ASTM D695-08a, and ASTM D256 standards, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology and the interfacial bonding of the fibres-matrix in composites. The results show that the mechanical properties of the composites improve with the incorporation of fibres. The composite of 30 vol.% particle loading exhibit optimum values which are 32.23 MPa, 61.66 MPa, and 4.12 kJ/m2 for flexural, compressive, and impact strength, respectively. This was because good compatibility of fibre-matrix bonding. Consequently, sugar palm fibre is one of the prospective fibres and could be used as a potential resource to reinforcement polymer composite

Performance tendency and morphological investigations of lignocellulosic tea/polyurethane biocomposite materials

This work investigates the effect of reinforcing conditions at optimal processing parameters on the morphological properties as well as the mechanical performance of tea/polyurethane bio-composites. Various reinforcing conditions were designed and prepared to reveal the performance tendency and effects of the reinforcing conditions on several composites properties including tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation to break, in addition to the morphological characteristics of the bio-composites. ASTM standards were considered in performing the performance testing of the composites. Results have demonstrated that only tensile moduli were enhanced with fiber loading, but tensile strength deteriorations occurred. Moreover, this work investigates the similarity in trends for some mechanical behaviors of the composites. Similar trends in reducing the composites strengths as well as the composites strains with increasing fiber loading were detected. This was an evidence of the strong adhesion between the fiber and the polymer in the TWF/TPU composites, which is not necessarily enhancing the composite strength. Such strong adhesion was proved here not necessary to enhance the composite strength. However, the poor filler dispersion due to excessive fiber loading leads to some agglomeration of the fillers as observed by the scanning electron microscopy, which makes it suitable for various industrial applications

Experimental investigation and numerical prediction for the fatigue life durability of austenitic stainless steel at room temperature

This work investigated and predicted the fatigue life durability of Austenitic Stainless Steel 316L due to its importance in plant industries worldwide. Modelling and simulations were performed to clarify the fracture as well as stress distribution using integrated mechanism. Experimental fatigue validations were also carried out to demonstrate the effect of various fatigue life parameters. Various loading conditions with variable load amplitudes were validated utilizing a frequency of 5 Hz and a stress ratio of 0.1. The accuracy of the simulation results were also verified based on the experimental data. High consistencies between the predicted fatigue life and the experimental results were achieved which increases the validity of the built model

A Statistical Analysis of Size, Shape and Tensile Properties of Fibres Extracted from Date Palm (Phoenix Dactylifera L.) Rachis

Algeria is the largest country in Africa by in terms of land area, which makes it contain large quantities of agricultural residues. The aim of this study is the valorisation of the huge amount of agricultural residue of date palm rachis available in Algeria to be used as reinforcement in bio-composite materials for various industrial applications. The analysis of the morphology of the of the date palm rachis cross-section allowed us to identify two main types of fibres according to their microstructure: vascular bundles and fibre strands. The chemical and molecular structure analysis of the date palm rachis fibres was examined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The tensile properties of the fibre extracted were investigated under tensile loading test. The experimental results obtained for the tensile strength, Young’s modulus and strain at break of the fibres have been analysed, because of their dispersion, using three-parameter and two-parameter Weibull statistical laws. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the fibre strand were found to be about than four times higher than for the vascular bundle and their predicted model was determined. The tensile properties obtained for the investigated fibre were compared with other lignocelluloses fibres, existing in the literature, and it shows its great potential for use as reinforcement in bio-composite materials