@Article{jrm.2021.012774,
AUTHOR = {Ilyas Renreng, Bakri Bakri, Sri Chandrabakty, Naharuddin},
TITLE = {Evaluation of Mechanical and Physical Properties of Pressed Coir Fiber/Epoxy Composite with NaOH and Microwave Treatment of Fiber},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Renewable Materials},
VOLUME = {9},
YEAR = {2021},
NUMBER = {2},
PAGES = {325--335},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jrm/v9n2/40753},
ISSN = {2164-6341},
ABSTRACT = {In this study, the influence of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment and
microwave treatment of coir fibers on the mechanical and physical properties of
pressed coir fiber/epoxy composite were evaluated. The composite was fabricated
with a hand lay-up method with compression molding. Before composite fabrication, pressed coir fiber was treated with NaOH and microwave treatments.
Mechanical testing (tensile, flexural, and impact testing) of the composite was
conducted. Then, water absorption and thickness swelling testing are also performed. The fractured composite surface morphology after the tensile test was analyzed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The results revealed that tensile,
flexural, and impact strengths of composite tend to increase after NaOH treatment
of coir fiber followed by microwave treatment for 10 and 20 minutes of exposure
time compared to untreated fiber. However, for NaOH treatment, the tensile, flexural and, impact strengths of composite reduce. The reducing of the tensile strength
of the composite is due to the agglomeration fiber occurred, which is displayed in
the SEM micrograph. Furthermore, microwave treatment of fiber for 10 minutes
and NaOH treatment followed by microwave treatment for 20 minutes of exposure
time decreases the water absorption and thickness swelling of the composite.},
DOI = {10.32604/jrm.2021.012774}
}