Effect of Nanoclay on Jute Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites
Shoumya Nandy Shuvo1, Kazi Md. Shorowordi2, M. A. Islam3
1Shoumya Nandy Shuvo, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
2Kazi Md. Shorowordi, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
3M. A. Islam, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Manuscript received on July 07, 2015. | Revised Manuscript received on July 09, 2015. | Manuscript published on July 31, 2015. | PP: 20-26 | Volume-2 Issue-8, July 2015. | Retrieval Number: H0325072815
Open Access | Ethics and Policies | Cite
© The Authors. Published By: Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: This research focus on the development of nano-structured composites and to investigate the effect of nanoclay on the mechanical and thermal properties of jute fiber reinforced polyester composite. 1wt.% nanoclay was reinforced in polyester with 5 vol.% jute fibre of size 5 mm. For comparison 5 vol.% jute fiber composite without nanoclay was also prepared. Tensile and flexural strength of the produced samples were measured by using an Instron Universal Testing Machine. Hardness of the developed nanocomposites was measured by a Shore A Hardness Tester. The fracture surfaces were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Thermal properties were evaluated using Thermo-gravimetric Analysis (TGA). It is found that modulus and strength of nanoclay reinforced polyester nanocomposite is higher than that of pure polyester, jute fiber reinforced polyester composite and nanoclay reinforced jute fiber composites. However, thermal stabilities of nanoclay reinforced jute fiber composites are found to be higher than that of pure polyester, nanoclay reinforced nanocomposite and jute fiber reinforced composite. In fractographic analyses, it is found that pure polyester undergoes ductile fracture, nanoclay reinforced nanocomposite undergoes brittle fracture and jute reinforced composite undergoes mixed fracture.
Keywords: Nanocomposite, Nanoclay, Tensile property, Flexural strength, Fracture morphology.