Analysis Of Mechanical Properties Of Natural Fiber Composites On Fiber Length And Aquilaria Leather Volume Fractions

One of the factors that greatly affect the composite is the fiber fraction, the length of the fiber and the immersion used. The problem that needs to be studied is whether the ratio of composite fiber length reinforced aloes skin fibers affect the mechanical properties and how the effect of the increase in the volume fraction of aloes skin fibers is different to the strength of the composite. This study aims to see the effect of fiber length, immersion and comparison of volume fractions on mechanical properties for composite materials reinforced aloes skin fibers. This study used a fraction of fiber lengths of 20mm, 40mm, 60mm, Immersion of 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours with a ratio of the volume fraction of 30%: 70%, 40%: 60% and 50%: 50%. water content of 10% -12%. Composite making using press mold method by tightening bolts. The test carried out is a pull test according to the ASTM D-638 standard. The results of the Tensile test research will be analyzed with Design Expert 9 software to help develop the experimental plan of the surface response method model and CCD. The results of the smallest tensile strength with the results of 15.305 MPa with a parameter of 2 mm fiber length, 3 hours immersion and 30% / 70% fiber percentage. The biggest experimental results with the results of 34.889 MPa with a parameter of 4 mm fiber length, 2 hours immersion and 40% / 60% fiber percentage. The results of these experiments have an effect on tensile strength, where immersion and percentage have a very large influence. This is because the length of the immersion will affect the fiber so that it is easily broken and brittle.

I. Introduction

Natural fiber is a very good material as a reinforcing material to produce composite materials that are lightweight, strong, environmentally friendly and economical. One of them is natural fiber ingredients. Types of natural fibers such as; Sisal, Flex, Hemp, Jute, Flax, Coconut, began to be used as reinforcing materials for polymer composites. The two most important factors that encourage the use of natural fibers by industry are cost and weight. Nonetheless, ease of recycling of components is also a final consideration that is increasing to meet the requirements of the instructions for component life [1]. Homogenization between fibers and matrices will be difficult to achieve, due to the overcrowding of the matrix reinforcing material [2]. Immersion increases the tensile strength but the longer the immersion strength decreases [3]. The coco fiber rock climbing panel, the mechanical strength of coconut fiber fiber rock climbing panels has not achieved the strength of the rock climbing panel mechanics that have been standardized by the Indonesian Climbing and Accreditation Standardization Agency [4]. Surface treatment of the chemical properties of the melinjo bark fibers is related to the mechanical properties of fibers [5]. Natural fiber composites have advantages compared to glass fibers, natural fiber composites are now used because they are large in number, environmentally friendly, able to degrade naturally, cheap compared to glass fibers [6]. The weakness of natural fibers is the smaller the diameter of the fiber, the tensile strength is large, because the cavities in the small fibers and the bonds between the molecules are many so that the strength is strong [7]. The increasing of E-glass fiber fraction can cause the strength of composite mechanics to decrease [8].