International Journal of Mechanical and Production

Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD)

ISSN (P): 2249-6890; ISSN (E): 2249-8001
Special Issue, May 2018, 274-283
© TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

CHARACTERISTIC INVESTIGATION OF 50-50% VETIVER FIBER REINFORCED

POLYMER COMPOSITES

NIHAL RASTOGI, AKSHIT KAKKAR, ANJALI KUMARI & S.SHAKTHIVEL

Department of Mechanical Engineering SRMIST, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
ABSTRACT

Fiber-reinforced composites are primarily axial particulates embedded in fitting matrices. The first objective of
fiber-reinforced composites it to get materials with high strength in conjunction with higher coefficient of elasticity. The
strength elevation is butaffected with applied load transmission from matrix to fibers, surface bonding between fiber-
matrix, their relative alignment and nature of fiber scheming the material behaviors [2]. The alignment of
fibers could but be continuous or random looking on thetipapplications.

The characteristics of naturalvetiverfiber-polymermatrix composites are antecedently accounted and its

characteristics were taken into consideration with 20-20% quantitative relation of compound matrix and reinforcement
[6]. On the far side that on increasing the reinforcement content it cause a thermal degradation of the bio composite.

Original Article
Our aim is to extend this quantitative relation until50-50% and therefore increase its biodegradability for
engineering applications. The selection of the fiber reinforcement and its fittingmatrix conjointly dependson
application necessities.

During this analysis, vetiver grass as reinforcement and plastic (PP) as matrix has being taken to
make fiber strengthened compound composite [6-8]. The fabrication technique utilized is injection molding

KEYWORDS: Composites, Injection Molding, Crystallization, Polypropylene (PP), FRP

INTRODUCTION

A composite is where two or additional completely different materials are combined along to form a
replacement and distinctive material. this can be a particularly broad data that counts true for each composite,
however, recently the term "composite" describes bolstered plastics.

A.NATURAL FIBER COMPOSITES

They are fibers that are made by plants, animals, and earth science processes. They can be used as a
element of composite materials, wherever the orientation of fibers impacts the properties. Natural fibers also can
be matted into sheets to form merchandise like paper, felt or cloth.

FACTORS POIGNANT PERFORMANCE OF FRP

Fiber choice together with sort, season, extraction methodology, ratio, treatment and fiber content

 Matrix opinion.

 Interfacial Strength

www.tjprc.org SCOPUS Indexed Journal editor@tjprc.org

275 Nihal Rastogi, Akshit Kakkar, Anjali Kumari & S. Shakthivel

 Fiber Dispersion

 Fiber orientation

 Fabrication steps

 Retention or porosity.

EXPERIMENTAL WORK

 Materials

A commercial grade of PP(AR TYPE) was obtained by M/s GKS Polymers ltd. Vetiver leaves was kindly
supplied from the Local sourcesin Chennai. TamilNadu. In this research, vetiver leaves with length of 30 cm from vetiver
roots were used. The ages of vetiver are around 5-7 months. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH), laboratory grade, was obtained
from Southern Laboratory.

 Sample Preparation

Vetiver Preparation

NaOH solution (4% conc. by wt.) was prepared using sodium hydroxide pellets (AR type). It was prepared by
taking 4 grams of pellets for 100 ml of distilled water. The pellets were mixed with the distilled water using a glass rod in a
plastic beaker.Then the Vetiver grass fiber was treated using 4% NaOH solution. The Vetiver grass was first washed and
dried in the oven for 70oC for 24 hours and then soaked in the sodium hydroxide solution for 4 hours and then dried again
for 24 hours. The vetiver grass fiber was then grinded with an average length and average aspect ratio of 5.02 and 4.08
microns respectively.

Vetiver Fiber –PP Composite Preparation

Vetiver fiber and PP were mixed in an internal mixer at 170oC with a rotor speed of 50 rpm. The ratios of vetiver
to PP matrix were varied at 20% , 25%, 30% and 35% (w/w). The vetiver grass-PP composite specimens were molded by
injection molding (Texair JIM – 1HBD).

 Tests Performed

Tensile Test-It is used for measuring the Tensile strength of the vetiver fiber reinforced polymer composite.
Tensile test of the composite was performed on Universal Testing Model Machine (TUE CN-200) Figure.6 using the
ASTM D-638 standards, as shown in Figure 1-2.

Figure 1: Neat PP Specimen ASTMD-638

Characteristic Investigation of 50-50% Vetiver Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites 276

Figure 2: Polypropylene as Matrix and Vetiver Fiber as Reinforcement 20% by Concentration ASTM-D638
Charpy Test-It is considered as one of the most essential tests for measuring the impact strength of the vetiver
fiber reinforced polymer composite.As a result of which the Charpy Test was performed on performed on the respective
machine using the ASTM D-6110 standards using the Charpy Test Machine in SRM Institute of Science &Technology as
shown in the Fig-34

Figure 3: Untreated Specimen for Charpy Test ASTM D6110

Figure 4: Alkali Treated Specimen for Charpy Test ASTM D6110

Figure 5: Image of Vetiver Fiber Under Optiv Lite (Machine Vision )

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277 Nihal Rastogi, Akshit Kakkar, Anjali Kumari & S. Shakthivel

Figure 6: Universal Testing Machine for Tensile Test

Aspect Ratio of the vetiver fiber was obtained using the machine vision system(OPTIV LITE) at SRM institute
of science and technology. As a result of which the average fiber length was obtained as 5.02 microns and average aspect
ratio as 4.078 microns.The image of the fiber is shown in the Figure 5.

Hardness Test- The hardness test was performed on the composites using the following machine using ASTM
D-2240 standards.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

Vetiver Fiber- (Chrysopogon zizanioides),also known as vetiver fiber is a grass species indigenous to India,
whose roots are available in a fiber form. Being biodegradable in nature, it proves to be eco-friendly, while also having
significant mechanical strength. The required properties of vetiver fiber are shown the table below-

Table 1: Properties of Vetiver Fiber

Density 1.5g/cm3
Young’s Modulus 12.0-48.7 Gpa
Strength 247-721 Mpa
Diameter 100-200μm

Tensile strength
27.5
Tensile Strength (Mpa)

27
26.5
26
25.5
25
24.5
vfun20 vfun25 vfun30 vfun35
sample name

Figure 7: Variation of Tensile Strength of Untreated Sample

Characteristic Investigation of 50-50% Vetiver Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites 278

Polypropylene (PP) -Polypropylene (PP) is a thermoplastic polymerused for packaging and

labeling, textiles(e.g., ropes, thermal underwear and carpets), stationery, plastic parts and reusable containers of various
types, laboratory equipment, loudspeakers, automotive components. The required properties of PP are shown the table
below-

Table 2: Properties of PP
Density 946 kg/m3
Chemical Formula (C3H6)n
Tensile Strength 0.95 - 1.30 N/mm2
Notched Impact Strength 3.0 - 30.0 KJ/m2

Table 3: Abbreviations of Samples

Abbreviations Sample Name
VFUN20 Vetiver fiber untreated 20%
VFUN25 Vetiver fiber untreated 25%
VFUN30 Vetiver fiber untreated 30%
VFUN35 Vetiver fiber untreated 35%
VF4HR20 Vetiver fiber 4 hours treated
20%
VF4HR25 Vetiver fiber 4 hours treated
25%
VF4HR30 Vetiver fiber 4 hours treated
30%
VF4HR35 Vetiver fiber4 hours treated
35%
VFPPUN Vetiver fiber untreated PP
VFERUN Vetiver Fiber untreated
Epoxy resin

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Mechanical Properties
According to the Tensile Test(ASTM D-638), it was obtained that when the fiber was untreated and when the
fiber which was treated for 4 hours ,with the increase in the concentration of reinforcement the tensile strength was
increased with a certain amount.Fig7-8. The result implied that vetiver fiber can be used as the reinforcement and with the
increase in concentration of it the strength of the composite increases.The chemically treated compositions exhibited a
generally lower tensile strength compared to the untreated counterparts.

Tensile strength appears to be inversely proportional to the chemical treatment process, as the longer treatment
duration compositions yielded poor results.

It can hence, be deduced, that chemical treatment has reduced the vetiver’s mechanical properties. Figure 9. A
slight reduction in tensile strength was observed in the pure pp compared to other composites due tolack of reinforcement.

Impact Factor (JCC): 7.6197 SCOPUS Indexed Journal NAAS Rating: 3.11
279 Nihal Rastogi, Akshit Kakkar, Anjali Kumari & S. Shakthivel

tensile strength
30

Tensile Strength(Mpa)
28
26
24
22
20
vf4h20 vf4h25 vf4h30 vf4h35
Sample Name

Figure 8: Variation of Tensile Strength of 4 Hours Treated Sample

Figure 9: Comparison of Treated and Untreated Samples

Impact Strength (J/mm2)

6
Imapct Strength in J/mm2

0
VFUN20 VFUN25 VFUN30 VFUN35
Sample name

Figure 10: Variation of Impact Strength of Untreated Sample

Charpy Test (D256)was further performed using the ASTM(D-256), it was obtained that for untreated samples
there was a slight increase in the strain rate after 25%. The result implied is that with the increase in concentration of the
sample reinforcement the strain rate of the composite increases.

Whereas for the 4 hours treated samples there was a very minute change in the strain rate after 30%.Figure 10.

Thus the result implied that the treatment of fibers doesn’t cause any improvement in the strain rate. The reason
Characteristic Investigation of 50-50% Vetiver Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites 280

behind this can be the brittleness of the fiber content. Fig 11.Due to long hours of treatment there was brittleness in the
fibers causing them to weaken the reinforcement content.

Further for pure samples of Piet was observed that impact strength was quite low. Fig 12.The result implied was
due to lack of reinforcement there is a quite low strain rate, consequently it tends to remain quite low impact strength.

Charpy Test
4
Impact Strength(j/mm2)

3
2
1
0
VF4HR20 VF4HR25 VF4HR30 VF4HR35
Sample Name

Figure 11: Variation of Impact Strength of 4 Hours Treated Sample

SHORE D HARDNESS
80
Hardness value

78 78.4
77.2
76 76
74 74.2
72
70
VFUN20 VFUN25 VFUN30 VFUN35
Sample name

Figure 12: Comparison between Treated and Untreated Fibers

Figure 13: Variation of Hardness and Untreated Samples

Hardness Test shows us that the average Hardness value tends to increase with the increase in the concentration

Impact Factor (JCC): 7.6197 SCOPUS Indexed Journal NAAS Rating: 3.11
281 Nihal Rastogi, Akshit Kakkar, Anjali Kumari & S. Shakthivel

of the reinforcement Fig.13. The results implied that due to more reinforcement content the hardness of the composite
increases. Whereas for 4 hours treated and neat samples the hardness value has slightly decreased. Fig 14-15.

Figure 14: Variation of Hardness and 4 Hours Treated Samples

SHORE D HARDNESS
78
Hardness number

76 75.6
74
73.4
72 71.6
71.2
70
68
66
VF4HR20 VF4HR25 VF4HR30 VF4HR35
Sample Name

Figure 15: Comparisonof Hardness between Treated and Untreated

Comparision between PP and

Epoxy as Matrix
60
Tensile Strength in(Mpa)

40
20
0
20 25 30 35
Fiber concentration

VFPPUN VFERUN

Figure.16: Comparisonof Tensile Strength between PP and Epoxy as Matrix

Further according to the previous work the epoxy resin was used as the matrix and vetiver fiber as the
reinforcement[7]. Thus according to the results the epoxy resin polymer tends to show more strength in comparison to PP.
Figure 16.
Characteristic Investigation of 50-50% Vetiver Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites 282

Vetiver fiber

Figure 17: SEM Micrograph of the Transverse Section of the 20% Concentration Untreated Specimen

Vetiver Fiber

PP as matrix

Figure 18: SEM Micrograph of the Transverse Section of the 25% Concentration Untreated Specimen

FESEM reports show that the interfacial strength between the matrix and fiber was affected by the increase in the
concentration of fiber Figure 17-18 The results show that the increase in concentration of the fiber tends to increase the
impact strength, which is shown in the previous graphs, further the reports are shown in the SEM reports as below:

CONCLUSIONS

This study concerned the introduction of vetiver roots within the variety of short fibers as reinforcement and
PP compound as matrix. The resultant composite has been discovered to exhibit increased mechanical properties as
compared with the pure compound. The mixture of fiber reinforcement with the compound has improved parameters all
told of the mechanical tests performed – tensile, hardness, impact testing.Fiber reinforcements have exhibited superior
mechanicalproperties but reduced strength in comparison to epoxy resin used as the matrix. As a matter of fact, 50-50%
fabrication of the composite is not possible due to the injection molding machine capacity, as a result of which we have
taken it to 35-35% as a result of back pressure.

The effects of chemical treatment are confirmed, as with chemicals treated compositions have exhibited poor

Impact Factor (JCC): 7.6197 SCOPUS Indexed Journal NAAS Rating: 3.11
283 Nihal Rastogi, Akshit Kakkar, Anjali Kumari & S. Shakthivel

results than the untreated vetiver samples. share composition of the reinforcement depends on the appliance of the fabric,
as peak values appeared to vary in keeping with the parameter tested.It will so be all over that with the development within
the on top of mentioned properties, the bio composite of vetiver bolstered PP will could realize an appropriate application
aboard existing applications of the compound, and will even expand its usage because of increased properties. This results
in a reduced environmental footprint, as a result of the biodegradability of the natural fibers, and therefore the recyclability
of PP.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The authors appreciate the work done by the help of CIPET in Guindy Chennai, and the help of SRM IST for
rendering the testing facilities. The authors also appreciate the work done by omega laboratory Chennai, and also thank
M/s GKS Polymers and MR.Jayanth for the fabrication using injection moulding.

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