Hybrid Thermosetting Composite of Kenaf/Banana Fibres for Utilisation in a Passenger Car Bumper
Published: 2019-11-07
Page: 474-479
Issue: 2019 - Volume 2 [Issue 4]
E. U. Akubueze *
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
F. C. Nwaeche
Department of Prototype Equipment Design and Development, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
O. S. Muniru
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
C. S. Ezeanyanaso
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
I. O. Nwaze
Department of Prototype Equipment Design and Development, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
G. O. Nwauzor
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
O. Mafe
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
C. C. Okeke
Department of Biotechnology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
A. A. Afolabi
Department of Biological Science, Yaba College of Technology (Federal Polytechnic), Yaba, Lagos Nigeria.
C. C. Igwe
Department of Chemical Fibre and Environmental Technology, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Due to the high performance material requirement for automotive application and impact sensitivity of car bumper as one of the main car parts used as protection for passengers from collision and the safety requirement of the material to improve crashworthiness during low impact collision was the essence of composite material hybridisation. Thermosetting hybrid kenaf/banana composites were fabricated after chemical modification of fibres. hand-lay up contact molding techniques were used for material fabrication. Fibre loading were set at 50% weight of the matrix with the hybrid materials at 1:1 ratio of short non-woven randomly oriented fibres, The catalyst and accelerator was added 2-3% by weight of the matrix. Hybrid material were hand-laid in the mold and the matrix were gradually applied to the fibre network in the precision, coverage and dimension of the mold. The fabricated materials were left to cure at ambient temperature for 24hrs. The tensile and flexural tests were carried out using Testometric testing machine, Model M500-25KN. In accordance to ASTM D638-90 and ASTM D790-90 respectively. The results showed improved mechanical properties for hybrid kenaf/banana composite than composite of kenaf and banana fibres reinforcement. Hybrid kenaf/banana composite (HK/B-C) at 50% fibre optimum loading shows improvement on mechanical properties of the composite than that of kenaf composite (K-C) and banana composite (B-C) respectively . Hybrid materials are being developed and design aiming to improve mechanical behaviour and application performance polymeric materials.
Keywords: Hybrid, car bumper, mechanical properties, composites.