Development of Composites from Polyester Reinforced with Rice Straw and with Hybrid Rice Straw/Glass Fiber.

Ali-Eldin, Soliman Soliman; Abd El Moezz, Sara Mohamed; Megahed, Mona Abo Elwafa; Abdalla, Waleed Samy

doi:10.21608/bfemu.2020.93249

Development of Composites from Polyester Reinforced with Rice Straw and with Hybrid Rice Straw/Glass Fiber.

Document Type : Research Studies

Authors

¹ Department of Mechanical Design and Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University

² Researcher at Faculty of Engineering - Zagazig University-Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department

³ Department of Mechanical Design and Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University; P.O. Box 44519, Zagazig, Egypt

10.21608/bfemu.2020.93249

Abstract

Developments in the area of natural fiber reinforced composites have based mainly on random discontinuous natural fibers. Rice straw is used as one of these discontinuous fibers. Uniform distribution of discontinuous natural fibers in composite laminates is difficult to be attained. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to develop new rice straw mat with a good distribution of rice straw fibers that reduces the discontinuity and make the mat nearly homogeneous. The rice straws are treated with 2 wt % sodium hydroxide solution then formed into a mat. This new rice straw mat is used to reinforce a polyester matrix. Hybrid composites are produced from rice straw mat and glass fiber reinforced polyester. Tensile, flexural, shear, impact, hardness, and water absorption behavior of these natural composites are investigated. Rice straw composites have higher mechanical properties than pure polyester. Hybridization enhances the mechanical properties over rice straw composites. The fracture surfaces of natural fiber reinforced polyester composites are examined by scanning electron microscope.

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