Effect of Chemical Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Kenaf and Jute Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

This paper focuses on the study of the effect of chemical treatment on mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact properties of Kenaf and jute fibre reinforced polyester composites. Adhesion between the fibre and polymer is one of factors affecting the mechanical properties of composites. In order to increase the adhesion, the fibres are chemically treated with 5% of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution for 24 hours at room temperature. The composite specimens are prepared in both untreated and treated forms of Kenaf and jute fibres with two levels of weight fractions such 5 and 10 wt%. The specimens are prepared according to ASTM standards. Mechanical tests such as tensile, flexural and impact are conducted to determine ultimate tensile strength, bending strength and impact strength of composites. The effects of change in weight fraction on the mechanical properties of the composites are studied for both untreated and chemically treated Kenaf and jute fibres. It has been found that the composites made of chemically treated fibres have good mechanical properties compared to untreated fibres.