Processing and Characterization of Epoxy/Luffa Composites: Investigation on Chemical Treatment of Fibers on Mechanical and Acoustical Properties
This study focuses on the development of epoxy/luffa composites and the investigation of their mechanical and acoustical properties. The fibers underwent an alkalization treatment, and its effects on the mechanical and sound absorption properties of the composites were measured utilizing a unive...
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Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | E-Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
BioResources
2014
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/9191/1/Processing%20and%20Characterization%20of%20Epoxy%20Luffa%20Composites%20%28abstract%29.pdf http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/9191/ |
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Summary: | This study focuses on the development of epoxy/luffa composites and the
investigation of their mechanical and acoustical properties. The fibers
underwent an alkalization treatment, and its effects on the mechanical and
sound absorption properties of the composites were measured utilizing a
universal testing machine and two-microphone transfer function
impedance tube methods. The effects of chemical modifications on the
fibers were studied using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The
thermal analyses of composites were conducted using thermo-gravimetric
analysis (TGA). The composite’s functional group was identified and
evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The
sound absorption coefficient of untreated and treated composites across
a range of frequencies was very similar. Untreated composites appeared
to perform better than those that were treated. Compared with untreated
fiber composites, there was an improvement in the tensile strength of the
treated fiber composites. The SEM characterization showed that the
alkaline treatment changed the morphology of the fibers, resulting in a
decrease in the sound absorption coefficients of the composites. The
thermal characterization of composites showed that dehydration and
degradation of lignin occurred in a temperature range of 40 to 260 °C, and
the maximum percentage of cellulose was found to decompose at 380 °C. |
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