IZOD IMPACT TESTES IN POLYESTER MATRIX COMPOSITES REINFOCED WITH BANANA FIBERS

F. S. de Assis (1), F. M. Margem (1), R. L. Loiola (1), S. N. Monteiro (2) State University of the Northern Rio de Janeiro, U NF Advan!ed Materials La"oratory, LAMA# Av. Al"erto Lamego, 2$$$, 2%$1&'($2, )am*os dos +oyta!a,es-RJ, .ra,il. 'mail/ fol01e2sda3hotmail.!om 1 4 U NF, 2 4 5M

ABSTRACT Polymer matrix composites have been applied in components such as helmets and shielding for which toughness is a major requirement. A natural fiber presents interfacial characteristics with polymeric matrices that favor a high impact energy absorption by the composite structure. he objective of this wor! was then to assess the "#od impact resistance of polymeric composites reinforced with different amounts$ up to %&' in volume$ of a promising high strength natural fiber$ the banana fiber. he results showed a remar!able increase in the notch toughness with the amount of incorporated banana fibers. his can be attributed to a preferential debonding of the fiber(matrix interface$ which contributes to an elevated absorbed energy. )eywords* banana fiber$ composite$ polyester matrix$ "#od testing$ notch toughness INTRODUCTION Nat0ral fi"ers 6ith high !ell0lose !ontent, 1no6n as ligno!ell0losi! fi"ers, "e!ome firmly esta"lished as a *otential s0"stit0te for syntheti! fi"ers, *arti!0larly glass fi"er
71'8)

. 9he 0se of nat0ral fi"ers to re*la!e the e:isting syntheti! ones,,

es*e!ially in air!raft and !ars, is motivated "y several advantages. Among these stand the lo6 !ost and light 6eight as 6ell as good to0ghness and less a"rasion e;0i*ment 0sed in *ro!essing !om*osite 5n fa!t, 0nli1e the glass fi"ers
7<) 7&,8,()

ligno!ell0losi! fi"ers are relatively soft and the

*ro!essing *ro!ed0res *rod0!e less 6ear on e;0i*ment. 9he environmental iss0e is

another *oint in favor of nat0ral fi"ers, 6hi!h are rene6a"le, re!y!la"le, "iodegrada"le and ne0tral 6ith regard to )=2 emissions 7%'>). 9he in!or*oration of "anana fi"ers in *olymeri! matri!es of !om*osite 6as investigated71$'12) and fo0nd to "e asso!iated 6ith signifi!ant *ro*erties. 9hese *ro*erties are dire!tly related to the mi!rostr0!t0re of the fi"er as 6ell as the *hysi!al and !hemi!al !hara!teristi!s *resent in any ligno!ell0losi! fi"er 71&'18). 9he o"?e!tive of this st0dy 6as a *reliminary assessment, thro0gh tests of 5,od im*a!t energy, together 6ith the mi!rostr0!t0ral !hara!teristi!s asso!iated 6ith the fra!t0re of *olyester matri: !om*osites in!or*orated 6ith !ontin0o0s and aligned "anana fi"ers. 9hese !ontin0o0s "anana fi"ers had at least 18 times the !riti!al length ne!essary to ens0re greater effi!ien!y in the reinfor!ement of a !om*osite EXPEREMINTAL PROCEDURE Fi"ers e:tra!ted from the stem of the "anana *lant of the s!ientifi! family +usa balbisiana), ill0strated in Fig. 1, 6ere s0**lied as a "0ndle "y a gro0* of artisans "ased in the North Fl0minense State University 7U NF).
71()

Fig0re 1. @se0dostem of "anana 7a) 6ith a mean diameter of 18 !m A &$ 7")B dried in the s0n for a"o0t a 6ee1 7!)B and gro0* of fi"ers after the shredding 7d). 5nitially, 1$$ fi"ers 6ere randomly ta1en o0t from the "0ndle for a statisti!al eval0ation of the diameter as sho6n in the histograms in Fig. 2. From this histogram an average diameter of $.2$ mm 6as o"tained.

Fre;0en!e 7C)

Eiameter 7mm)

Fig0re 2/ Statisti!al distri"0tion of the "anana fi"ers. After se*aration, !leaning and drying at room tem*erat0re, the "anana fi"ers 6ere mi:ed in amo0nts of $, 1$, 2$ and &$C "y vol0me 6ith 0nsat0rated *olyester resin to *re*are the !om*osites. @lates of the !om*osites 6ith 1$ mm thi!1ness 6ere fa"ri!ated in a re!tang0lar steel mold 6ith dimensions of 182 : 128 mm. 9he fi"ers 6ere maintained aligned along the dimension of 128 mm, !orres*onding to the final length of the test s*e!imens. 9he fa"ri!ation *ro!ed0re 6as the follo6ing. 9he still li;0id *olyester resin, together 6ith $.8C !atalyst "ased on methyl ethyl 1etone, 6as *o0red into the "anana fi"ers inside the mold. 9he !om*osite th0s formed 6as allo6ed to !0re for 2D ho0rs at room tem*erat0re. 9he *late of ea!h different !om*osite 6as then !0t a!!ording to the dire!tion of fi"er alignment in "ars meas0ring 1$ : 128 : 12.< mm. 9hese "ars 6ere 0sed for *re*aration of sam*les for 5,od im*a!t test, a!!ording to AS9M E28(. 9he sam*les 6ere im*a!t tested in a @AN9 ) *end0l0m 6ith 5,od !onfig0ration. 9he im*a!t energy 6as o"tained 0sing an 11 J *o6er hammer for !om*osites 6ith $, 1$, 2$ and &$C of fi"ers. For ea!h !ondition, relative to a !ertain vol0me fra!tion of fi"ers, 1$ s*e!imens 6ere 0sed and the res0lts 6ere statisti!ally inter*reted. 9he fra!t0re s0rfa!e of s*e!imens after im*a!t test 6as analy,ed "y s!anning ele!tron mi!ros!o*y, S M, in a SSA'88$ model Shimad,0 e;0i*ment, o*erating 6ith se!ondary ele!trons at an a!!elerating voltage of 18 1#.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 9a"le 1 sho6s the res0lts of 5,od im*a!t energy val0es 6ith their res*e!tive standard deviations for *0re *olyester and for !om*osites 6ith different vol0me fra!tions of "anana fi"ers. 9a"le 1/ nergy 5m*a!t 5,od for *olyester matri: reinfor!ed 6ith "anana fi"ers. .anana Fi"ers 7volC) $ 1$ 2$ &$ nergy 7J-m) 21.% 2.8 118.> 2(.% 1(%.& 11.< 2(8.% D1.2

.ased on the res0lts of 9a"le 1, the !hange in 5,od im*a!t energy 6ith the fra!tion of "anana fi"er is sho6n in Fig. &.

Fig0re &/ 5,od im*a!t energy as a f0n!tion of the amo0nt of .anana fi"ers . 5n this fig0re it sho0ld "e noted that the in!or*oration of "anana fi"er in the *olyester matri: signifi!antly in!reases the 5,od not!h to0ghness of the !om*osite. 9he val0es sho6n in Fig. & are !onsistent 6ith res0lts re*orted in the literat0re for syntheti! fi"ers
71<)

as 6ell as for ligno!ell0losi! fi"ers

71%'1>)

, in 6hi!h the in!or*oration

of fi"ers s0"stantially in!reases the tena!ity of *olymer matri: !om*osites. 9a"le 2

!om*ares val0es of 5,od im*a!t energy of *olymer !om*osites 6ith different ligno!ell0losi! fi"ers. 9a"le 2/ 5,od not!h to0ghness of *olymer !om*osites reinfor!ed 6ith nat0ral fi"ers. Composite .anana- @olyester Sisal- @olyester Ramie- @olyester )oir- @olyester )0ra0a- @olyester )oir- @oly*ro*ylene J0te- @oly*ro*ylene )0ra0a- @oly*ro*ylene Fla:- @oly*ro*ylene Amount o Fi!e" #$% &$ 7aligned) &$7aligned) &$ 7aligned) &$ 7aligned) &$ 7aligned) &$ 7short and random) &$ 7short and random) &$ 7short and random) &$ 7short and random) I&o' Imp()t Re e"en)e Tou*+ness #,-m% 2(( this 6or1 2>8( 72D) 8&% 72&) 121 72&) 1>$ 72() D( 72$) &> 72$) 8D 72$) &% 72$)

Fig0re D sho6s that, ma!ros!o*i!ally, the in!or*oration of "anana fi"er !a0ses a stri1ingly different "ehavior as !om*ared to the *0re *olyester 7$C fi"er). For fi"ers fra!tions of 1$, 2$ and &$ C, Fig. D, the s*e!imens 6ere not even !om*letely "ro1en 0*on im*a!t. 9his is d0e to the relatively high tensile strength !hara!teristi! of the "anana fi"er, 6hi!h avoids a total !olla*se. For these larger fi"er fra!tions, the im*a!ted s*e!imen is "ent eno0gh to allo6 the hammer to !ontin0e its tra?e!tory, 6hile the to* *art of the folded s*e!imen remained atta!hed to the other *art 6itho0t se*arating. 9he non'o!!0rren!e of r0*t0re 0*on im*a!t indi!ates a high to0ghness of the !om*osite. Fad the r0*t0re o!!0rred, the a"sor"ed energy 6o0ld "e even higher.

30%

20%

10%

0%

Fig0re D/ 9y*i!al ma!rostr0!t0ral as*e!ts of 5,od s*e!imens of *olyester !om*osites reinfor!ed 6ith different vol0me fra!tions of "anana fi"er.

9he S M analysis of the mi!rostr0!t0re of the fra!t0red region res0lting from 5,od im*a!t, Fig. 8, *ermitted a "etter 0nderstanding of the me!hanisms res*onsi"le for the to0ghness of "anana fi"er reinfor!ed !om*osites as !om*ared to the *0re resin. Regarding the *0re resin, Fig. 8, the fra!t0re a**earan!e is ty*i!al of *olyester r0*t0re. 5n this fig0re, the dar1er side"and at the right !orres*onds to the groove made "y the !0tter. 9he left *art, smoother and !learer, !orres*onds to fra!t0re "y transverse im*a!t. 9he general S M as*e!t of the s0rfa!e r0*t0red "y 5,od im*a!t of a s*e!imen 6ith &$C "y vol0me of reinfor!ing "anana fi"ers sho6s fi"ers sti!1ing o0t of the *olyester matri:. Some fi"ers 6ere *0lled o0t from the matri: "y !ra!1 *ro*agation thro0gh the s0rfa!e d0e to the relatively lo6 interfa!ial tension. A longit0dinal !ra!1 *ro*agation res0lts in t6o as*e!ts favora"le to in!rease the energy a"sor"ed d0ring im*a!t. First, the longit0dinally se*arated area is larger than the se!tion thro0gh the matri:. 9his is asso!iated 6ith a higher energy and, !onse;0ently, higher im*a!t resistan!e71>'2&). Se!ond, "anana fi"ers, "eing 1e*t inta!t, hinder the se*aration of the s*e!imen in t6o *arts, Fig. D, also !ontri"0ting to in!rease the im*a!t resistan!e.

Fig0re 8. 5m*a!t fra!t0red s0rfa!e of 7a) the s*e!imen of *0re *olyester resin and 7") of the !om*osite 6ith &$C in vol0me of "anana fi"ers. CONCLUSIONS )om*osites made of !ontin0o0s and aligned "anana fi"ers 0sed as reinfor!ement of *olyester matri: sho6ed an almost linear in!rease in not!h to0ghness, meas0red "y 5,od im*a!t tests, as !om*ared to the *0re *olyester.

 9he in!or*oration of &$C of "anana fi"er in the *olyester matri: signifi!antly im*roves the
to0ghness of the !om*osite, 2(( J-m, as !om*ared to *0re *olyester resin, 6ith 22 J-m.

Along 6ith the retention of some 6hole "anana fi"ers 0*on im*a!t, lo6 interfa!ial resistan!e res0lts in greater energy a"sor"ed d0e to the *ro*agation of !ra!1s in the fi"er - matri: interfa!e, allo6ing the formation of a higher longit0dinal fra!t0re area in relation to a transverse fra!t0re, 6hi!h sho0ld o!!0r in the matri: for "rea1ing the fi"ers. A).no/0e'*ements 9he a0thors than1 the .ra,ilian agen!ies/ )N@;, )A@ S and FA@ RJ. REFERENCES 1. .L EGH5, A.H.B +ASSAN, J. Composites "ein o")e' /it+ )e00u0ose1!(se' i!"es2 P"o*2 Po03m2 S)i, v. 2D, 1>>>, *. 221'2<D. 2. NA.5 SAF E, E.B J=+ J.@. N(tu"(0 i!e" po03me" )omposites4 ( "e5ie/6 A'5(n)es in Po03me" Te)+no0 ., v.1%, 1>>>, *. 221'2<D. &. M=FAN9I, A.H.B M5SRA, M.B F5NR5)FS N, +. Bio i!"es6 !io'e*"('(!0e po03me"s (n' !io)omposites4 An o5e"5ie/2 M()"omo0e)u0(" M(te"2 (n' En*2, v. 2<(, 2$$$, *.1'2D. D. )R=)H R, J. N(tu"(0 m(te"i(0s inno5(ti5e n(tu"(0 )omposites2 M(te"i(0s te)+no0o*3, v.2'& n. &, 2$$%, *. 1<D'1<%. 8. M=N9 5R= S.N.B L=@ S, F.@.E.B F RR 5RA, A.S.B NAS)5M N9=, E.).=. N(tu"(0 i!e" po03me" m(t"i7 )omposites4 )+e(pe"6 tou*+e" (n' en5i"onment(003 "ien'032 ,OM, v.(1, n. 1, 2$$>, *. 1<'22. (. +=R , A. An In)on5enient T"ut+2 T+e P0(net("3 Eme"*en)3 o 80o!(0 W("min* (n' W+(t We C(n Do A!out It2 mma0s, @ennsylvania, USA/ Rodale @ress, 2$$(. <. @ 5JS, 9. N(tu"(0 Fi!e"s B(se' Composites2 M(te"2 Te)+no0 . v.18, 2$$$, *. 2%1'2%8. %. JAM.UA @.B 5# NS. 5.B # R@= S9, 5. N(tu"(0 i!e"s4 )(n t+e3 "ep0()e *0(ss (n' i!e" "ein o")e' p0(sti)9: Composites S)ien)e (n' Te)+no0o*3 , v. (&, 2$$&, *. 128>'12(D. >. M=FAN9I, A.H.B M5SRA, M.B ERGAL, L.9. Sust(in(!0e !io)omposites "om "ene/(!0e "esou")es4 Oppo"tunities (n' )+(00en*es in t+e *"een m(te"i(0s /o"0'2 ,2 Po03m2 En5i"on. v. 1$, 2$$2, *. 1>'2(. 1$. @AUL, S.A.B .=UE NN , A.B 5.=S, L.B )ANEAU, I.B J=S @F, H.B 9F=MAS, S. E e)t o i!e" 0o('in* (n' )+emi)(0 t"e(tments on t+e"mo p+3si)(0 p"ope"ties o !(n(n( i!e" po03p"op30ene )ommin*0e' )omposite m(te"i(0s2 Composites4 P("t A, v.&>, 2$$%, *. 18%2'18%%.

11. GA5NUE5N, .S.B SA@UAN, S.M.B A.EAN, H.B M=FAMAE, M.9.M. T+e"m(0 'e*"('(tion o !(n(n( pseu'o1stem i00e' unp0(sti)i&e' po035in30 )+0o"i'e #UP;C% )omposites2 M(te"2 Desi*n, v. &$, 2$$>, *. 88<'8%2. 12. 5.RAF5M, M.M.B EUFR SN , A.B L'GAJAJI, J.H.B A+.L #=R, F.AB B(n(n( i!e"s (n' mi)"o i!"i0s (s 0i*no)e00u0osi) "ein o")ement in po03me" )omposites2 C("!o+3'"(te Po03m. #. %1, 2$1$, *. %11'%1>. 1&. SA9IANARAIANA, H.+.B SUHUMARAN, H.B HULHARN5, A.+.B @5LLA5, S.+.H.B 1D 4 R=FA9+5, @.H. F(!"i)(tion (n' p"ope"ties o n(tu"(0 i!"e1"ein o")e' po03este" )omposites2 Composites2 #. 1<, 1>>>, *. &2>'2<D. 1D. )ALL5S9 R Jr., J.E. M(te"i(0s S)ien)e (n' En*inee"in* < An Int"o'u)tion , 8a diKLo, Nova Ior1 / John Jiley M Sons, 2$$$. 18. S.I. FU, .. LAUH , . MNE R, A. FU and ).I. IU , =F"()tu"e "esist(n)e o s+o"t1*0(ss1 i!e"1"ein o")e' (n' s+o"t1)("!on1 i!e"1"ein o")e' po031 p"op30ene un'e" )+("p3 imp()t 0o(' (n' 'epen'en)e on p"o)essin*: , ,. +ater. Process. echnol., v.%>'>$, 1>>>, *.8$1'8$<. 1(. S.N. M=N9 5R=, R.).M.@. AOU5N=, F.@.E. L=@ S, .A. )AR# LF= and J.R.M. EPALM 5EA, Ten()i'('e (o ent(0+e po" imp()to )+("p3 'e )omp>sitos 'e po0i?ste" "e o"@('os )om i!"(s 'e pi(@(5(2 -ev. +ater.$ v.11, 2$$(, *.2$D'21$. 1<. 5NQ)5=, J. @., L=@ S, F. @. E., M=N9 5R=, S. N., )har*y to0ghness "ehavior of !ontin0o0s sisal fi"er reinfor!ed *olyester matri: !om*osites, 5n/ Mine"(06 Met(0s A M(te"i(0s C+("()te"i&(tion s3mposium < TMS )on e"en)e6 Se(tt0e6 EUA6 M(")+6 p2 B1C6 DEBE2 1%. L R=, A.L.B 9AN, 5.F.B )ARAS)F5, J.). )0ra0a fi"er 4 A tro*i!al nat0ral fi"er from Ama,on 4 @otential and a**li!ations in !om*osites. 5n/ INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON AD;ANCED COMPOSITES6 Hu"*+('(6 E*ito6 M(io6 BFFC6 p2 GGH1GIJ2 1>. M=N9 5R=, S.N.B MAR+ M, F.M.B SAN9=S JR., L.F.L.B nsaios de im*a!to 5,od em !om*Ssitos *olimTri!os reforKados !om fi"ras de rami. 5n/ BCK Con*"esso B"(si0ei"o 'e En*en+("i( e Cien)i( 'os M(te"i(is6 CBECIMAT DEEC6 Po"to 'e 8(0in+(s6 PE6 No5em!e"6 DEEC6 p2 B1BD2 2$. M=N9 5R=, S.N.B F RR 5RA, A.S.B L=@ S, F.@.E. 5,od im*a!t energy of *olyester matri: !om*osites reinfor!ed 6ith aligned !0ra0a fi"ers. 5n/ Mine"(06 Met(0s A M(te"i(0s C+("()te"i&(tion S3mposium < TMS Con e"en)e6 S(n F"(n)is)o6 EUA6 M(")+ DEEF2 p2 B1C2 21. M=N9 5R=, S.N.B )=S9A, L.L.B L=@ S, F.@.E.B 9 RR=N S, L.A.F. )hara!teri,ation of the im*a!t resistan!e of !oir fi"er reinfor!ed *olyester !om*osites, 5n/ Mine"(06 Met(0s A M(te"i(0s C+("()te"i&(tion S3mposium < TMS Con e"en)e6 Ne/ O"0e(ns6 LA6 USA6 M(")+6 DEEC6 p2 B1I2 22. M=N9 5R=, S.N.B @ R 5RA, A.).B 5NQ)5=, J. @.B 5,od im*a!t energy of *olyester matri: !om*osites reinfor!ed 6ith aligned sisal fi"ers. 5n/ Asso)i(@Lo B"(si0ei"( 'e Met(0u"*i( e M(te"i(is < ABM6 SLo P(u0o6 SP6 ,u0+o6 DEBB6 p2 B1 BD2

2&. IU , ).I.B L==5, F.)B OU H, M.I. Assessment o Fi!"e1M(t"i7 A'+esion (n' Inte" ()i(0 P"ope"ties Usin* t+e Pu00out Test2 "nt. ,. Adhesion and Adhesives, v. 18, 1>>8, *. <&'%$.