Studies On Preparation And Properties Of The Waste Silk Fabric Composites For Decoration

Natural fiber composites have recently attracted a considerable amount of attention in the composite materials research community as well as in industry. This is due to a range of potential advantages of natural fibers, especially with regard to their environmental performance. Silk fiber, as a natural fiber, was used as a component of composites which was relatively light and had a high impact resistance. Meanwhile, silk fiber because of the presence of many functional groups like -NH2,-COOH,-NHCO-,-CH2OH on its surface was polar in nature, so excellent adhesion could be produced between silk fiber and polymer in their composite. Silk fiber composites was used for biomedical materials, bioengineering materials, specially tailored lightweight structural parts, etc, but was rarely applied to decoration in overseas. The character of decorative composites prepared by silk fabric/PE film for interior walls of home is easy cleaning, oil-resistant, high strength, green environmental protection and so on. The bubbles and layered phenomenon were not produced in the composites prepared in vacuum conditions, and there were easy operation and high efficiency compared to traditional method.The relationship between process factors and properties of the composites was studied in the paper. First of all, using color vividness as indices, and hot pressing pressure, temperature, time and thickness as factors, the orthogonal test was operated. The results show that the order of various factors on the color change was the thickness of composites> temperature> time> pressure, and only the thickness of composites was significantly. The linear relationship of color vividness and thickness is Y=1.506+7.69X. When the thickness of composites was confirmed, the mechanical properties of composites analyzed by response surface methodology. Under the conditions of temperature 145.6?, press 3.9 MPa and time 4.4 min, the tensile strength of prepared composites was optimal, the order of various factors on the tensile strength was pressure> time> temperature, and there was no interaction between various factors. The best process conditions for the tearing strength of prepared composites were temperature 146.4?, press3.4 MPa and time 4.7 min, the order of various factors on the tearing strength was temperature> time> pressure, and there was some interaction between various factors but not significant. Under the conditions of temperature 147.5?, press4.1 MPa and time5.7 min, the composites with ideal bursting strength could be obtained, the order of various factors on the bursting strength was pressure> temperature> time, and there was obvious interaction between various factors. Finally, the comprehensively mechanical properties of composites was analyzed based on different significance of factors.The best process conditions were temperature 146.4?, press3.9 MPa and time4.7 min. This paper provided an effective approach to the comprehensive utilization of silk fabrics for preparation of decorative composites.