Effect of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of kenaf reinforced composite materials

In this study, kenaf bers were used as a reinforcing component for epoxy resin to create a composite material. Because the bers are plant derived, their properties vary due to the irregularity of their geometry. The bers were chemically treated to modify their surface properties. In our research, the eect of dierent concentrations of sodium hydroxide on the ber strength and stiness are investigated when inserted in an epoxy resin.;Tensile tests of the composite specimen were conducted and the data was recorded and analyzed. The investigation reveals that mechanical properties (Young's modulus and tensile strength) of kenaf ber composite increased up to a certain point with an increase in NaOH concentration. This increase in mechanical property is due to the fact that the chemical treatment changes the surface of the ber, providing more surface area. Treating the kenaf bers with sodium hydroxide splits the kenaf ber bundles into ne bers, which in turn allows the epoxy resin to penetrate in the ber bundles, leading to high interlocking of the bers in the matrix. SEM investigations revealed the dierence in ber surface texture subjected to chemical treatment compared to untreated ber. This establishes the optimum concentration of NaOH used for improving the mechanical properties. This data can now be used condently to develop a kenaf reinforced material with optimum properties for specic requirements.