Mechanical Property Characterization of Okra Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Polymer Composite Material for Automotive Roof Panel.

Abstract

Composite materials are dominant among all emerging materials because of its advanced mechanical properties. While focusing on composite materials, the main points to be considered are cost effectiveness and environmental friendliness. In recent years, due to environmental concerns and growing cost of synthetic materials, the focus of research on natural fibers as an alternative reinforcement in polymer composites have created an enormous interest of many researchers and scientists. The natural fibers are fibers which consist of animal, plant fibers and minerals such as flax, hemp, jute, coir, cotton, wool, bamboo, banana, sisal, okra and etc. The aim of this work is to characterize the okra fiber reinforced epoxy composite material mechanical properties under different fiber orientation. The fiber extraction can be done using mechanical extraction (retting) technique. Optical microscope test of okra fiber are pentagonal and hexagonal, where Nano-fibrils are aligned and bounded together with lignin and hemi cellulose. The mechanical test result reveal that the bi- directional okra fiber has high Vickers hardness value 36.6HN. While the bi- directional okra fiber reinforced epoxy composite show high flexural strength 302 MPa, tensile strength 510.6 MPa, Compression strength 168 MPa, impact energy 30J. Random okra fibers reinforced by epoxy are round and straight, while Bi directional okra fibers reinforced by epoxy are completely flat and twisted. The water absorption capability of the fabricated composite material was tested and result reveal less amount of water is absorbed than the natural okra.