Advanced Composite Materials

The Korean Society for Composite Materials (한국복합재료학회)
권호 표지

Examination of heat resistant tensile properties and molding conditions of green composites composed of kenaf fibers and PLA resin

  • Ben, Goichi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University) ;
  • Kihara, Yuichi (Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University) ;
  • Nakamori, Keita (Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Industrial Technology, Nihon University) ;
  • Aoki, Yoshio (Department of Precision Machinery Engineering, College of Science and Technology, Nihon University)
  • Published : 2007.12.01
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Disposing of conventional fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) poses an environmentally challenging problem. Disposal of FRPs by combustion discharges carbon dioxide in the air because the resin of FRPs is made of fossil fuel. When they are disposed of in the ground, FRPs remain semipermanently without decomposing. In response to these problems, green composites are now being developed and are extensively studied as a material that produces a lower environmental burden. In this paper, green composites using kenaf fiber yarn bundles and PLA (poly(lactic acid)) are fabricated and their tensile properties are evaluated in the experiment. The tensile Young's modulus of all of the laminations is larger than that of PLA alone and the tensile strength of some laminations is larger than that of PLA alone. In particular, the value of UD composite of $0^{\circ$ shows double the tensile strength of PLA alone. Furthermore, the molding conditions for fabricating with a hot press are investigated and the heat resistant tensile properties of green composites are also reported.

Keywords

References

  1. D. Cho, J. Seo, H. Lee et al., Property improvement of natural fiber-reinforced green composites by water treatment, in: Proc. 4th Int. Workshop on Green Composites, Tokyo, p. 67 (2006).
  2. H. Saito, Y. Hirata, K. Suzuki et al., A study for molding and mechanical property of long fiber kenaf/emulsion PLA composite, in: Proc. 33rd FRP Symp., Kyoto, p. 34 (2005) (in Japanese).
  3. K. Tanikawa and H. Takagi, Mechanical properties of kenaf fiber reinforced 'green composites', in: Proc. 33rd FRP Symp., Kyoto, p. 132 (2005) (in Japanese).
  4. S. Morimoto, M. Kan, J. Takahashi et al., Creation of green composite material using a natural fiber, in: Proc. 48th FRP CON-EX, Tokyo, pp. 1-26 (2003) (in Japanese).
  5. S. Watanabem and A. Matsubara, Development of molding compound using kenaf fiber, in: Proc. 48th FRP CO-NEX, Tokyo, pp. 1-28 (2003) (in Japanese).
  6. K. Suzuki, I. Kimpara and K. Funai, On the tensile strength properties of natural bast fibers taken from diecotlyledonous plants, in: 2nd Int. Workshop on Green Composite, Yamaguchi, p. 59 (2004).