The fabrication of kenaf bast fiber bundle/unsaturated polyester composites with high (60% to 67, wt/wt) fiber contents was explored in this study. Mechanically ground kenaf bast fiber bundles were preformed into mats with a polyvinyl acetate emulsion adhesive. The preformed mats are easy to handle during subsequent processing with the unsaturated polyester resin and laminate compression molding. Fiber loadings as high as 65 percent (wt/wt) were achieved. The generated composites possessed high elastic moduli, and their tensile strengths were close to specification requirements for glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds. These composites also exhibited higher specific tensile moduli and strengths than glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds' specific modulus and strength lower bounds and those calculated from specification requirements for glass fiber–reinforced sheet molding compounds. If reduced void contents and enhanced interfacial binding can be achieved through improved processing, then natural fiber composites similar to those developed in this work have the potential to possess mechanical properties competing against those of currently used automotive sheet molding compounds.
Contributor Notes
The authors are, respectively, Graduate Student and Professor, Forest Products Lab. (yd33@msstate.edu, jZhang@cfr.msstate.edu), Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering (hossein@che.msstate.edu), Associate Professor, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering (lacy@ae.msstate.edu), Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State; Assistant Professor, Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Utah State Univ., Logan (anna.xue@usu.edu); Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (mfhorst@cavs.msstate.edu), and Professor, Dept. of Chemistry (CPittman@chemistry.msstate.edu), Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State. The use of trade names is for the convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute endorsement by Mississippi State University over other products equally suitable. Neither the US Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the US Government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the US Government or any agency thereof. Approved for publication as Journal Article no. FP547 of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State Univ. This paper was received for publication in December 2009. Article no. 10711.