Mechanically retted short kenaf bast fiber bundle (KBFB)–reinforced unsaturated polyester (UPE) composites were fabricated. The effects of fiber loadings and aspect ratios on composite tensile properties were evaluated experimentally and theoretically. Tensile properties of KBFBs and the neat cured UPE were determined, and kenaf-UPE shear bonding strengths were measured. These measured properties were used to predict the tensile properties of the short KBFB-reinforced UPE composites using classical models in micromechanics. Theoretical tensile moduli predicted by Halpin–Tsai, Mori–Tanaka, and Self-Consistent models were in good agreement with experimental results. Theoretical tensile strengths predicted by the Kelly–Tyson model correlated well with experimental results at high fiber aspect ratios. Both composite tensile moduli and strengths increased consistently with increasing fiber loadings up to 75 percent (vol/vol).
Contributor Notes
The authors are, respectively, former graduate student and Professor, Dept. of Forest Products (yicheng.du@utoronto.ca, jZhang@cfr.msstate.edu), and Graduate Student and Associate Professor, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering (jy125@msstate.edu, 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); Associate Professor, Dept. of Chemical Engineering (hossein@che.msstate.edu), Professor, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering (mfhorst@cavs.msstate.edu), and Professor, Dept. of Chemistry (CPittman@chemistry.msstate.edu), Mississippi State Univ., Mississippi State. This report was prepared as an account of work sponsored by an agency of the US government. Neither the US government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express 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. FP 561 of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, Mississippi State Univ. This paper was received for publication in May 2010. Article no. 10-00006.