INFLUENCE OF INTERFACIAL ADHESION ON THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES AND FRACTURE-BEHAVIOR OF SHORT SISAL FIBER-REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES

The mechanical properties of sisal fibre composites (randomly oriented ) of several thermoset resin matrices, [polyester, epoxy, phenol-forma ldehyde] and a thermoplastic matrix [low density polyethylene (LDPE)] were evaluated with respect to fibre length and fibre Loading. All the composites showed a general trend of increase in properties with fibr e loading. However, the optimum length of the fibre required to obtain an increase in properties varied with the type of matrix. Among polye ster, epoxy and phenol-formaldehyde composites of sisal fibre, a pheno lic type resin performed as a better matrix than epoxy and polyester r esins with respect to tensile and flexural properties due to the high interfacial bonding in phenolic composites. However, as compared to th ermoset resin composites, sisal fibre-LDPE composites showed a better reinforcing effect due to the high matrix ductility and high strength/ modulus ratio of sisal as compared to that of LDPE matrix. Copyright ( C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd