INFLUENCE OF WATER-UPTAKE ON THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF LUTE FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE

Jute fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites have been produced and characterized in order to investigate the influence of water on their mechanical properties. Being hydrophilic, jute fibers absorb a high am ount of water causing swelling of fibers. On the other hand, the therm al shrinkage of polypropylene melt leaves some gaps between jute fiber s and matrix material. We investigated whether these gaps could be fil led by the swelling of wetted fibers. The fillup of these gaps would r esult in a higher shear strength between fibers and matrix during frac ture. Our results suggest that swelling of jute fibers in a composite material can have positive effects on mechanical properties. (C) 1994 John Wiley and Sons, Inc.