Mechanical properties of sisal fiber reinforced starch based bio composites

Abstract

Natural fiber reinforced starch polymer composite materials are processed by compression molding technique or called merely as hot press. Cassava starch is used as a matrix material. Sisal fiber is used in concentrations varying in lengths 5mm to 25mm in the composites. Water and glycerol were used as plasticizers. Composites were prepared using hot compression method. Tensile, flexural and impact tests assess mechanical properties. In such cases, improved mechanical properties are obtained at increasing fiber contents and decreases after 20mm length. Tensile strength looks noticeably improved with the addition of 20mm length and decrease for the fiber length of 25 mm. Flexural tests also exhibit an increase in fiber length of 20mm and fall for 25mm and the results for impact strength obtained for sisal fibers are of the same behavior like tensile and flexural.