MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF

PINEAPPLE LEAF FIBER [PALF]

REINFORCED POLYESTER
COMPOSITES

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF K. SARANYA (128W1A0346)

N. VIJAYA KUMAR G. SRINIVASA REDDY (128W1A0312)
J. KEERTHI (128W1A0316)
B. SAI KUMAR (128W1A0303)
CH. HEMANTH (128W1A0307)
INTRODUCTION
• Composites are multifunctional material systems that provide
characteristics not obtainable from any discrete materials.

• Fibre-reinforced composite materials consist of fiber of strength and

modulus embedded in or bonded to matrix with distinct interfaces
(boundary) between them.
CLASSIFICATION OF COMPOSITES
• Fibrous composites.

• Laminated composites.

• Particulate composites.
CLASSIFICATIONS OF FIBRE

• Natural Fibre: Coir, Jute, Bamboo, Palm, Corn, Vakra, banana,PALF

etc.

• Man Made Fibre: Carbon, Boran, Glass, Kevlar, Graphite etc.

NATURAL FIBRE
• Fibre is an anatomical structure obtained from stems, leaves, roots,
fruits, and seeds.

• The natural fibre may be classified by their origin as cellulosic (from

plants), protein (from animals), and mineral.
NATURAL FIBRE CLASSIFICATION
• Vegetable fibre

• Animal fibre

• Mineral fibre.
MAN- MADE FIBRE
• Man-made fibre, fibre whose chemical composition, structure, and
properties are significantly modified during
the manufacturing process.
• Nylon
• Rayon
• Fiberglass
• Carbon / Graphite
APPLICATIONS
• Military And Aerospace
• Automotive Industry
• Sports And Goods Industry
• Naval And Chemical
Industry
• Construction Industry
ADVANTAGES
• Environment friendly
• Renewable source of raw
material
• Biodegradable
• Reduced density of products
• Lower cost
• Reduced tool wear
Identification of fibre
• In Andhra Pradesh we find abundant pineapple farms in Thanuku, west
Godavari district.
Shape and size of pineapple leaf
• The pineapple leaf shape resembles a sword that taper at the ends with
black and green colour on the edges of the leaves are sharp thorns.
• Pineapple leaf length is between 55cm to 75cm, 3.1cm to 5.3cm wide
and 0.18cm to 0.27cm thickness.
Extraction of fibre
• By using a TWO-ROLL MILL machine and hand scraping method
using a coarse stone or knife to get the fibre.
Fibre after extraction
 Process after extraction
• The fibre is washed thoroughly in 2 % detergent solution at 70°C
followed by tap water.
• The extracted fibre is left in stagnant water for a period of 15 days in order
to remove the cellulose present on the fibre
 Cleaning of soaked fibre
• The wet fibre which is taken from the
stagnant water is cleaned with distilled
water to remove the fibre from bacteria,
fungi.
Sun dried PALF
• obtained fibre is sun dried for 3 weeks
which whitens the fibre
Treatment of fibre
• The pineapple leaf fibre is placed in water which contains
5% concentrated NAOH and left for a period of 5 hours.
 Fabrication of composite specimens
• Polyester resin of ECMALON 4413 grade, supplied by BINDHU
AGENCIES, VIJAYAWADA.
Cobalt accelerator MEKP catalyst
preparation of matrix
• Cobalt accelerator and MEKP • After adding to the resin, stir it
catalyst are added for curing the with glass rod.
resin at room conditions.
Specimen preparation for tensile test
• The standard test method for tensile properties of fibre resign
composites, ASTM-D638m is used to prepare specimen as per the
dimensions. The composites were produced using pineapple fibre
polyester resin.
Specimens for tensile test
• 5 specimens were developed for each weight fraction of pineapple leaf
fibre composites. The dimensions of tensile test specimens are
160*12.5*3mm.
Specimen preparation for Impact test
• The standard test method for impact properties of a fibre resin
composites, ASTMD-256 is used to prepare specimen as per the
dimensions. The composites were produced using pineapple fibre
polyester resin.
Specimens for Impact test
• 5 specimens were developed for each weight fraction of pineapple leaf
fibre composites. The dimensions of impact test specimens are
63.5*12.5*10
Specimen preparation for flexural test
• The standard test method for flexural properties of a fibre resin
composites, ASTM-D638 is used to prepare specimen as per the
dimensions the composites were produced using pineapple fibre
polyester resin.
Specimens for Flexural test
• . 5 specimens were developed for each weight fraction of pineapple lea
fibre composites. The dimensions of flexural test specimens are
100*25*3.
Equipment for tensile testing
• A 2 ton capacity - Electronic tensometer
Equipment for Impact testing
• An analog Izod / charpy impact tester
Equipment for flexural testing
• Three point bend test equipment
Equipment for hardness testing
• Durometer
Tensile specimens after testing
Flexural specimens after testing
Impact specimens after testing
Hardness specimens after testing
Tensile test
Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the tensile
strength of the composite gradually increases up to 11% . Therefore at 5%
of NaOH we get maximum value compared to others.
Flexural testing

Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the flexural

strength of the composite gradually increases up to 11 % . Therefore at 5%
of NaOH we get maximum value compared to others.
Impact testing
Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the impact
strength of the composite gradually increases upto 26% . Therefore at 5%
of NaOH we get maximum value compared to others.
Tensile Modulus testing

Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the tensile

modulus strength of the composite gradually increases upto 12 % .
Therefore at 5% of NaOH we get maximum value compared to others.
Flexural Modulus testing

Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the flexural

strength of the composite gradually increases up to 15 % . Therefore at
5% of NaOH we get maximum value compared to others.
Hardness testing

Here by adding NaOH in 5 percentage it is observed that the hardness of

the composite gradually increases up to 15 % . Therefore at 5% of NaOH
we get maximum value compared to others
Conclusion
• It has been observed that at maximum weight fraction of pine apple
leaf fibre the tensile strength is 42.5MPa for untreated fibre.
• The tensile strength of treated fibre is increased by minimum of 12%
when compared to untreated fibre.
• The tensile modulus of maximum fibre weight fraction of pine apple
leaf fibre has a minimum value of 988MPa for untreated and maximum
value of 1146MPa for treated fibre.
• Flexural strength of maximum weight fraction of pine apple leaf fibre
has value of 116.6Mpa for untreated and increased about 7% for the
treated fibre.
Conclusion
• Flexural modulus at 21% weight fraction of pine apple leaf fibre has the
minimum value of 254MPa for untreated and increased about 19% for
the treated fibre.
• The impact strength of the fibre treated with NaOH is higher than the
fibre which is untreated and the values increased by a minimum value
of 2% to a maximum value of 25%.
• At maximum weight fraction the hardness is 8.1 for untreated fibre and
increased to 8.8 for treated fibre.
conclusion
The composite can be regarded as useful light weight engineering
material and also the manufacturing cost of the composite can be
reduced considerably by adding pine apple leaf fibre as fillers to the
matrix.
THANK YOU