Experimental Characterization of Grewia Ferruginea Fiber Reinforced Polyester Matrix Composite Materials

Abstract Researchers from all around the world have been paying close attention to natural fiber because of its economical and environmentally favorable benefits. The botanical name Grewia ferruginea, sometimes known locally as Lenquata, is one source of natural fiber among other plant fibers. But so far, the Grewia ferruginea plant has not been used as a reinforcing material for composites. The goal of this research project is to create polyester matrix composites reinforced with short Grewia ferruginea plant fiber that measures 10 mm, 20 mm, and 30 mm. The ratio of fiber to polyester will be 15/85%, 25/75%, and 35/65% for each of the prepared short natural fiber lengths or sizes. To ascertain the ideal fiber weight ratio, fiber length, and the associated maximum tensile and flexural qualities through experimentation. The fiber from the ferruginea plant was extracted using the traditional water retting method. The Grewia ferruginea plant submerged in water was then meticulously cleaned, and the fiber bundle was gradually split into a single strand by hand (with metal teeth). Following extraction, the fiber was subjected to a chemical treatment at a 5% concentration of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), which improved the bond and interfacial strength between the Grewia ferruginea fiber and matrix. The composite is made using hand lay-up techniques with varying fiber/matrix ratios and fiber lengths (sizes). Additionally, the specimen's tensile and flexural qualities were experimentally examined in line with ASTM 638 and ASTM 790 standards, respectively. The findings indicated that the average tensile strength of a single fiber from Grewia ferruginea plants is 214 MPa, with a density of 1.11 g/cm3. Furthermore, the Grewia ferruginea fiber-reinforced polyester composite, which was created with a 10 mm fiber length, a 25% fiber weight ratio, and a 75% polyester matrix composite, exhibits superior performance. That is stronger than any combination that was used to create the composite in this investigation, with 18.3 MPa tensile and 35.2 MPa flexural strength.