Abstract
Composite technology is an excellent approach to utilizing natural fibres and agricultural wastes, which constitute an environmental nuisance. Efforts are being made to characterize the properties of composites produced from different sources of these wastes and fibres to facilitate a choice and selection for different applications. In this study, selected properties of composite samples, produced from waste paper in equal mix-ratio with rice husk and bamboo stem fibres (BSF) separately without chemical pre-treatment using cassava starch as a binder, were characterized. Composites from rice husk are better in terms of their higher compressive strength (71–202N/mm<sup>2</sup>), lower water absorption, at a rate of 1.97–5.19 and 1.09–3.02%/min, and a lower thickness swelling, at a rate of 0.74–1.23 and 0.52–0.70 %/min at 30 min and 1 h immersion time respectively, while that from the BSF is superior for its lower density 0.321–0.358 g/cm<sup>3</sup> and specific weight 3.15–3.51 kN/m<sup>3</sup>. The material composition (percentage fibre volume fraction) appears to have no significant effect on the impact strength 26.0–26.4 kJ/m<sup>2</sup> as well as other selected properties of the composites (p &gt; 0.05). However, all the samples have properties that meet the requirement for composites except that the water absorption and thickness swelling are relatively high. The composites have considerably low density, which makes them suitable in light weight applications. Their compressive and impact strength make them appear specifically relevant for the production of construction blocks and industrial helmets respectively. Meanwhile, the properties are liable to modification with a chemical pre-treatment of the fibres.
Highlights
Preferences of one engineering material over the other are fundamentally on account of the desired properties
It shows that the density and specific weight of the samples increase with increased quantity of rice husk and the bamboo stem fibres (BSF)
It reveals that rice husk is heavier than the BSF having densities ranging between 0.325–0.513 and 0.321–0.358 g/cm3 while having specific weight of 3.19–5.03 and 3.15–3.51 kN/m3, respectively
Summary
Preferences of one engineering material over the other are fundamentally on account of the desired properties. Not all the materials have excellent properties suitable for all applications. No material is entirely unsuitable in any application. Characterization of properties of different materials is a subject of great importance in material choice and selection for production engineers. Composite materials produced from agricultural wastes and natural fibres have special merit, because of their elimination of environmental wastes. They have been said to have advantages, such as availability, light weight, specific strength and good modulus properties [1,2,3]
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