Effect of Different Anhydrides on Mechanical Properties of Agro-Wastes and Novolac Resin Composites

Abstract

Wheat straw(WS), sorghum straw(SS), Cane bagasse fiber(CBF)and teak saw dust(TS)composites were prepared separately with novolac resin in 50:50(w/w)ratio. These fillers were treated with and without maleic anhydride(MA), phthalic anhydride(PA)and succinic anhydride(SA). Anhydrides treatment improves tensile strength, young's modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of the composites over the untreated filler composites. The order of increment in tensile strength and Young's modulus is recorded as SA > PA > MA for CBF, while for WS and SS order is MA > SA > PA. In case of TS the order of increment in tensile strength and Young's modulus is SA > MA > PA. Flexural strengths of CB and SS are recorded as SA > MA > PA.MA > SA > PA is the order of flexural strength and flexural modulus of TS and WS. Amongst three anhydrides, PA treatment shows least effect while MA and SA treatments are more effective. The difference in their effectiveness is due to their reactivity as well as the desorption of anhydrides by the fillers.