EVALUATION OF MECHANICAL AND WATER ABSORPTION BEHAVIOUR OF COIR AND RICE HUSK REINFORCED COMPOSITES

Abstract

Coconut coir and rice husk are abundantly available in nature with the very low cost, and rice husk is an agricultural waste, which is thrown away by the industry. The development of natural fiber composites from coconut coir and rice husk powder will reduce agriculture waste and increases its usable value. Composite specimens were prepared according to the ASTM standards with three different weight fractions of fiber, filler, and epoxy (5:15:80, 10:10:80, and 15:5:80) and conducted some mechanical tests such as impact test and hardness test and water absorption behaviour. From the results it was found that, the mechanical properties of untreated coir fiber and rice husk powder composites are more as compared to treated coir fiber and rice husk powder composites, but in the case of water absorption property.