Experimental Analysis of Wheat Bran Composite for Lightweight Fuel Tank Applications

Abstract

Since last 50 years, awareness about finding a suitable alternative to steel as a material for fuel tank, has been increased in order to eliminate the demerits of steel like corrosive nature and higher weight. Polymers are looked upon by researchers as a promising option for fuel tank material. Among the polymers, High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is extensively researched in the last three decades of twentieth century. But by considering complex geometry of fuel tank, the flexibility of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) is found to be very helpful and LLDPE also allows to further reduce the weight of the fuel tank. In last two decades there is extensive research on further improving the properties of LLDPE by making composite using plant fiber. Wheat Bran (WB) is a waste material from agro industries and is recycled by using as a reinforcement material to LLDPE. So, LLDPE-WB composite as a material for the fuel tank, formed using compression moulding technique, is considered in this study. Tensile properties of the LLDPE-WB composite are experimentally evaluated and compared with LLDPE (without reinforcement). It has been found that the tensile strength of the LLDPE-WB decreases while the tensile modulus of the LLDPE-WB increases, as compared to LLDPE. Percentage elongation at break decreases drastically for LLDPEWB composite as compared to LLDPE, which is very widely observed behaviour in case of any plant fiber composite of LLDPE.