Abstract
In this study, microcellular polyurethane (PU)-natural fiber (NF) biocomposites were fabricated. Polyurethanes based on castor oil and PMDI were synthesized with varying volume ratios of sisal fiber. The effect of natural fiber treatment using water and alkaline solution (1.5% NaOH) and load effect were investigated. Biocomposites were mechanically and physically investigated using tensile, viscoelasticity, and water absorption tests. The interfacial adhesion between PU and sisal fiber was studied using SEM. Short NF loads (3%) showed a significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the PU-sisal composite such as modulus of elasticity, yield and tensile strength up to 133%, 14.35 % and 36.7% respectively. Viscoelastic measurements showed that the composites exhibit an elastic trend as the real compliance (J’) values were higher than those of the imaginary compliance (J’’). Increasing NF loads resulted in a decrease of J’. Applying variable temperatures (120–80 °C) caused an increase in the stiffness at different frequencies.
Highlights
Over the past few decades, polymers have substituted for several types of metals in different applications
The thermal expansion of PU foam was enhanced in the presence of sisal fiber
The effect of sisal fiber loadings and temperature on the viscoelastic properties showed that fiber loading leads to a decrease in real compliance
Summary
Over the past few decades, polymers have substituted for several types of metals in different applications. This can be attributed to the advantages polymers and polymer composites offer over conventional materials [1,2,3]. Bending restrictors (cable support products) were originally made of steel, steel tends to be heavy and expensive, and it will corrode. Nowadays, bending restrictors manufactured from polyurethane have largely solved these problems. Polymers are modified using additives and fibers to meet different mechanical, electrical and thermal requirements [4,5,6,7]. Polymer composites are a kind of customized material, designed from a combination of two or more material
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