Geometrical Parameters Optimization of Malaysia Rubber Wood through Honeycomb Structure as Composite Sandwich Core

Abstract

Rubber wood has multiple functions especially in the furniture industry and other wood products such as plywood whereas the sawdust is further processed to become medium density fiberboard or wood plastic composites. These composites are useful yet are unable to become the structural components where mechanical performance is critical. An investigation was carried out to find out the mechanical properties of rubber wood honeycomb core in the fiber reinforced composites with glass fiber as its facesheet and epoxy as its matrix. Cell diameter fabricated at 7 mm with increasing cell wall thicknesses ranging from 1 mm to 3 mm respectively. In the flatwise tensile test, the results showed that the interfacial bonding strength increased by 21.6% with increasing wall thickness. As higher density increased and minimum strength improvement, the specific strength will be reduced. Meanwhile, wall thickness of 3 mm is only 1% away from the sandwich composite with solid rubber wood which has the most similar bonding strength as in climbing drum peel test with lower density.