Identification of Water Hyacinth Fiber (Eichornia Crassipes) and Polyethylene Terephthalate Waste as an Alternative Material

Abstract

Synthetic fiber is reinforcing material made and developed by human involving chemical reactions to change the structure or strengthen certain material. Synthetic fiber has high temperature resistance and is sturdy, strong, and elastic. Although synthetic fiber has good properties, it poses a serious problem of non-organic waste. Thus, it encourages changes in composite technology to pay more attention to natural fiber that are enviromentally friendly. This research used water hyacinth fiber and plastic waste as filler and polyester resin as matrix, to determine the mechanical properties of tensile test. The research employed hand lay-up method by arranging the fiber randomly at the composition of fiber variations of 10%, 20%, and 30% of the stress, strain, and modulus elasticityof the composite. The research finding were described in each fiber variations, where the average stress value at fiber variations of 10% 48,556 Mpa, strain was 1,4% and modulus elasticity was 36,264 Mpa. In addition, the fiber variation of 20% contained an average stress value of 44,178 Mpa, strain of 1,3% and modulus elasticity of 35,037 Mpa. Lastly, the fiber variation 30% contained an average stress value of 54,556 Mpa, strain of 1,2% and modulus elasticity of 46,811 Mpa. In the meantime, the tensile strength of 30% fiber variation owned the largest value compared the other fiber variations. While the 10% fiber variation strain owned the largest value compared the other fiber variations. Additionally, the elastic modulus of 30% fiber variation owned the largest value compared to the other fiber variations.