Mechanical Properties and Morphological Study of Fly-Ash–Bagasse Composites

Abstract

In recent years the natural fiber epoxy composite has attracted substantial importance as a potential structural material. The natural fiber composites can be very cost effective material. In the present investigation the development of a Fly ash—Bagasse fiber composite material has been discussed. The Bagasse fiber has been used in two different sizes for the developed material. In two developed composites, diameter of Bagasse fiber has been varied between 13–16 μm and 83–95 μm in length. Correspondingly in other two developed composites; length of Bagasse fiber has been varied from 1 to 5 mm. It was observed that the density decreases by mixing the fiber was more as compared to the composite having both Bagasse fiber and Fly ash. A Bagasse fiber composite with size in the range of μm exhibited better tensile strength than the composite having Bagasse fiber size in mm. The compressive strength of the material increases, if Fly ash alone is used for the composite material but, when Bagasse fiber was mixed with the Fly ash, it was found that there has been a decrease in the compressive strength. It was also observed that there has been a decrease in the flexural strength of the material by mixing the Bagasse fiber in the matrix. The microstructure of composite material was investigated by using Scanning Electron Microscope. The images from Scanning Electron Microscope demonstrated that the Fly ash and Bagasse fiber particles are uniformly distributed over the matrix.