Abstract
The microbond test of natural fibers tends to produce scattered interfacial shear stress (IFSS) values. The sources of this scattering are known, but the roles they play in producing high IFSS scattering remain to be investigated. In this study, a numerical method was used to simulate microbond testing and to examine the experimental parameters in a microbond test of Typha angustifolia fiber/epoxy. Three parameters were considered: fiber diameter, fiber length embedded in the epoxy, and the distance between the vise and the specimen. The geometries were modeled and analyzed by ABAQUS software using its cohesive zone model features. There were two types of contact used in this analysis: tie constraint and surface-to-surface. The results showcased the roles of the following experimental parameters: a larger fiber diameter from a sample increased the IFSS value, a longer embedded length reduced the IFSS value, and a shorter vise–specimen distance increased the IFSS value. The IFSS scattering in the microbond test could have originated from the interaction between these parameters. Of the three parameters, only the vise–specimen distance was found to be able to be reasonably controlled. When the IFSS value was atypically large, fiber diameter and/or embedded length potentially drove the scattering. This study advises further compilation and classification of the role of each experimental parameter in modulating the IFSS value.
Highlights
Many types of natural fibers are abundantly available in nature—one of them isTypha angustifolia fiber
We used a numerical simulation to investigate the role of experimental parameters in interfacial shear stress (IFSS) value scattering of the microbond test of Typha angustifolia fiber/epoxy
Three parameters were selected in this study: fiber diameter, fiber length embedded in the epoxy, and the distance between the vise and the specimen
Summary
Many types of natural fibers are abundantly available in nature—one of them is. Typha angustifolia fiber has the potential to be a substitute for synthetic fibers in fiber-reinforced composites. Typha angustifolia plants are grown in most countries [1]. This plant is still considered a parasite, since its growth dominates in wetlands. Compared to other natural fibers, its potential has been unutilized [2,3]. Even though natural fiber has many advantages, many researchers have highlighted the fact that the incompatibility between hydrophilic cellulose and hydrophobic polymer is a crucial weakness of natural fibers. Bonding natural fibers and polymers is a challenge due to the different chemical structures of fibers and matrices. The incompatibility between the fiber and the matrix reduces the interface bond performance
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