TiO2 and zeolite nanopowder enhanced mechanical properties of hybrid polymer composites

Abstract

Manufacturing hybrid composites using polyethylene (PE) matrix is the main focus of this present research. Physico-mechanical testing of betel nut and glass fiber-reinforced hybrid composites was subsequently performed. Random orientation and short fiber-reinforced composite was manufactured using a hot press machine for 80% PE-20% fiber at a ratio of betel nut and glass fiber 1:3, found from previous research. Therefore, the effect of nanofiller on that ratio was mainly explored in this research. As a result, more samples were fabricated by the addition of titanium oxide and zeolite nanopowder as a nanofiller for this fiber ratio of betel nut and glass 1:3 by keeping the fiber short with random orientation. The fabricated composites were characterized based on mechanical testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis (FTIR). FTIR analysis ensured the presence of nanopowder and –OH group in the respective composites. Therefore, the addition of titanium oxide nanopowder enhanced all mechanical properties of the composites, except % elongation at break. SEM analysis revealed better interfacial bonding and uniform dispersion of nanofiller in the PE matrix. Composites containing betel nut and glass at a ratio of 1:3 with titanium oxide nanopowder would provide the optimum set of mechanical properties among all fabricated hybrid composites.