UV radiation effect towards mechanical properties of Natural Fibre Reinforced Composite material: A Review

Abstract

The use of natural fibres as reinforcement material have become common in human applications. Many of them are used in composite materials especially in the polymer matrix composites. The use of natural fibres as reinforcement also provide alternative solution of usage instead of being a waste materials. In some applications, these natural reinforced polymer composites were used as the outer layer, making them exposed to ultra violet exposure, hence prone to UV radiation. This paper reviews the effect of UV radiation towards the mechanical properties of natural fibre reinforced polymer matrix composite material. The effect of chemical treatment towards the natural fibre is also investigated. One of the important features that was critically explored was the degradation of the composite materials. The influence of UV radiation on the degradation rate involve several parameters such as wavelength, intensity and exposure time. This review highlights the influence of these parameters in order to provide better solution for polymer matrix composite’s development.