View of A REVIEW ON BROWN GRASS FLOWER BROOM REINFORCED COMPOSITES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

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ACCENT JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS ECOLOGY & ENGINEERING Available Online: www.ajeee.co.in Vol.01 , Issue 03, July 2016 , ISSN -2456-1037

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A REVIEW ON BROWN GRASS FLOWER BROOM REINFORCED COMPOSITES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS

Vivek Gedam¹, Dr.Abhitab Dubey²

1Phd Scholar, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), ²Principal, Polytechnic College Jagdalpur,C.G.

ABSTRACT

Recently, the mankind has realized that unless environment is protected, he himself will be threatened by the over consumption of natural resource as well as substantial reduction of fresh air produced in the world. Conservation of forests and optimal utilization of agricultural and other renewable resources have become important topics worldwide. In such concern, the use of renewable resources such as plant and animal based fiber-reinforce polymeric composites, has been becoming an important design criterion for designing and manufacturing components for all industrial products. Research on biodegradable polymeric composites, can contribute for green and safe environment to some extent. In this paper, a comprehensive review on brown grass flower broom natural fiber composites is being given. Its potential in future development of different kinds of engineering and domestic products is also been discussed.

INTRODUCTION 1.1Environmental Concern

Since the past few decades, research and engineering interest has been shifting from traditional monolithic materials to fiber reinforced polymer-based materials due to their unique advantages of high strength to weight ratio, non-corrosive property and high fracture toughness. Although due to low cost and good strength glass fibre –reinforced composites were widely used but they induce serious

environmental problem. Recently, due to a strong emphasis on environmental awareness worldwide, it has brought much attention in the development of recyclable and environmentally sustainable composite materials.(1)

A sustainable research is been going on for such natural fiber reinforced composites materials, many of been tested and accepted for commercial usage such as jute, coir, sisal, pineapple, ramie, bamboo and banana are used as reinforcement of polymer composites, now days.

Table: 1 Mechanical properties of different types of potential natural fibers for composite applications.

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1.2Engineering Aspect of Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites Materials

The advantages of natural fibers over traditional reinforcing materials such as glass fiber, carbon fiber etc is their specific strength properties, easy availability, light weight, ease of separation, enhanced energy recovery, high toughness, non-corrosive nature, low density, low cost, good thermal properties, reduced tool wear, reduced dermal and respiratory irritation, less abrasion to processing equipment, renewability and biodegradability (1-12). It has been observed that natural fiber reinforced composites have properties similar to traditional synthetic fiber reinforced composites. (7)

The properties of natural fibers can vary depending on the source, age and separating techniques of the fibers. Developing an efficient and light weight material with high strength from sustainable resources, such as brown grasses broom fiber, is quite attractive from both application and environmental point of view. Aim of this paper is to bring in light the use of brown grass flower broom which is lightweight, commonly available, biodegradable, and low cost. The raw material is commonly available in agricultural sector. (9)

2. EXPERIMENTAL

2.1 Proposed materials to be used

Any compatible epoxy will be used as matrix material in the composite fabrication. Epoxy is an engineering adhesive which binds the natural fibers together. Also a compatible hardener will be used to provide required hardness to the composites. Epoxy Resin and hardeners will be mixed in a ratio of 10:

1 by weight; Brown grass flower broom is commonly used in house. Short fiber of the broom will be used as the reinforcing agent in the composite preparation.

2.2 Instruments required:

1) Electronic weighing machine: for taking weight of various materials and samples.

2) Vernier caliper for measurement of thickness.

3) UTM for tensile tests, compression tests 4) Vickers hardness test kit for hardness testing 5) Charpy impact testing machine for impact testing 6) Wear and friction monitor

2.3 Fabrication of biofiber samples:

The bio-fiber will be mixed with the epoxy by stirring at room temperature, in a glass beaker with the help of suitable glass rod. Then Hardener will be added into the beaker containing mixture; at the time of stirring. With proper stirring for 10 minutes, uniform mixing of the reinforcing agent and the polymer matrix is possible. Proper stirring is required for uniform mixing of the reinforcing agent and the polymer matrix and after then mixture will be poured into suitable moulds to obtain desired samples The different broom fiber-reinforced epoxy composites will be fabricated, varying the amount of reinforcement. Test specimens of suitable dimensions will be cut from the composite and various tests will be performed on those samples.

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3 2.4 Mechanical testing:

Testing of samples for tensile and compressive strengths will be done on Universal Testing Machine, wear testing will be done on wear and testing monitor, hardness test will be done with the help of Vickers hardness test kit, and impact testing will be done with help of charpy impact testing machine.

Results gathered will be compared with the results of available commercial fibres and a comparison chart will be prepared.

3. Environmental Benefits of Using Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites:

The primary environmental advantages of using natural fiber-reinforced composites are as follows:

• Biodegradability

• Reduction of greenhouse gas emission

• Enormous variety of structural fibers available throughout the world

• Creation of job opportunities in rural areas

• Development of non-food agricultural/farm-based economy

• Low energy consumption

• Low cost

• Low energy utilization.

Using agricultural materials as raw materials for making composite products provides a renewable resource as well as generating a non-food source of economic development from farming and rural areas. Also, use of renewable fibers in the composites produces an overall CO₂ balance, as the amount of CO2 taken up during their growth is matched (apart from the efforts necessary to grow and harvest the fibers) by the CO2 released during their disposal, i.e. either by burning or by rotting.(3)

Replacing conventional fibers based on petroleum resources with natural fibers reduces the greenhouse gas emissions considerably. The amount of energy required for the production of natural fibers is less than that of glass fibers. Moreover, their lower density (>40%) compared to glass fibers leads to fuel- efficient production of composite products, especially in automotive applications: this, in turn, leads to a reduction in greenhouse gases1.(2) The carbon sequestration and storage potential of natural fiber composites has been estimated to be about 325 kg carbon per metric tonne during their useful lifetime.(4) A net carbon sequestration of 0.67 ton/ha/yr was estimated for a composite containing 65 wt

% of hemp fiber. It has been found that replacing 30% glass fiber with 65% hemp fiber in thermoplastic composites produces a net saving of energy consumption of 50 000 MJ (about 3 ton CO2 emission) per ton of thermoplastic. Also, by substituting 50% of the glass fiber by natural fiber in automotive applications, 3.07 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and 1.9 million m³ of crude oil can be saved.(2)

4. Future Trends

Owing to their renewability, worldwide distribution and recyclability, the market for these composites will be able to expand. It will be possible for them to be used in a wide range of products, from those where very inexpensive low performance composites are suitable, to those where expensive high performance structural components are required.(5) They have an increasing market demand, especially

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among automobile companies looking for lightweight materials with sound damping properties4. In 1941, the Ford Motor Company, USA, investigated composites, which were soybean oil based. The Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan, made a commercialized vehicle with door trim panels made of kenaf–

PP composite and a cover for a spare tyre made of kenaf–PLLA composite.(4)

So far, natural fiber composites are favored mainly because of their green image and sustainability. They also exhibit excellent mechanical and thermal properties, and low density as revealed above. Other disadvantages such as water resistance properties should be able to be overcome in the near future. In addition to their environmentally friendly characteristics, green composites should provide excellent economical performance for acceptance in large quantity markets. Researchers are also trying to produce hybrid composites containing different types of fibers for high performance applications. (4) Green composite materials based upon thermosetting resins in combination with long natural fibers, offer potential in true structural applications.(6)

With few exceptions, however, there has been little in the way of commercialization of such materials.

Nevertheless, significant research efforts are being directed towards the development of fully bio-based composite materials suitable for structural uses, in applications ranging from leisure goods to construction components. In time, it is to be expected that bio- based fibre systems, competitive in terms of cost and performance may well become available. This would open up new and exciting possibilities for true structural ‘green’ composites. (8)

5. References

1) D. Nabi Saheb and J.P. Jog (1999). Adv. Polym. Technol., 18, 351–63.

2) M. Pervaiz and M. Sain (2003). Resources, Conser. Recyc., 16, 1–16.

3) M. Sain and J. Balatinecz (1997). Proceedings of IUPAC Conference, July, Prague Peijs, T.

(2001). Composites turn green, e-Polymer, Special Issue, 59–63.

4) Taniguchi, T. and Okamura, K. (1998). New films produced from microfibrillated natural fibres, Polym. Int., 47, 291–4.

5) Khalid. M, Ratnam. C.T, Chuah. T.G, Salmiaton. A,and Thomas S.Y.C. (2008). Comparative study of polypropylene composites reinforced with oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and oil palm derived, cellulose, Materials and Design 29, 173– 178

6) Nishi, Y., Uryu, M., Yamanaka, S. et al. (1990). The structure and mechanical properties of sheets prepared from bacterial cellulose. Part 2: Improvement of the mechanical properties of sheets and their applicability to diaphragms of electroacoustic transducers,

7) J. Mater. Sci., 25, 2997–3001. Stromme, M., Mihranyan, A. and Ek, R. (2002). What to do with all these algae?,

8) Wu, Q. and Berglund, L.A. (2003). Algae: from environmental treat to nanocomposites, Abstract 2nd nternational Conference EcoComposites.

9) T. Williams, M. Hosur, M. eodore, A. Netravali, V. Rangari, and S. Jeelani, “Time effects on morphology and bonding ability in mercerized natural fibers for composite reinforcement,”

International Journal of Polymer Science, vol. 2011, Article ID 192865, 9 pages, 2011.