Tensile Modulus of Film Stacked Palm Fibers-LDPE Sheet Composites

Abstract

Palm fiber-LDPE composites were prepared by a film-stacking method studying the effects of fibers content, their length, processing temperature and alkaline treatment on tensile modulus and modulus efficiency factor. It was found that up to 5 wt.% and processing temperature to 160°C in addition to alkaline treatment improved the tensile modulus and modulus efficiency factor to a certain limit due to an enhancement in load carrying and interfacial adhesion, also it was obvious that long fibers play a positive role in load transfer; improving the tensile modulus and its efficiency factor due to effective load transfer. Ductility was decreased due to the brittle behavior of the fibers.

Keywords

• palm fibers
• alkaline treatment
• processing temperature
• modulus of elasticity
• ductility
• modulus efficiency factor