Physical and Mechanical Properties of Pinecone Scale Fiber/Vigna Mungo Powder Reinforced Polypropylene Based Hybrid Composites

Abstract

This study accounted for fabrication, physico-mechanical, and morphological properties of extracted pine cone scale fiber (natural fiber) and vigna mungo powder (natural filler) reinforced polypropylene composite using the compression molding technique. The behavior of hybrid composites was examined through tensile, flexural, hardness, impact, and SEM characterizations. Compared to the neat polymer matrix, the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites improved. The flexural and hardness properties where significantly enhanced with the addition of Vigna mungo powder. The hybrid composite C2 (30% pine cone scale fiber reinforcement) showed the highest density tensile and impact strength. The composite C5 (30% vigna mungo powder reinforcement) showed the least density, lowest impact, and high flexural strength. This was attributed to the chemical treatment of the fibers, which improved the fibers’ tensile properties due to the removal of the wax layer from fiber surface. The study concluded that naturally occurring pine cone scale fiber and vigna mungo powder could be used as potential reinforcements and can be a viable alternative material for polymer-based composites.

Keywords

• hybrid composites
• mechanical properties
• natural fibers
• vigna mungo
• pinecone scales