Impact of magnesium hydroxide particles decorated Kenaf fibre on the physico-mechanical properties of polypropylene-based composites

The interface between matrix and reinforcement plays a vital role in determining the mechanical properties of the composite. The surface of reinforcement can be modified to enhance the interfacial bonding. In the present work, Kenaf fiber (KF) was used as a reinforcement, while polypropylene (PP) acted as a matrix. KF was chemically treated to remove the amorphous phases thereby improving its interaction with the matrix. Further, fibres were coated with magnesium hydroxide (MH) particles. Fibre to particle ratio varied in the ratio of 100:1, 50:1, 20:1 and 10:1. For the fabrication of composites, 10 wt.% KF was used and specimens were injection moulded. Particles were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The moulded specimens were subjected to tensile test, impact test, water absorption test, and thermal analysis. Enhancement in mechanical properties has been observed due to improvement in interfacial bonding. Using the MH coated fibres, tensile strength and impact strength were increased by 13% and 31%, respectively.