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17 pages, 2900 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Tilapia Scale Hydroxyapatite-Filled High-Density Polyethylene Composites

by C. N. Aiza Jaafar, I. Zainol, M. I. Izyan Khairani and T. T. Dele-Afolabi

Polymers 2022, 14(2), 251; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14020251 - 8 Jan 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3694

Abstract

The effects of filler loading and silane coupling agent on the properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp)-filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites have been studied. The (HAp) powder was successfully produced from tilapia scales using the spray drying process utilized to prepare the HDPE/HAp composites. [...] Read more.

The effects of filler loading and silane coupling agent on the properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp)-filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites have been studied. The (HAp) powder was successfully produced from tilapia scales using the spray drying process utilized to prepare the HDPE/HAp composites. The FTIR peaks for the untreated HDPE/30HAp composite corresponded to the functional groups of HDPE (C-CH₃) and –CH₂ and HAp (PO₄⁻³ and O-H). The FTIR spectrum for the silane-treated composite showed that the C=O and silanol groups were eliminated, which strongly confirms the chemical interaction between the HAp fillers and the HDPE matrix. The developed composites demonstrated enhanced mechanical performance, and in particular the treated HDPE/30HAp-S composite exhibited superior tensile strength, Young’s modulus and flexural modulus of 28.26 MPa, 1272 MPa and 796 MPa, respectively. In vitro cytotoxicity analysis showed that the developed composites were non-toxic and have great potential to be used for biomedical application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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25 pages, 53436 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Fibre Orientation on Impact Damage Resistance of S2/FM94 Glass Fibre Composites for Aerospace Applications: An Experimental Evaluation and Numerical Validation

by Khaled Giasin, Hom N. Dhakal, Carol A. Featheroson, Danil Yurievich Pimenov, Colin Lupton, Chulin Jiang, Antigoni Barouni and Ugur Koklu

Polymers 2022, 14(1), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14010095 - 27 Dec 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4263

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the influence of fibre orientation and varied incident energy levels on the impact-induced damage of S2/FM94, a kind of aerospace glass fibre epoxy/composite regularly used in aircraft components and often subjected to low-velocity impact loadings. Effects of varying [...] Read more.

This study aims to investigate the influence of fibre orientation and varied incident energy levels on the impact-induced damage of S2/FM94, a kind of aerospace glass fibre epoxy/composite regularly used in aircraft components and often subjected to low-velocity impact loadings. Effects of varying parameters on the impact resistance behaviour and damage modes are evaluated experimentally and numerically. Laminates fabricated with four different fibre orientations

{[0 / 90 / + 45 / - 45]}_{8 s}

,

{[0 / 90 / 90 / 0]}_{8 s}

,

{[+ 45 / - 45]}_{16 s},

and

{[0]}_{32}

were impacted using three energy levels. Experimental results showed that plates with unidirectional fibre orientation failed due to shear stresses, while no penetration occurred for the

{[0 / 90 / 90 / 0]}_{8 s}

and

{[+ 45 / - 45]}_{16 s}

plates due to the energy transfer back to the plate at the point of maximum displacement. The impact energy and resulting damage were modelled using Abaqus/Explicit. The Finite Element (FE) results could accurately predict the maximum impact load on the plates with an accuracy of 0.52% to 13%. The FE model was also able to predict the onset of damage initiation, evolution, and the subsequent reduction of the strength of the impacted laminates. The results obtained on the relationship of fibre geometry and varying incident impact energy on the impact damage modes can provide design guidance of S2/FM94 glass composites for aerospace applications where impact toughness is critical. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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16 pages, 2563 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact Toughness of Hybrid Carbon Fiber-PLA/ABS Laminar Composite Produced through Fused Filament Fabrication

by Hafiz Ahmed, Ghulam Hussain, Sohail Gohar, Aaqib Ali and Mohammed Alkahtani

Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3057; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183057 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3261

Abstract

Nowadays, the components of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (an important material) are directly produced with 3D printing technology, especially Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). However, such components suffer from poor toughness. The main aim of this research is to overcome this drawback by introducing [...] Read more.

Nowadays, the components of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composites (an important material) are directly produced with 3D printing technology, especially Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). However, such components suffer from poor toughness. The main aim of this research is to overcome this drawback by introducing an idea of laying down a high toughness material on the 3D-printed carbon fiber-reinforced polymer composite sheet, thereby making a hybrid composite of laminar structure. To ascertain this idea, in the present study, a carbon-reinforced Polylactic Acid (C-PLA) composite sheet was initially 3D printed through FFF technology, which was then laid upon with the Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), named as C-PLA/ABS hybrid laminar composite, in an attempt to increase its impact toughness. The hybrid composite was fabricated by varying different 3D printing parameters and was then subjected to impact testing. The results revealed that toughness increased by employing higher layer thickness and clad ratio, while it decreased by increasing the fill density, but remained unaffected due to any change in the raster angle. The highest impact toughness (23,465.6 kJ/m²) was achieved when fabrication was performed employing layer thickness of 0.5 mm, clad ratio of 1, fill density of 40%. As a result of laying up ABS sheet on C-PLA sheet, the toughness of resulting structure increased greatly (280 to 365%) as compared to the equivalent C-PLA structure, as expected. Two different types of distinct failures were observed during impact testing. In type A, both laminates fractured simultaneously without any delamination as a hammer hit the sample. In type B, the failure initiated with fracturing of C-PLA sheet followed by interfacial delamination at the boundary walls. The SEM analysis of fractured surfaces revealed two types of pores in the C-PLA lamina, while only one type in the ABS lamina. Further, there was no interlayer cracking in the C-PLA lamina contrary to the ABS lamina, thereby indicating greater interlayer adhesion in the C-PLA lamina. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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21 pages, 12553 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Rot-, Fire-, and Water-Retardant Treatments on Jute Fiber and Their Associated Thermoplastic Composites: A Study by FTIR

by Sweety Shahinur, Mahbub Hasan, Qumrul Ahsan, Nayer Sultana, Zakaria Ahmed and Julfikar Haider

Polymers 2021, 13(15), 2571; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152571 - 1 Aug 2021

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3807

Abstract

Natural renewable materials can play a big role in reducing the consumption of synthetic materials for environmental sustainability. Natural fiber-reinforced composites have attracted significant research and commercial importance due to their versatile characteristics and multi-dimensional applications. As the natural materials are easily rotten, [...] Read more.

Natural renewable materials can play a big role in reducing the consumption of synthetic materials for environmental sustainability. Natural fiber-reinforced composites have attracted significant research and commercial importance due to their versatile characteristics and multi-dimensional applications. As the natural materials are easily rotten, flammable, and moisture absorbent, they require additional chemical modification for use in sustainable product development. In the present research, jute fibers were treated with rot-, fire-, and water-retardant chemicals and their corresponding polymer composites were fabricated using a compression molding technique. To identify the effects of the chemical treatments on the jute fiber and their polymeric composites, a Fourier transformed infrared radiation (FTIR) study was conducted and the results were analyzed. The presence of various chemicals in the post-treated fibers and the associated composites were identified through the FTIR analysis. The varying weight percentage of the chemicals used for treating the fibers affected the physio-mechanical properties of the fiber as well as their composites. From the FTIR analysis, it was concluded that crystallinity increased with the chemical concentration of the treatment which could be contributed to the improvement in their mechanical performance. This study provides valuable information for both academia and industry on the effect of various chemical treatments of the jute fiber for improved product development. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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12 pages, 1931 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Use of Organic Acids in Bamboo Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites: Mechanical Properties and Interfacial Morphology

by Lety del Pilar Fajardo Cabrera de Lima, Cristian David Chamorro Rodríguez and José Herminsul Mina Hernandez

Polymers 2021, 13(12), 2007; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13122007 - 19 Jun 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2553

Abstract

In obtaining wood polymer composites (WPCs), a weak interfacial bonding can cause problems during the processing and affect the mechanical properties of the resulting composites. A coupling agent (CA) is commonly used to solving this limitation. To improve the interfacial bonding between bamboo [...] Read more.

In obtaining wood polymer composites (WPCs), a weak interfacial bonding can cause problems during the processing and affect the mechanical properties of the resulting composites. A coupling agent (CA) is commonly used to solving this limitation. To improve the interfacial bonding between bamboo fiber (BF) and a polypropylene matrix, the effect of three organic acids on the mechanical properties and interfacial morphology were investigated. The BF/PP composites were prepared in five families: the first without CA, the second using a maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene coupling agent, and the third, fourth, and fifth families with the addition of organic acids (OA) tricarboxylic acid (TRIA), hexadecanoic acid (HEXA), and dodecanoic acid (DODA), respectively. The use of OA in BF/PP improved the interfacial adhesion with the PP matrix, and it results in better mechanical performance than composites without CA. Composites coupled with MAPP, TRIA, DODA, and HEXA showed an increase in Young’s modulus of about 26%, 23%, 15%, and 16% respectively compared to the composite without CA incorporation. In tensile strength, the increase in composites with CA was about 190%, while in the flexural modulus, the coupled composites showed higher values, and the increase was more in composites with TRIA: about 46%. The improvement caused by tricarboxylic acid was similar to that promoted by the addition of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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Review

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32 pages, 12564 KiB

Open AccessReview

Current Development and Future Perspective on Natural Jute Fibers and Their Biocomposites

by Sweety Shahinur, M. M. Alamgir Sayeed, Mahbub Hasan, Abu Sadat Muhammad Sayem, Julfikar Haider and Sharifu Ura

Polymers 2022, 14(7), 1445; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14071445 - 1 Apr 2022

Cited by 53 | Viewed by 12643

Abstract

The increasing trend of the use of synthetic products may result in an increased level of pollution affecting both the environment and living organisms. Therefore, from the sustainability point of view, natural, renewable and biodegradable materials are urgently needed to replace environmentally harmful [...] Read more.

The increasing trend of the use of synthetic products may result in an increased level of pollution affecting both the environment and living organisms. Therefore, from the sustainability point of view, natural, renewable and biodegradable materials are urgently needed to replace environmentally harmful synthetic materials. Jute, one of the natural fibers, plays a vital role in developing composite materials that showed potential in a variety of applications such as household, automotive and medical appliances. This paper first reviews the characterization and performance of jute fibers. Subsequently, the main focus is shifted towards research advancements in enhancing physical, mechanical, thermal and tribological properties of the polymeric materials (i.e., synthetic or biobased and thermoplastic or thermoset plastic) reinforced with jute fibers in a variety of forms such as particle, short fiber or woven fabric. It is understood that the physio-mechanical properties of jute-polymer composites largely vary based on the fiber processing and treatment, fiber shape and/or size, fabrication processes, fiber volume fraction, layering sequence within the matrix, interaction of the fiber with the matrix and the matrix materials used. Furthermore, the emerging research on jute fiber, such as nanomaterials from jute, bioplastic packaging, heavy metal absorption, electronics, energy device or medical applications and development of jute fiber composites with 3D printing, is explored. Finally, the key challenges for jute and its derivative products in gaining commercial successes have been highlighted and potential future directions are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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29 pages, 6592 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Mechanical Models for Cellular Media: Investigation on Material Characterization and Numerical Simulation

by Guoqiang Luo, Yuxuan Zhu, Ruizhi Zhang, Peng Cao, Qiwen Liu, Jian Zhang, Yi Sun, Huan Yuan, Wei Guo, Qiang Shen and Lianmeng Zhang

Polymers 2021, 13(19), 3283; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13193283 - 26 Sep 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3454

Abstract

Cellular media materials are used for automobiles, aircrafts, energy-efficient buildings, transportation, and other fields due to their light weight, designability, and good impact resistance. To devise a buffer structure reasonably and avoid resource and economic loss, it is necessary to completely comprehend the [...] Read more.

Cellular media materials are used for automobiles, aircrafts, energy-efficient buildings, transportation, and other fields due to their light weight, designability, and good impact resistance. To devise a buffer structure reasonably and avoid resource and economic loss, it is necessary to completely comprehend the constitutive relationship of the buffer structure. This paper introduces the progress on research of the mechanical properties characterization, constitutive equations, and numerical simulation of porous structures. Currently, various methods can be used to construct cellular media mechanical models including simplified phenomenological constitutive models, homogenization algorithm models, single cell models, and multi-cell models. This paper reviews current key mechanical models for cellular media, attempting to track their evolution from their inception to their latest development. These models are categorized in terms of their mechanical modeling methods. This paper focuses on the importance of constitutive relationships and microstructure models in studying mechanical properties and optimizing structural design. The key issues concerning this topic and future directions for research are also discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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49 pages, 4341 KiB

Open AccessReview

Fiber Selection for Reinforced Additive Manufacturing

by Ivan Philip Beckman, Christine Lozano, Elton Freeman and Guillermo Riveros

Polymers 2021, 13(14), 2231; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13142231 - 7 Jul 2021

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 8628

Abstract

The purpose of this review is to survey, categorize, and compare the mechanical and thermal characteristics of fibers in order to assist designers with the selection of fibers for inclusion as reinforcing materials in the additive manufacturing process. The vast “family of fibers” [...] Read more.

The purpose of this review is to survey, categorize, and compare the mechanical and thermal characteristics of fibers in order to assist designers with the selection of fibers for inclusion as reinforcing materials in the additive manufacturing process. The vast “family of fibers” is described with a Venn diagram to highlight natural, synthetic, organic, ceramic, and mineral categories. This review explores the history and practical uses of particular fiber types and explains fiber production methods in general terms. The focus is on short-cut fibers including staple fibers, chopped strands, and whiskers added to polymeric matrix resins to influence the bulk properties of the resulting printed materials. This review discusses common measurements for specific strength and tenacity in the textile and construction industries, including denier and tex, and discusses the proposed “yuri” measurement unit. Individual fibers are selected from subcategories and compared in terms of their mechanical and thermal properties, i.e., density, tensile strength, tensile stiffness, flexural rigidity, moisture regain, decomposition temperature, thermal expansion, and thermal conductivity. This review concludes with an example of the successful 3D printing of a large boat at the University of Maine and describes considerations for the selection of specific individual fibers used in the additive manufacturing process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites)

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