Fabrication of Manila Hemp Fiber Reinforced Cross Ply Biodegradable Composites and Their Tensile Properties

Abstract

Natural plant fibers, including flax, kenaf, jute, bamboo, ramie and much more are renewable and sustainable resources and are considered good candidates for cost-effective alternatives to glass and carbon fibers. In this research, cross ply biodegradable composites were fabricated by press-forming method. The biodegradable composites consist of Manila hemp textile as a reinforcement and starch-based biodegradable plastics as a matrix was fabricated and investigated about mechanical properties. The tensile strength increased with the fiber content until fiber content of about 50% and leveled off thereafter. This dependence on the fiber content is due to the decrease in fiber strength of loading direction caused by fiber damages introduced during hot-pressing. In order to decrease the damage of fibers aligned in loading direction, Manila hemp textile was produced by using Manila hemp fibers for warp and biodegradable resin thread for weft. As a result, the tensile strength of cross ply composites increased from 153 MPa to 202 MPa.