Characteristic properties of date-palm fibre/sheep wool reinforced polyester composites

Abstract

In this study, we attempted to characterise the effects of date-palm fibre (DPF) and a date-palm fibre/sheep wool hybrid in polyester to enhance high-performance and low-cost composite materials that can be used in insulation building systems, automotive parts, and home furniture. The DPF was treated using 5 % NaOH solution; and the sheep wool was cleaned with 50 °C hot water and detergents. The composite specimens were prepared with different fibre contents (0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 % (w)) using a compression moulding technique. The effect of fibre reinforcement was analysed in terms of the mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness) and composite density. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed on the fibres before and after treatment, and the fractured surfaces of all composite specimens were examined after tensile testing. The results showed that the 20 % DPF/sheep wool hybrid reinforced polyester produced the best results. The ultimate tensile strength and modulus were 27 MPa and 3.69 GPa, respectively. The ultimate flexural strength and flexural modulus were 35.4 and 2507 MPa, respectively. The impact strength was 39.5 kJ/m² and the hardness was 64 HB. The density decreased to the lowest value of 1.02 g/cm³ with the 30 % DPF/sheep wool hybrid. The SEM showed good adhesion and interfacial bonding between DPF/sheep wool hybrid fibres and the polyester matrix, particularly at 20 % fibre content.