Effects of Chemical Surface Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Sisal Fiber Unsaturated Polyester Reinforced Composites

Abstract

Sisal fiber was extracted from Sisal leaves by enzymatic retting method. A portion of the fiber was subjected to alkali, benzoyl chloride and silane treatments. Sisal fiber composites were fabricated using unsaturated polyester resin, by hand lay-up technique using both the treated and untreated fiber. Tensile and flexural tests were conducted and evaluated on the composites. The morphology of the materials was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The fibre chemical modification improves its adhesion to the matrix as well as the mechanical properties of the composites.

Keywords: Scanning Electron Microscopy, Sisal fiber, Tensile test, Unsaturated polyester resin