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Effect of moisture content on the properties of silanized jute‐epoxy composites
Author(s) -
Gassan Jochen,
Bledzki Andrzej K.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.10272
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , flexural strength , ultimate tensile strength , epoxy , flexural modulus , composite number , modulus , fiber , moisture , absorption of water , young's modulus
The composites investigated in this article were epoxy resins reinforced with jute‐fibers. The jute‐fibers were modified with an epoxyfunctional‐γ‐glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy‐silane (A‐187 from Osi‐Specialtis GmbH, Germany), which works as a coupling agent between fiber and matrix. The introduction of the coupling agent distinctly influences the mechanical properties of the composite: Dynamic modulus was doubled, damping was reduced by about 50%, and the Wöhler curves showed fatigue limits increased by about 20%. The investigations pointed out further that the moisture uptake of composites with silanized fibers was reduced by about 10–20%. Moisture at equilibrium and kinetics of absorption increase with increasing fiber content. Finally, the application of the coupling agent caused a reduction of moisture effects on mechanical properties. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, and fatigue strength under repeated tensile stress were reduced up to 30%. This tendency was not duplicated in the results for flexural strength and flexural modulus.