Alkaline Treatment’s Effect on Mechanical Properties and Damage Assessment Through Acoustic Emission of Luffa Fiber Composite

Abstract

Improving the mechanical properties and reduced damage of natural fiber-reinforced composites can contribute to their increased use in various fields. In this paper, an experimental study describes the effect of alkaline treatment of two different concentrations of 2 % and 5 % NaOH for one hour on the mechanical performance and damage of luffa fiber composites. Three different composites reinforced with treated and untreated luffa fibers were developed using the resin transfer molding (RTM) process. The specimens were coupled with acoustic emission during tensile tests, to monitor and evaluate damage mechanisms. The tensile test results showed that the alkaline treatment of 5 % improved tensile strength, which reached 81.08±1.48 MPa. However, the 2 % treatment improved Young’s modulus with 8.94±0.5 GPa. In comparison, T2 % and T5 % composites provided the best results for mechanical properties compared to NT composites. Four classes of damage mechanisms have been identified using the K-means clustering method, including matrix cracking, fiber pull-out, delamination, and fiber breakage. The cumulated energy and hits of the 5 % treated composite was lower than the untreated and 2 % treated, which means less damage to the T5 % specimen. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of the tensile fractured surfaces of luffa fiber composites treated with 5 % NaOH, revealed good adhesion between the fibers and the matrix. The AE results are convincing, and they were confirmed by SEM pictures of the specimens’ fractured faces, which revealed the main causes of material failure, So, based on the AE results and mechanical properties, T5 % composite is preferable.