DEVELOPMENT AND CHARACTERISATION OF BANANA PEDUNCLE FIBRE REINFORCED POLYESTER COMPOSITES USING COW HORN ASH PARTICLES AS FLAME RETARDANT ADDITIVE

SOURCE:

Faculty: Engineering
Department: Chemical Engineering

CONTRIBUTORS:

Ezeh, E. M.
Onukwuli, O.D.

ABSTRACT:

The development of banana peduncle fibre reinforced polyester composite using cow horn ash particle as fire retardant additives has been carried out. The composites wereproduced by varying the ratios of polyester, Cow Horn Ash particle(CHAp) and Banana Peduncle Fibre(BPF) from 100:0:0, 95:2.5:2.5, 85:7.5:7.5, 80:10:10wt% using hand layup technique. The microstructureanalyses of the developed composites were investigated. The mechanical and physical properties of the composites and materials were also studied using standard methods. The thermal propertyanalyses of the composites were carried out using Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Thermo-gravimetric Analysis (TGA) instrument. The fire properties of the composite were evaluated using cone calorimeter. Fourier Transmission Infrared (FTIR)and Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) analysis of the composites were also examined. The densities of CHAp, BPF, and Polyester resin were 0.962g/cm3, 0.438g/cm3 and 1.12g/cm3 respectively.The DTA and TGA of CHAp and BPF were used to determine their temperatures of destruction (Tdes). CHAp had a Tdes of 7000C and retained 80% of its weight at temperature of 10000C, while BPF had a Tdes of 2000C and left no char residue at4950C. The tensile strength of BPF after chemical treatment gave the best result of 143.61N/mm2at 3 hours with a high percentage elongation of 9.93%.The XRF of CHAp had CaO as the highest constituent with a percentage of 86.09%. The FTIR spectrum of CHAp indicated its major components ashydroxyloapatite and collagen. The activation energies (Ea) of the composites at 7.5wt% CHAp; 7.5wt% BPF and 7.5wt%AH used as control were 5.9 x 10-2 and 5.80 x 10-2 kg/mol respectively, which were all higher than the Ea of polyester (4.4 x 10-2kg/mol)¬ depicting higher thermal stability effects. The water sensitivity percentage of 0.4% obtained in this study remains within the acceptable limit of less than 6% for engineering materials. The impact energy and flexural strength of 5.88J/mm2 and 59.97N/mm3obtained in this study depicted good mechanical properties according to ASTM International Standards.The Cone calorimetric analysis presented fire properties with delayed ignition time of 25%, increased end of burning time of 14.24 percent, and reduced total heat release rate of 9.07% for the developed composites.This work showed that 7.5wt%CHAp: 7.5wt%BPF combination was the best for the fire retarded composite development.The developed BPF/CHAp/polyester composites at this combination gave a material with good mechanical properties, light weight and fire retardancy, whichwill finds relevance in the electronics, auto and building industries. Cow horn ash particle incorporated in the developed composites presentedacceptable fire retardant properties and would be used as possible replacement for the expensive, non-environmental friendly, toxic, inorganic and organic flame retardant additivesin polymer composite development for engineering applications.