Charpy Impact Test in Polyester Matrix

Composites Reinforced with Hybrid

Blanket of the Jute and Malva Fibers

Jean Igor Margem, Ygor Macabu de Moraes,

Frederico Muylaert Margem, Sergio Neves Monteiro
and Marina Rangel Margem

Abstract Natural fibers presents interfacial characteristics with polymeric matrices

that favor a high impact energy absorption by the composite structure. The
objective of this work was then to assess the charpy impact resistance of polymeric
composites reinforced with one or two layers of batt jute and malva fibers. The
results showed a remarkable increase in the notch toughness with increasing layers
of jute blankets and malva. This can be attributed to a preferential debonding of the
fiber/matrix interface, which contributes to an elevated absorbed energy.

Keywords Charpy testing Hybrid blanket of the jute and malva



Composite Polyester matrix Notch toughness

Introduction

Natural fibers with high cellulose content, known as lignocellulosic fibers, become
firmly established as a potential replacement for the search field of synthetic fibers,
particularly glass fiber [1].

J. I. Margem (&)
Instituto de Ensino Superiores do Censa, ISECENSA, Rua Salvador Correa,
nº 139, Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro 28035-310, Brazil
e-mail: igormargem@gmail.com
Y. M. de Moraes
F. M. Margem
LAMAV, State University of the Northern Rio de Janeiro, UENF,
Av. Alberto Lamego, nº 2000, Campos dos Goytacazes 28013-602, Brazil
S. N. Monteiro
Instituto Militar de Engenharia, IME, Praça Gen. Tibúrcio, nº 80, Urca,
Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22290-270, Brazil
M. R. Margem
Universidade Federal Fluminense, UFF, Rua Miguel de Frias nº 9,
segundo andar, Icaraí, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 24220-900, Brazil

© The Minerals, Metals & Materials Society 2018 193

B. Li et al. (eds.), Characterization of Minerals, Metals,
and Materials 2018, The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-72484-3_21
194 J. I. Margem et al.

The use of natural fibers to replace the existing, present especially in aircraft and
cars, is motivated by several advantages such as good toughness and less abrasion
equipment used in processing composite [2–6].
Among these features is the low cost and lightweight. In addition, unlike the
glass fibers [7] lignocellulosic fibers are relatively flat and the processing proce-
dures produce less wear on equipment. The environmental issue is another point in
favor of natural fibers, which are renewable, recyclable, biodegradable and neutral
with regard to CO2 emissions [8, 9].
The incorporation of banana fibers in polymeric matrices of composite was 30
investigated [10, 11, 12] and found to have significant properties. These properties
31 are directly related to the microstructure of the fiber as well as the physical and
32 chemical characteristics present in any lignocellulosic fiber [13–17].
The objective of this study was a preliminary assessment through different
measures Charpy impact energy, together with the micro structural characteristics
associated with the fracture of polyester matrix composites with blanket of the jute
and malva fibers.

Experimental Procedure

The materials used in this work were blanket of the jute and malva fibers which was
Acquired by a producer, Pematec Triangel, from the Southeast region of Brazil
(Fig. 1).
The blanket comprises 40% jute fiber and 60% of Malva fiber. The fiber of jute
(Corchorus capsularis) is a vegetable textile fibers, this woody herb reaches 3–4 m
in height and its stalk is approximately 20 mm. It is used mainly in sacks industry,
due to resistance and strength of its fiber is also used in the furniture industry.

Fig. 1 Blanket of the jute

and malva fibers
Charpy Impact Test in Polyester Matrix Composites … 195

Already Malva fiber belongs to a botanical genus of several species of herbaceous

Malvaceae family, is distributed geographically by tropical, subtropical and tem-
perate regions, the leaves are alternate, lobed and usually slaps and measure half to
5 cm. Its raw material is mainly used in the wireless industry and natural fibers
packaging [16, 17].
The polyester resin still liquid, together with 0.5% catalyst based on methyl ethyl
ketone, was poured into the one and two layers of the blanket inside the mold. The
composite thus formed was allowed to cure for 24 h at room temperature. The
plates of each composite were then cut according to the direction of fiber alignment
in bars measuring 10  125  12.7 mm were used as basis for preparation of test
samples Charpy impact test according to ASTM D256 [18–20].
The samples were assayed in a pendulum of the Charpy brand Pantec in con-
figuration belonging to the LAMAV UENF. The impact energy was obtained in
power hammer with 11 J for composites. For each condition, relative to a certain
fraction of fibers, 10 specimens were used and the results were statistically inter-
preted (Fig. 2).
The impact fracture surface of the specimens was gold sputtered and analyzed by
scanning electron microscopy, SEM, in a model SSX-500 Shimadzu microscope
with secondary electrons imaging at an accelerating voltage of 15 kV.

Results and Discussion

Table 1 shows the results of the values of Charpy impact energy with their
respective standard deviations for pure polyester and composites with up to two batt
layers.
Based on the results of Table 1, the change in Charpy impact energy with layers
of the blanket this shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Fig. 2 Charpy equipment and standard specimen schematic

196 J. I. Margem et al.

Table 1 Energy impact charpy for polyester matrix reinforced with blanket of the jute and malva
fibers
Layers of the blanket of jute and malva fibers Charpy impact energy (J/m)
0 22.9 ± 6.19
1 38.7 ± 28.96
2 58.9 ± 41.87

Fig. 3 Charpy impact energy as a function of the amount of blanket of the jute and malva fibers

Fig. 4 Macrostructural aspects of charpy impact rupture polyester matrix composites with net
polyester a one layers b and two layers c of the jute and malva blanket incorporated
Charpy Impact Test in Polyester Matrix Composites … 197

Conclusions

• Polyester matrix composites reinforced with jute and malva blanket, show a
linear increase in toughness as measured by Charpy impact test.
• Increase in toughness is apparently due to the low shear stress at the interface
between the blanket of jute and malva and polyester matrix.
• The increase energy absorbed due to propagation of longitudinal cracks through
the interface generates a larger fracture area when compared to the simple
transverse fracture.
• The incorporation of one or two layers of the blanket of jute and malva is
associated with incomplete specimens fracture due to the jute and malva fibers
that curves but no rupture during impact.

Acknowledgements The authors thank the support to this investigation by the Brazilian agencies:
CNPQ, CAPES, FAPERJ and TECNORTE/FERNORTE.

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