Effect of Pulverized Micro Jute Fillers Loading on the Mechanical, Creep, and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Jute/Green Epoxy Composites

Abstract

This chapter reports the mechanical, creep, and dynamic mechanical behavior of alkali-treated jute/green epoxy composites incorporated with various loadings (1, 5, and 10 wt%) of chemically treated pulverized jute fibers (PJF) at different environment temperatures. The tensile and flexural properties were improved with the incorporation of PJF in alkali-treated jute/green epoxy composites except the decrease in tensile strength of composite reinforced with only alkali-treated jute fabric. The creep and dynamic mechanical tests were performed in three-point bending mode by dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA). The incorporation of PJF is also found to significantly improve the creep resistance and strain rate of composites. Three creep models, i.e., Burger’s model, Findley’s power law model, and a simpler two-parameter power law model, were used to model the creep behavior in this study. The time–temperature superposition principle (TTSP) was applied to predict the long-term creep performance. Findley’s power law model was found to be satisfactory in predicting the long-term creep behavior. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) results revealed the increase in storage modulus, glass transition temperature, and reduction in the tangent delta peak height of composites with higher loading of PJF.