TAF PUBLISHING

Manufacturing of eco-friendly composites has been increased due to recyclability and biodegradability factors. The effect of fiber volume fraction on tensile strength in composites polyester-reinforced sugar palm fiber (SPF) has been studied experimentally. This study aim is to investigate the effect of fiber volume fraction on tensile strength of composites polyester-reinforced sugar palm fiber (SPF) and fracture failure after tensile testing, and then these data results can be used as references on manufacturing industries such as boat building, which are expected can be replaced with composite polyester reinforced by SPF. Sugar palm fiber (SPF) is soaked in an alkaline solution of 5% NaOH for 2 hours, then composites laminate with five different fiber volume fractions were fabricated with hand lay-up and press molding and tested under tensile loads respectively, for the tensile test specimen, refer to the standard ASTM D-638. The test result showed that the highest tensile strength was obtained in the fiber volume fraction of 40%, amounting to 24.65 MPa and the elongation has obtained 7.73%, while the lowest tensile strength has obtained in the fiber volume fraction of 20% amounting to 17.55 MPa and the elongation has obtained 4.41%. Based on the result and analysis use single-way ANOVA, it can be concluded that the composite polyester-reinforced sugar palm fiber (SPF) has the optimum tensile strength on the fiber volume fraction of 40% and fiber volume fraction has an influence on the tensile strength of composite polyester-reinforced SPF. After tensile testing, fracture failure and cross-sectional shape of composite material showed that there are two types of failure, namely fiber pull out and delamination that indicates the bond between fiber and matrix is weak.