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Covenant Journal of Engineering Technology (CJET) Vol. 1, No. 1, March 2018

An Open Access Journal Available Online

Analysis and Application of Natural Reinforced Composites to Automobile Fender

Benjamin Ufuoma Oreko1*, Omonigho B. Otanocha1, Eyere Emagbere1, Christopher Chukwutoo Ihueze2

1Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, Delta State, Nigeria 2Dept. of Industrial & Production Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

Abstract – In Nigeria, little attention has been given to the analyses and applications of natural for automobile body parts production. Hence in this work, an attempt is made to evaluate the compressive and impact strength of plantain fiber reinforced polyester composites (PFRC) and to develop an automobile fender using plantain fiber reinforced polyester composites. The PFRC automobile fender was constructed using the hand lay-up technique. The method adopted to achieve the PFRC fender involved fiber extraction, fiber surface treatment, laminates development for impact and compressive test experiment and the development of automobile fender. Experimental investigations for compressive and impact tests were carried out on the laminates which were prepared according to the ASTM D256 and ASTM D1621 standards, respectively. The impact strength result of the PFRC with volume fraction 0.25 and 0.3 was 12.22J/m2 and 12.83J/m2, respectively. The compressive strength, shear stress and resultant stress results of PFRC laminates with volume fraction 0.25 and 0.3 were 62.52MPa, 31.26MPa, 69.99MPa and 68.98MPa, 34.49MPa, 77.12MPa, respectively. From the results, it was observed that the strength of the plantain fiber reinforced polyester composites depend on the fiber volume fraction. The constructed automobile fender was simulated in a Solidworks software environment and was found that the edges, especially the circular part of the automobile fender have high stress concentrations. The production of the automobile fender using PFRC was done at low cost. Keywords: Plantain fiber, polyester, volume fraction, automobile fender, product development

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I. Introduction hydroxide, and mold. Plantain The state of the art in material pseudostems were locally sourced technology advocates for from fully matured plantain environmental-friendly materials for plantation, located at Agbarho, Delta engineering applications. In recent state, Nigeria. The resins and other times, advances in natural fibers chemicals were purchased at Warri syntheses have made the application main market, Delta State, Nigeria. of these materials suitable for The fibers form the reinforcement in automobile parts and body work. the composites. Methyl Ethyl Ketone Plantain fibers possess moderately Peroxide (MEKP) was used as a high specific strength and stiffness catalyst while cobalt naphthenate and can be used as reinforcement in was used as an accelerator. The polymeric matrix to make useful release agent was debonding wax. composite materials. Natural fibers The inorganic filler was calcium have been used due to their trioxocarbonate (IV). advantages such as low density, low cost, acceptable specific strength to Equipment/Tools. The equipment weight ratio, and biodegradability [1, /tools used includes; Paintbrush, Pair 2]. In Nigeria, there are abundant of scissors, Hand gloves, rollers, natural fibers that could be obtained grinding and filing machine. from , such as plantain, , raffia, fibers, etc. An attempt Methods. The method adopted had been made by several includes; the extraction and treatment researchers to optimize some (Mercerization) of plantain fibers, mechanical properties such as tensile experimental analysis of the impact strength, impact strength, flexural and compressive strength. and hardness of plantain fiber as reinforcement in composites Extraction and Treatment of [3 - 8]. However, little attention has PFRC. The plantain pseudo stems been given to the application of were soaked in water for a period of plantain fibers for automobile body four weeks and were manually parts production, especially in extracted (retting method, figure 1). Nigeria. To remove the lignin (de- lignification), pectin and others non- II. Materials and Methods fibrous materials, the plantain fibers Materials Selection. The materials were subjected to surface chemical employed in this study include modification by mercerization plantain pseudostem fibers, polyester (soaked in NaOH solution of 5% resins, accelerator (Cobalt concentration for 60 minutes) in naphthenate), catalyst (Methyl ethyl Figure 2. Thereafter, washed with ketone peroxide), inorganic filler distilled water and sun-dried as (Calcium trioxocarbonate IV), shown in Figure 3 and 4. release agent (wax), sodium

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Fig.1: Manual extraction of plantain fibers Fig. 2: Plantain fiber mercerization

Fig.3 Plantain fibers washed with distilled water Fig.4 Extracted plantain fibers

The chemical reaction for the fiber (4) and sodium hydroxide solution could be express as; (5)

(1) Also, (6)

Volume Fraction Analysis. Applying (7) Archimedes principle to determine the volume fraction of the plantain Hence, fraction of the applied force fibers, we have absorbed by the fibers in the composites could be expressed as; = (2) (8)

Volume of composite, Stress and Strain Analysis. The (3) force applied (load) on the composite (Fc) is shared by both the fiber and

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Benjamin U. Oreko, et al CJET Vol.1 No.1, March. 2018 (Special Edition) 1-12 the matrix. Let the forces on the fiber shear stress will be maximum on the 0 0 and the matrix be FF and FM. planes inclined at 45 and 135 . Therefore, Hence, (9) (20) The strain, ϵ is the same in the fiber Therefore, the magnitudes of the (ϵF) and the matrix (ϵM) and is equal shear stress is half of the to the composite strain (ϵC.). Hence, compressive, hence the resultant stress, could be obtained from the (10) relation; And let, Modulus of elasticity Е, of the fiber = E and matrix = E f m. Hence, Experimental Evaluation. Impact (11) and compressive strength were evaluated. (12) Impact Test. The impact test specimens of plantain fiber Thus, (13) reinforced polyester composites were prepared according to ASTM D256. (14) The dimensions of the test samples were 63.5 × 12.7 × 3.2 mm and it (15) was v-notched (2mm) deep with the aid of a triangular file, at an angle of (16) 450 with 0.25mm radius along the So, (17) base. Five (5) samples each of Shear Stress Analysis. It is expected volume fraction 0.25 and 0.3 that the fender would experience respectively, were prepared at a shear stress other than direct stresses curing pressure of 30N/mm2 and such as compression, when in 250C temperature. The test was service. From [9], Normal stress carried out in a charpy setup using could be expressed as; the Brooks impact testing machine. The energy required to break each sample was measured. The impact And shear or tangential stress; strength of the specimen was the energy absorbed per unit cross- 2 From equation (18), the normal stress sectional area at the notch (J/m ) and across the fender face will be it was determined using the formula: maximum when =1 or (22) or , hence, the face where, I = Impact strength (J/m2), K of the fender will carry the maximum = Energy required to break the direct stresses. Similarly, from specimen (J), A = cross-sectional equation (19), the shear stress across area (m2). the face of the fender would be maximum when = 1 or Compressive test. The compressive that is, the test specimen was prepared according to ASTM D1621 standard. Squared specimens of dimension

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5.2cm x 5.2 cm x 25.4mm were Development of Auto Fender Made prepared for five (5) samples of of Natural Composite Materials volume fraction 0.3 and 0.4, Selection. The matrix employed in respectively at a curing pressure of the construction of fender was 30N/mm2 and 250C temperature. The unsaturated polyester (mixed with compressive test experiment was cobalt naphthenate, and methyl ethyl performed using the Universal ketone peroxide, MEKP initiator). Testing Machine (UTM) which The methyl ethyl ketone peroxide act comprised of a digital load meter for as the catalyst or initiator, cobalt reading the applied load, a dial gauge naphthenate as an accelerator, along or extensometer for reading the with inorganic filler (calcium deflection. The force and trioxocarbonate IV, CaCo3) and deformation data were then recorded. ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) as The expression in equation (23) was curing agent were added to the used to determine the compressive unsaturated polyester resins. Hand strength of the specimen: layup technique was employed. First, Compressive stress, (23) a gel coat prepared from the resin was applied on the mold and then, = compressive strength, Pc = the matted plantain fibers were load/force, A= cross-section area placed on the gel coat. There after a sequential impregnation of fiber – (24) matrix (resin) ratio proportion of volume fraction 0.3 was employed until a thickness of 2.54mm was Simulation of the Fender. The obtained. The finished composite of the automobile fender was allowed to cure at a fender made of plantain fiber pressure 30N/mm2 and 250 Celsius, reinforced polyester composite was for 24 hours. Thereafter, the product simulated using Solidworks software, was de-molded and surface finish with the constraint that the fender techniques such as filing and was fixed at all edges and the forces spraying were done. or loads were applied on the entire surface of the fender. III. Results and Discussion The Impact test result shows that the J/m2. Plots of stress-strain for strength of the plantain fiber compression of PFRC with volume reinforced composite depends on the fraction 0.25 and 0.3 are shown in volume fraction. The impact strength figure 5 to figure 14. It was of the plantain fiber reinforced observed that PFRC with volume composites with volume fraction fraction 0.25 and 0.3 had an average 0.25 and 0.3 gave average impact compressive strength of 62.52MPa strength of 12.22 J/m2 and 12.83 and 68.98MPa, respectively.

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Fig. 5: Sample 1, plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.25)

Fig. 6: Sample 2, plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=025)

Fig. 7: Sample 3 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.25)

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Benjamin U. Oreko, et al CJET Vol.1 No.1, March. 2018 (Special Edition) 1-12

Fig. 8: Sample 4 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.25)

Fig.9: Sample 5 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.25)

Fig. 18: Sample 6 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.3)

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Fig.11: Sample 7 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.3)

Fig. 12: Sample 8 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.3)

Fig. 13: Sample 8 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.3)

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Benjamin U. Oreko, et al CJET Vol.1 No.1, March. 2018 (Special Edition) 1-12

Fig. 14: Sample 5 plot of stress- strain of PFRC(Vf=0.3)

From equations 18, 20 and 21, the high-stress concentrations, especially computed shear stress for volume the circular part. It means that more fraction 0.25 and 0.3 were 31.26MPa reinforcement is required in this and 34.49 MPa, respectively. And region of the fender in order to the resultant stress for volume withstand shocks and impact load. fraction 0.25 and 0.3 were 69.99MPa And for the displacement pattern, the and 77.12 MPa, respectively. The facial part of the fender experiences constructed fender was simulated in larger displacement. Hence when a Solidworks environment as shown fibers are evenly distributed in the in figure 15 and 16. It was observed matrix, it would help to that the edges of the fender have accommodate induced stresses.

Fig 15: Stress Distribution on Fender Surface

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Fig. 16: Displacement of Fender Surface

Figure 17 shows the orthographic drawing of the automobile fender using first angle projection. The surface area of the fender is 4156.74 mm2 (0.0042 m2).The automobile fender constructed from plantain fiber reinforced polyester composites is shown in figure 18.

Figure 17: Orthographic drawing of the automobile fender using first angle projection

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Fig 18: Finished product of automobile fender developed from plantain fiber reinforced polyester composites

IV. Conclusion From this work, the suitability of Evaluation of Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites”. plantain fiber reinforced composites Journal of Advanced Engineering for use in automobile body work and Applied Sciences: An application is promising. The major International Journal, 4 (4), 44-47, challenge with plantain fibers (2014). Journal [3] Ihueze, C. C. and Okafor, E.C. reinforced with the polymer is the “Optimization of Tensile Strength incompatibility between the Response o Plantain Fiber hydrophilic plantain fibers and the Reinforced Polyester Composite hydrophobic polymer resins. This (PFRP) Applying Taguchi Robust leads to undesirable properties of the Design”. Innovative Design and Engineering. Vol. 3, No 7, (2012). composites. It has been observed that Journal Paper the modification of plantain fibers [4] Okafor, E. C., Ihueze, C.C. and Nwigbo, through chemical treatment tend to S.C. “Optimization of Hardness improve the adhesion between Strengths Response of Plantain Fibres Reinforced Polyester Matrix plantain fibers and resins, and also, Composites (PFRP) Applying improve the strength of the PFRC. Taguchi Robust Design”. Hence, further work should be done International Journal of Engineering on plantain fiber extraction process, (IJE). 26(1). Journal Paper plantain fiber surface modification [5] Ihueze, C. C. and Okafor, E.C. “Response Surface Optimization of the Impact and its application to automobile Strength of Plantain Fibre body parts. Reinforced Polyester for Application in Auto Body Work”. Journal of References Innovative Research in Engineering and Science, vol.4, pp505-520, (2014). Journal Paper [1] Arpitha, G.R., Sanjay, M.R., Laxmana, [6] Ihueze, C. C. and Okafor, E.C. “Optimal N.L., Yogesha B. “Mechanical Design for Flexural Strength of Properties of Epoxy Based Hybrid Plantain Fibers Reinforced Composites Reinforced with Polyester Matrix”. Journal of /SIC/Glass Fibers”. Innovative Research in Engineering International Journal of Engineering and Science, vol.4, pp. 520-537, Research and General Science, 2 (2014). Journal Paper (5), 398-405, (2014). Journal Paper [7] Okafor C.E and Godwin H.C “Evaluation of Compressive and Energy [2] Arpitha, G.R., Sanjay, M.R., Yogesha, Adsorption characteristics of B. “Review on Comparative

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Natural Fiber Reinforced Materials Characterization and Composites” International Journal of Engineering Vol. 3, pp. 420-426 Engineering and Technology Studies (2015) Journal Paper Vol. 1 No.2 pp.24-44.(2014)

Journal Paper [9] Khumi, R.S. Strength of Materials. Ravindra Printers Pvt. Ltd. Ram [8] Ashik K.P and Sharma R.S. A Review Nagar, New Delhi, S. Chand and on Mechanical Properties of Natural Company Ltd., pp. 113-115, (2012). Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Book Composites. Journal of Mineral and

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