A study on sugarcane bagasse fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester resin biocomposite

In this study, the sugarcane bagasse was study to produced composites through the fabrication of sugarcane bagasse (SCB) as reinforcement in unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) as the hardener. The composition ratios were 10 % of SCB and 90 % of UPR, ratio 20 % of SCB and 80 % of UPR and ratio 30 % of SCB and 70 % of UPR for treated and untreated SCB was used. Then, 5 % NaOH was used as the treatment for the fibre to determine the effect of the fibre treatment to the composites produced. The sample of treated and untreated biocomposites was analyzed and test using the physical and mechanical testing through tensile test, flexural test, thickness swelling, water absorption and density. It is proved that tensile stress, flexural strength (FS), flexural modulus (FM), water absorption, thickness swelling and density of composites with increased with the addition of fibre. NaOH treatment enhance the interfacial adhesion between matrix and fibre and increase strength and stiffness of composites but decrease the thickness swelling and water absorption. From the result, 20 % of treated SCB have high mechanical properties with 13.05 MPa for tensile stress, 19.82 MPa for FS and 846.36 for FM. It also shows lower absorption of water and thickness swelling with 1.43 % and 0.56 % respectively. Meanwhile, 30 % of treated SCB have the highest density with 2.75 g/cm3.