CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL FIBER

(PROSOPIS JULIFLORA) REINFORCED

POLYMER COMPOSITES
A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted by

P.AVIN KUMAR (211411114305)

S.KARTHIK (211411114313)
R.GANGADHARAN (211411114307)
V.SURENDHAR (211411114104)

In partial fulfilment for the award of the degree

Of

BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING

IN

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

PANIMALAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE

CHENNAI 600 123

ANNA UNIVERSITY: CHENNAI 600 025

APRIL 2015

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 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

Certified that this project report “CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL

FIBER (PROSOPIS JULIFLORA) REINFORCED POLYMER COMPOSITES”
is the bonafide work of

“P.AVIN KUMAR (211411114305)

S.KARTHIK (211411114313)
R.GANGADHARAN (211411114307)
V.SURENDER (211411114104)”

Who carried out the project work under my supervision.

SIGNATURE SIGNATURE

DR.L.KARTHCIKEYAN Mr. C.KARTHICKEYAN

PROFESSOR SUPERVISOR

HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

Dept. of mechanical engineering Dept. of mechanical engineering

Panimalar engineering college, Panimalar engineering college,

Nasarathpettai, Nasarathpettai,

Poonamalle. Poonamalle.

Chennai-602 123 Chennai-602 123

This project report is submitted for Anna University Practical Examination

Held on …………..during the year……………

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMIER

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

At the outset, we extend our gratitude to our honourable Founder & Chairman
Dr.JEPPIAR, M.A, B.L., Ph.D., for being a source of inspiration.

We would like to express our deep gratitude to our beloved secretary and
Correspondent Dr.P.CHINNADURAI M.A., Ph.D., for his kind words and
enthusiastic motivation which inspired us a lot in completing this project.

We also express our sincere thanks to our Directors .C.VIJAYARAJESWARI

and Mr.C.SAKTHI KUMAR, M.E., for providing us with necessary facilities
for completion of this project.

We also express our gratitude to our Principal Dr.K.MANI, M.E.,Ph.D., who

helped us in completing the project.

We are indebted to our Head Of the Department Dr.L.KARTHIKEYAN, M.E.,

M.B.A., Ph.D., for his support and guidance throughout the entire course of the
project.

We are obliged to thank our internal guide Mr.C.KARTHICKEYAN

ME., Associate Professor,Department of Mechanical engineering for his
valuable guidance throughout the project.

We also thank our parents and friends who supported us to complete our project.

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 ABSTRACT
Natural fiber composite is obtained from nature in the form of leaf, seeds, tree
and fruit wastage from these are used for manufacture of composite materials to
deliberately combine to from heterogeneous structures with desired properties.
This is also called as reinforced polymer composite materials. The natural fiber-
reinforced polymer composite is rapidly growing both in terms of their
industrial applications and fundamental research. Before scientists have created
many natural fibers from different materials (coir, hemp, flax, kenaf) they also
determined physical properties of these composite materials. I have create the
composite material using the fiber of Prosopis Juliflora and I have found the
mechanical characteristics like tensile strength, hardness, impact strength, water
absorption and flexural rigidity of the composite materials . This material is
used to manufacture the play wood, automobile body, construction board,
insulation board, flooring and manufacturing of chair and seat etc. This Prosopis
Juliflora is in abundant is available it is weight less material, and has desired
strength, low specific gravity.
Key words: Natural fibers (Prosopis Juliflora), Epoxy resin, Hardener, Patterns.

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 LIST OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER DESCRIPTION PAGE NO

NO
Chapter 1 1. INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 OVERVIEW OF COMPOSITE 1
1.2 DEFINITION OF COMPOSITE 3
1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL FIBER 4
1.4 DIFFERENT TYPES OF FIBERS 5
1.5APPLICATION OF NATURAL FIBER 10
COMPOSITES
1.6 TYPES OF COMPOSITE MATRIX 12
1.7 TYPES OF POLYMER COMPOSITE 13
Chapter 2 2. LITERATURE SURVEY 15
Chapter 3 3. COMPOSITE MATERIAL PREPARATION 18
3.1 PREPARATION OF PJ FIBER 18
3.2CHEMICAL TREATMENT 19
3.3 PATTERN MAKING 20
3.4 PREPARATION OF EPOXY HARDNER 21
Chapter 4 4.FABRICATION PROCESS 22
Chapter 5 5.CHARACTERIZATION OF COMPOSITES 24
5.1 DENSITY 25
5.2 TENSILE STRENGTH 25
5.3 SHORE D HARDNESS 27
5.4 FLEXURAL TEST 28
5.5 IMPACT TEST 30
5.6 WATER ABSORBTION TEST 31
Chapter 6 6.RESULT & DISCUSSION 30
6.1 TENSILE TEST RESULT 30
6.2 SHORE D HARDNESS TEST 36

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 6.3 FLEXURAL TEST RESULT 37
6.4 CHARPY IMPACT TEST RESULT 39
6.5 WATER ABSORBTION TEST RESULT 40
6.6 DENSITY TEST RESULT 41
6.7 TEST REPORT 42
Chapter 7 7. CONCLUTION 43
7.1 SCOPE FOR FUTURE WORK 43
Chapter 8 8.REFERENCE 44

LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER NAME OF TABLES PAGE NO

NO
Chapter 6 6.1 TENSILE TEST RESULT 33
6.2 SHORE D HARDNESS RESULT 36
6.3 FLEXURAL TEST RESULT 37
6.4 CHARPY TEST RESULT 39
6.5 ATER ABSORBTION RESULT 40
6.6 DENSITY TEST RESULT 41

LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER NAME OF FIGURES PAGE NO

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 NO
Chapter 1 1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL FIBERS 4
1.4 PROSOPIS JULIFLORA 9
1.5 APPLICATION OF NATURAL FIBER IN 11
AUTOMOTIVE
Chapter 3 3.1 PREPARATION OF PJ FIBER 18
3.2 CHEMICAL TREATMENT 19
3.3 PATTERN MAKING 20
3.4 PREPARATION OF EPOXY HARDNER 21
Chapter 4 4.FABRICATED COMPOSITE MATERIAL 23
Chapter 5 5.21 TENSILE STRENGTH MODEL 26
5.22 TENSILE TESTING MACHINE 26
5.3 SHORE D TESTING MODEL 27
5.4 FLEXURAL TESTING MACHINE 29
5,5 IMPACT TESTING MODEL 30
Chapter 6 6.1 TENSILE TEST SPECIMEN 32
6.2 SHORE D HARDNESS SPECIMEN 36
6.3 FLEXURAL TEST SPECIMEN 37
6.4 CHARPY TEST SPECIMEN 39

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