Analysis of the properties of a glass/sisal/polyester composite

Composites are gradually becoming an integral material for structural and manufacturing processes. Sisal fibre has the potential to be one of the leading reinforcement natural fibres, not only in Zimbabwe, but the world over for use in glass composites. This is mainly due to it being inexpensive, exhibiting a low density, high specific strength, a high stiffness to weight ratio, non-toxicity, its abundance in Zimbabwe and its renewability. With an aim of coming up with a composite for partition board applications in the construction industry, five samples of sisal-glass composite were prepared with varying sisal fibre content and different layering techniques. Sisal fibres were pre-treated with 20% NaOH to enhance their crosslinking with the resin and reduce the chemical impurities such as lignin and waxes. Mechanical (flexural test, hardness, and tensile strength) and physical tests (density and water absorption) were conducted to analyse the properties of the composite. The results showed that treated sisal fibres had a higher breaking tenacity of 33.11 g/tex which is higher than untreated fibres with a breaking tenacity of 25.72 g/tex. The best properties were obtained in the sample with 4 layers of glass and 9 layers of sisal fibres using 200 ml of resin. The composite had a tensile strength of 57.60 MPa, flexural strength of 36 N/mm(2), moisture absorption of 10% and a burning rate of 9.82 mm/min. These results were then compared with those of the current partition boards in the market. It was noted that the composite was suitable for use in partition boards. Again, regarding cost, these composites are cheaper to produce at a rate of $11.33/m(2) compared to the timber costing at $16/m(2).