Composites based on HDPE, jute fiber, wood, and thermoplastic starch in tubular pultrusion die: The correlation between mechanical performance and microstructure

Abstract

This paper presents an experimental study on pultrusion of tube-shaped composites. Green tube-shaped composites based on jute/thermoplastic starch, jute/HDPE, and jute/HDPE/wood flour were prepared. Jute fibers were impregnated in thermoplastic extrusion process, and a round prepreg was produced in a hot die. The impregnated jute fibers were entered into pultrusion die, and tube-shaped composites were fabricated. Properties of final samples were investigated by tensile measurement and void faction. It was found that tensile strength of jute/HDPE was higher than jute/starch. It seems that the melt viscosity of polymer plays as an important role determining the mechanical performances. In addition, tensile strength increases with increasing volume fraction of fiber in the composites. Morphological study showed that in jute/starch sample, impregnation was not done perfectly and tubular cross section has inhomogeneity.