WATER HYACINTH (EICHHORNIACRASSIPES) POLYMER COMPOSITES PROPERTIES – AQUATIC WASTE INTO SUCCESSFUL COMMERCIAL PRODUCT

Abstract

In modern times, the demand for natural fibers is increased due to low density, low cost, recyclability, and biodegradable properties. Following work deals with the aquatic waste of water hyacinth plant fiber. The main intent of this work is to utilize the hyacinth plant into a successive manner and convert this plant into some commercial products. It is used as reinforcement material and epoxy polymer resin in matrix material with a suitable percentage of hardener (10:1). A new method such as a mechanical way of extraction process is introduced in this work. The different weight percentage of the hyacinth fiber is reinforced with matrix material like 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35%. With the help of a compression molding, machine water hyacinth reinforced fiber composite is produced by using 1500 PSI pressure and 110 °C, 100 °C of upper and lower plate temperature. A composite sample is cut into as per ASTM standards and the mechanical tests like tensile, flexural, impact test is conducted by using universal testing machine (UTM), and Charpy impact test machine. Based on the final mechanical test results, the 30% of hyacinth composite sample tensile 36.48 MPa, flexural 48.62 MPa, impact 0.5 J, and hardness 98 attained then, the hyacinth composite samples are adopted into water and chemical absorption test with 10 hours, 1week, 1month of continuous monitoring. Based on the final results, hyacinth fiber is strongly recommended to use an alternative of synthetic fibers and conventional natural fibers. The hyacinth composite is strongly recommended for the usage of commercial and household applications.