%0 Journal Article
%T Effect of Moisture Absorption Behavior on Mechanical Properties of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites
%A Amuthakkannan Pandian
%A Manikandan Vairavan
%A Winowlin Jappes Jebbas Thangaiah
%A Marimuthu Uthayakumar
%J Journal of Composites
%D 2014
%R 10.1155/2014/587980
%X The study of mechanical properties of fibre reinforced polymeric materials under different environmental conditions is much important. This is because materials with superior ageing resistance can be satisfactorily durable. Moisture effects in fibre reinforced plastic composites have been widely studied. Basalt fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester resin composites were subjected to water immersion tests using both sea and normal water in order to study the effects of water absorption behavior on mechanical properties. Composites specimens containing woven basalt, short basalt, and alkaline and acid treated basalt fibres were prepared. Water absorption tests were conducted by immersing specimens in water at room temperature for different time periods till they reached their saturation state. The tensile, flexural, and impact properties of water immersed specimens were conducted and compared with dry specimens as per the ASTM standard. It is concluded that the water uptake of basalt fibre is considerable loss in the mechanical properties of the composites. 1. Introduction Nowadays fibre is used for reinforcement in polymer composites for making low cost applications and that should be sustainable in different environments. The percentage of moisture uptake increased as the fibre volume fraction increased due to the high cellulose content. The tensile and flexural properties of hemp fibre reinforced unsaturated polyester composites specimen were found to decrease with increase in percentage of moisture uptake. The water absorption pattern of these composites at room temperature was found to follow Fickian behavior, whereas at elevated temperatures it exhibited non-Fickian behavior [1]. The tensile properties of the specimens immersed in water were evaluated and compared with the dry composite specimens. A decrease in the tensile properties of the composites was demonstrated, indicating a great loss in the mechanical properties of the water-saturated samples compared to the dry samples. The percentage of moisture uptake was also increased as the percentage of the fibre weight increased due to the high cellulose content [2]. According to Gisele Iulianelli, PVC/wood flour composites were prepared by compression molding using sapwood and heartwood from Angelim Pedra as filler. The composites specimens were subjected to water immersion and impact tests. The results showed that the water absorption of all composites increased slightly with increasing immersion time and wood content [3]. Han et al. studied the physical properties of lignocellulosic filler
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/jcomp/2014/587980/