Effect of gamma radiation and bulk monomer on jute fabrics polyethylene/polyvinyl chloride composites

Abstract

Abstract Jute fabrics reinforced polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and laminates of alternate PE and PVC matrices-based composites (50 wt% fiber) were prepared by compression molding. The values of tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), impact strength (IS), tensile modulus (TM) and bending modulus (BM) of the 60% PE+40% PVC hybrid matrices-based composites were found to be 55.2 MPa, 59.4 MPa, 24.0 kJ/m2, 1.59 GPa and 1.72 GPa, respectively. Gamma radiation (2–8 kGy doses) was applied on PE, PVC and jute fabrics, and then composites were fabricated. The values of TS, BS, IS, TM and BM of the irradiated (4 kGy) composites were found to improve by 15, 18, 23, 13 and 12% over non-irradiated composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), water uptake and soil degradation tests of untreated and treated composites were also investigated.