Technical Properties of Some Plant Fibres Compared with Glass Fibre

Abstract

The tensile strength, specific tensile strength, breaking force, tenacity and percent elongation of some fibres extracted from eight fibrous plants found in Northern Nigeria were determined with a view to ascertaining their suitability for the replacement of glass fibre in plastic composites. Also the crimp properties and work of rupture with the specific work of rupture for all the plant fibres were analysed. The fibrous plants were Sisal (Agave Sisalana) (ASA), Lalloh (Corchorus Triden L.) (CCR), Dargaza (Grewia Mollis Juss) (GRW), Kenaf (Hibiscus Cannabinus L.) (HCB), Goruba (Hyphaene Thebaica)(HYP), Sukuwa (Sida Acuta) (SDA), Karlgo (Piliostigma Thoningii) (PTA) and Shikuri Tuggah (Urena Lobata) (ULB). Their properties were compared with E-Glass. The results show that whereas the highest tensile strength of the plant fibre (ASB) was about one-third that of the glass fibre, the highest specific tensile strength of the plant fibre (HCB) was about 5 times that of the glass fibre. The percent elongation of the plant fibres except HYB and SDA were at least 5.6 times that of the glass fibre. The specific work of rupture for the plant fibre were also found to be upto 31% higher compared with that of glass. Three of the plant fibres, (HCB, ASA and ULB) were observed to be possible replacements for the classic glass fibre.