Fabrication and electrical characterization of bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene composite

Abstract

The objective of this research is to characterize the bamboo fiber extracted from bamboo culms and to use these fibers as reinforcement in polypropylene-based composites. In the experiment, the fiber was characterized using wet chemical analysis, scanning electron microscope, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Chemical analysis showed that bamboo fiber had high amount of holocellulose containing alpha cellulose with compact sclerenchyma sheath. Bamboo fiber showed significant wave length at 3420 cm−1 for –OH stretching, 2921 cm−1 for –CH stretching, and 896 cm−1 for 1,4-β linkage for cellulose units in Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy spectrum. This paper also illustrates the electrical properties of the fabricated composite that consist of bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene. At constant temperature (about 30℃), frequency dependence of capacitance, resistivity, and dielectric constant was observed. There were approximately 19.35%, 90.38%, and 66.67% decrease in capacitance, resistance, and dielectric constant, respectively, over a range of frequency from 1 kHz to 10 kHz. This research is focused to use the polymeric composite as an insulating material while observing its electrical properties.