Effect Of Palm Frond Particle Size on The Mechanical Properties of Composites Made from Natural Fibers and Polyester

Abstract

The widespread use of composite materials has been observed due to their inherent strength, making them an ideal alternative to many other materials. However, the high cost of synthetic fibers presents a barrier to the use of composites in most applications. Therefore, research has focused on testing natural fibers, which offer an optimal solution for using composites in various industries, such as furniture, flooring, decoration, thermal insulation, and building materials. This research paper investigates natural composite materials made from Libyan palm fronds. Three different sizes of ground palm fronds were studied: large (granular), medium, and small (powdered). These ground palm fronds were mixed with polyester resin in four ratios: 85:15, 65:35, 35:65, 15:85. Three basic tests were conducted to study the mechanical properties of the samples: impact testing, tensile testing, and bending testing. The results showed that samples made from palm fronds in powder form showed the best results among all other sample types in the three tests mentioned for mechanical properties.