Studies of Luffa cylindrica Fiber Reinforced Waste Low Density Polyethylene Composite

Abstract

Due to environmental concerns associated with synthetic fibers as reinforcement in composites, attention is now on the natural fibers that are biodegradable. While there are reported works on many natural fibers, Luffa cylindric a is an emerging fiber that requires attention in composite material development. In this research, Luffa fiber was used to reinforce waste low density polyethylene (wLDPE). The fiber loading was 5-30 wt% at interval of 5 wt%. The composite was compounded via a two-roll heat mixer operated at 150 oC for 10 mins. 15 wt% fiber loading recorded the highest tensile, impact and flexural strengths of 10.7 MPa, 32.2 mJ/mm 2 and 17.2 MPa respectively. The microstructural analysis however showed a low compatibility between the Luffa fiber and the waste polyethylene matrix thereby suggesting, a need for fiber modification for improved mechanical property.