The effect of core thickness variation of sandwich composite cantala rHDPE on

mechanical strength of bending test

Andri Setiadi, Wijang Wisnu Raharjo, and Teguh Triyono

Citation: AIP Conference Proceedings 1788, 030058 (2017);

View online: https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4968311
View Table of Contents: http://aip.scitation.org/toc/apc/1788/1
Published by the American Institute of Physics

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 The Effect of Core Thickness Variation of Sandwich
Composite Cantala rHDPE on Mechanical Strength of
Bending Test
Andri Setiadi1, b), Wijang Wisnu Raharjo1, a) and Teguh Triyono1
1
Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Sebelas Maret University, Surakarta, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: m_asyain@gmail.com
b)
fungsieleven@gmail.com

Abstract. The components of the sandwich structure using materials not environmentally friendly because it cannot be
recycled after its useful life runs out. This research is focused on the effect of core thickness on the bending strength of
the composite sandwich-rHDPE cantula. The variation of thickness is 10mm, 15mm, and 20mm. Skin is made only of
powder recycled- High-Density Polyethylene (rHDPE), while the core is made of fiber cantula and rHDPE. The process
of making skins and cores made using a hot press. The parameter process use includes a process temperature of 170ºC,
holding time 15minutes and the pressing pressure of 50bar. Dimensions and bending testing refer to ASTM C 393 for the
dimension and compression testing method. The results showed that variations thickness core effect on the bending
strength and compression strength of the composite sandwich-rHDPEcantula. The highest bending strength of 23,56Mpa
MPa was obtained with core thickness 20mm.

INTRODUCTION
Composite sandwiches widely used in the field of civil, space, automotive, industry and sport. Composite it has
excellence of them more substantial light and strong while the weakness of composite a sandwich is vulnerable to
impact load [1] (Pieczonka et al., 2014). The composite sandwiches affected by the core, skin, and ties that forms
between core and skin. Mechanical properties that better than need skin and core strong, also there should be a
proper adhesive that can create strong ties between skin and core [2](Gill, 1997). Sandwiches need composite cores
that light and cheap. At this time, many commercial cores sold at markets like a honeycomb, divinyl cells, foam, and
balsa. Core are not only unfriendly environmental, not can be recycled, also valuable costly.The use of material
environmentally friendly as the fiber cantula and material can be recycled recycle-high density polyethylene (
rHDPE ) very interesting to do.
Agave plants cantularoxb is one of the plants producing natural fibers widely cultivated in Indonesia
[3](Sudjindro, 2011). Fibers cantula resulting from the process of extracting agave plants have tensile strength 293.4
mpa (Ariawan&Raharjo, 2006). While , of material that can be recycled as rhdpe able to function optimally as
matrik composite [4](Gnauck, 1991). he material is widely used as packing drink , bottles of oil , jerry and bottles
medicine .Plastic bottles milk is one of the products that uses a high density polyethylene (hdpe). This material is
melting temperature between 108.50C until 139.50C [5] (Raharjo2015). The low temperatures melting HDPE allow
the incorporation of this material with fiber cantala without causing degradation fibre.

METHODOLOGY
Material used in this research is rHDPE (figure 1.a) and cantala fiber (figure 1.b). RHDPE obtained from CV.
Vanila Plastik, Gawok, Sukoharjo, Indonesia. These materials have the properties of them, density value = 1.014

International Conference on Engineering, Science and Nanotechnology 2016 (ICESNANO 2016)

AIP Conf. Proc. 1788, 030058-1–030058-5; doi: 10.1063/1.4968311
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1452-5/$30.00

030058-1
gr/cm3, MFI (Melt Flow Index)2.43 gr/10 min on 1800C, and melting temperature between 108.50C - 139.50C
(Raharjo et al.,2015). While cantala fiber obtained from CV. RAMI KENCANA, Kulonprogo, Indonesia. The
density of the fiber is 1.2 gr/cm3.

TABLE 1.Material properties of rHDPE[10,11,12]

Properties Values

Meltingpoint[oC] 135

Density[g/cm3] 0.930–0.965

Meltdensity[g/cm3] 0.764

Elasticmodulus[GPa] 1.035

Shearmodulus[GPa] 0.85

Poisson’sratio 0.5

Coefficient of friction 0.29

(a) (b)
FIGURE 1.(a) rHDPE, (b) Cantalafiber

Material Treatment
Research started with the process of leaching and drying rHDPE, Then this material crushed and filtered through
the mesh to 40. After that, the processed into fibers with an atomizer. Treatment is done with fiber soaking in NaOH
2% about 12 hours after fibers cut along 5 mm. Then that, fiber washed with clean water until levels of PH 7. At
last, fibers dried in an oven with the temperature 700C for 10 hours.

Making of Skin
Skin as shown in (figure 2) Use the rHDPE escaped from mesh 40. The process of making skin done in hotpress.
Parameter process were temperature 1700C, holding time of 15 minutes and 50 bar in pressure.

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 FIGURE 2. rHDPE skin

Making of Core
Making core ( pictures 3 ) done by mixing cantala fiber and rHDPE atomization mixed results from the ratio
30% cantala fiber: 70% rHDPE and thickness variation are 10mm,15mm, and 20mm. Then, a mixture of
incorporated into mold located between two plates hotpress heating machine, with the temperature 170 oC, 15
minutes for the holding and 50bar pressure. Cooling time process in the hotpress machine until the temperature of
mold same as room temperature, its about 40oC.

FIGURE3.CoreComposite

Making Composite Sandwich

Making composite sandwiches done with added adhesive in the surface of the core between two skin and set that
core between two skin like in figure 4. Pressing process using hotpress with 10bar pressure.

rHDPEskin

Compositecor

FIGURE 4. Sandwich Composite

Specimen Testing
Procedure and dimension testing is referenced from ASTM C393. Dimension of specimen are, p = 110 mm, l =
45 mm, t = 12 mm with speed o load cell 5 mm/minute, and load pressure 2000 kg as shown in (figure 5) .

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 FIGURE 5. Three point bending testing

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

That effect of core thickness variations affect the bending strength of the sandwich composite-rHDPEcantula.
Composite sandwich with 15mm thick core has a higher bending strength compared to composite sandwich-
rHDPEcantula with a core thickness of 10 mm and 20 mm. In a composite sandwich with 10 mm thick cast had an
average bending strength of 20.65 MPa, to a thickness of 15 mm core has a bending strength of 22. 69 MPa, and for
the composite sandwich core with a thickness of 20mm has a bending strength of 11:52 MPa. The difference in the
bending strength of composite sandwich cantula- HDPE is due to differences in the core capabilities withstand
compressive load from above and below the tensile strength of skin. At the core thickness of 20mm, met a lot of
voids thereby reducing the mechanical strength of the composite sandwich rHDPE- cantula (Ozza 2010). Failure of
composite sandwich-cantula HDPE occurs because of the core failure in advance. Because of the cyanoacrylate
adhesive capable of the bonding interface between core and skin.

FIGURE 6. Core with thickness variation 10 mm

FIGURE 7. Core with thickness variation 15mm

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 Delamination

Solid str

FIGURE 8. Core with thickness variation 20mm

CONCLUSIONS
The result of the research are:
1. The highest Flexural strength on core thickness variation of sandwich composite cantula- rHDPEin 20 mm.
2. Core share is the type of failure that occurred in core sandwich composite.

REFERENCE
1. L. Pieczonka, F. Aymerich, and W.K. Staszewski, Procedia Engineering, 88(C), 216–221 (2014).
2. M.C. Gill Milestone, Simplified Sandwich Panel Design, El Monte, California (1997).
3. Sujindro,. Prospek Serat Alam. Prespektif, 10(2): 92-104 (2011).
4. B. Gnauck, and P. Frundt, Properties Hight Density Polyethylene, Modern Plastic Encyclopedia 99, pp.198
(1991).
5. W.W. Raharjo, Materials Science Forum 827, 375-380 (2015).
6. C. Steeves, N. Fleck, International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 46(4), 585–608 (2004).

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