Applications of Enset fibers reinforced false ceiling of gypsum composites

The enset fibers gypsum composites are the important insulating materials in buildings. As the
climatic conditions are extreme in environment, these composites can be used as false ceiling of
houses. False ceiling panels or tiles made from it were preferred material due to good insulation
properties of heat.

Worldwide commercial buildings utilizes huge amount of electrical energy to keep working
atmosphere comfortable and pleasant, this electrical energy is lost due to heat dissipation through
walls and ceilings, hence load on air-conditioning will increase. This insulating composite can
reduce heat loss by saving valuable energy and cost

ADVANTAGES OF ENSET FIBRES AS REINFORCED MATERIAL IN FALSE

CEILING

The gypsum composites should possess following properties, to be used as false ceiling. To
assist in balancing ecological cycle composite should be biodegradable and should exhibit less
energy consumption during manufacture and during degradation.

Lower thermal conductivity

Thermal conductivity plays an important role in determining thermal insulation value. It is the
ability of the material to transfer heat from one part to another. Natural fibers gypsum
composites should give good thermal insulation value or lower thermal conductivity, as it will be
a key aspect of false ceiling grid or tile. Natural fiber gypsum composite will degrade after use;
as being a mineral it is ecologically good product to use.

Resistant to moisture change

The change in atmospheric moisture is a natural process; the composites should be sustainable
towards any change in moisture. Moisture as vapor acts the same as any other gas. It mixes with
other gases in the air, and yet maintains its own identity and characteristics. It is the raw material
in condensation. It stores immense quantities of energy gained in evaporation; this energy is later
released in condensation. The moisture in the air have tendency to react with natural fiber
gypsum composite and swell the surface molecules of composite, as natural fibers have affinity
to retain moisture, even though they are covered with gypsum molecules, they try to regain
moisture from surrounding. enet fibre gypsum composite thus sustains moisture variation in
atmosphere.

Low density
Density determines the weight of the composite. Higher the density higher the weight and vise-
a-versa. Its performance depends upon strength to weight ratio. The composite should possess
lower density with higher strength. Enset fibers have density in the range of 1.4 to 1.6.

Ease of workability

Ease of work is by which a material can be cut, shaped, or smoothed by hand. Better the
workability quicker the work done. Viscosity of the mixture prepared for manufacturing of the
enset fibre gypsum composite is of great importance. The composite should be easily workable.
Workability is decided by properties of fibers like length, aspect ratio, proportion of fibers etc.

Good aesthetic and pleasant finish

The composite should possess good aesthetic and pleasant finish, aesthetic properties play an
important role in ergonomics. This can be considered as challenge while designing the natural
fibre gypsum composites.

Absolute technique

Absolute technique is usually used for samples that has a rectangular or cylindrical shape. When
conducting this measurement, the testing block is placed between a heat source and a heat sink as
shown in Figure 2a. The sample is heated by the heat source with known steady-state power
input and the resulting temperature drop Δ𝑇 across a given length (separation) of the sample is
measured by temperature sensors after a steady-state temperature distribution is established. The
temperature sensors employed can be thermocouples and thermistors. Thermocouples are the
most widely used sensors due to their wide range of applicability and accuracy. The resulting
measurement error in Δ𝑇 due to temperature sensor shall be less than 1% [20]. Thermal
conductivity 𝑘 of the sample can be calculated using Fourier’s law of heat conduction:
𝑘=𝑄𝐿𝐴Δ𝑇

(1)

𝑄=𝑝−𝑄loss

(2)

where 𝑄 is the amount of heat flowing through the sample, 𝐴 is the cross-sectional area of the
sample, 𝐿 and Δ𝑇 are the distance and temperature difference between temperature sensors, 𝑝 is
the applied heating power at heat source side, and 𝑄loss is the parasitic heat losses due to
radiation, conduction and convection to the ambient.

The water absorption (WA) and

thickness swelling (TS) values for the
composites with different natural fibre
reinforcements are shown in Figure 3.
The WA value for the composites
having flax fibre is 35% and it is higher
than other fibres, which might be due to
an improper fibre matrix interaction or
higher void content. The resin wetting
and absorption behaviour inside the
core layer of the composite is not good
enough, so building up of moisture
occurs in the cell walls of natural fibre
and at the fibre/matrix interface. The
WA values for the flax/wood and flax/
kenaf reinforced composites are in the
range of 25-27% which is tolerable for
those natural fibre composites with
only 30 wt.% binder composition.
The TS is the non-reversible thickness
swell which results from the release of
residual compressive stress after water
absorption. The flax/wood composites
have higher TS values (26%), which
is due to the penetration of water
molecules into the fibre cell wall.
The penetrated water will reduce the
packing density with respect to time
and this finally leads to a high TS.
Flax and kenaf fibres lose its packing
density slowly compared to wood fibre,
hence flax/kenaf fibre had lower TS
value (13%).
Figure 2. DSC thermogram of a) PF resin and b) LPF resin
Table 2. The peak onset, endset and peak maximum for the synthesized PF and
LPF resin determined from the DSC curve
Sample Name Peak onset To
(in °C)
Peak endset Te
(in °C)
Peak maximum Tp
(in °C)
PF resin 107 175 144
LPF resin 119 183 150
Polymers & Polymer Composites, Vol. 21, No. 4, 2013 203
Processing and Characterization of Natural Fibre Reinforced Composites using Lignin Phenolic Binder
Values for the flexural strength and
modulus of the fibre-reinforced
composites are collected in Table 2.
The flax/wood and flax/kenaf fibres
have almost similar flexural strength
and modulus values. The flax fibrereinforced
composite has a lower
flexural strength value than the other
two fibre composites due to the poor
fibre/matrix interfacial adhesion.
Figure 4 shows SEM micrographs
of the fractured surfaces of the
composites made of flax, flax/wood
and flax/kenaf fibres. A weak interfacial
adhesion between flax fibre and resin
due to physical contact between both
components was observed in the SEM
micrograph (see Figure 4a). The fibres
are protruding out showing hollow
spaces in between the fibres which
mean that they are not completely
bound in the cured resin system. Some
fibres have resin attached to them and
some of them are pure. The flax fibre
has a wax proportion of 1.7 wt.%
(Table 1) and this wax is on surface
of the fibres which caused improper
resin wetting and poor fibre/matrix
interaction. The cellulose in the fibres
are responsible for high mechanical
fibre strength, which is available
higher in flax fibre than other two
fibres (Table 1), but in this case, due
to poor fibre/matrix interaction there is
a weak reinforcement in the composite
and they lead to low flexural strength
and modulus of the flax-reinforced
composite.
The flax/kenaf fibre-reinforced
composite (see Figure 4c) shows
a better fibre/matrix interaction
compared to flax reinforced composite.
There is no wax on the kenaf fibre
composition (Table 1), so the flax/
kenaf fibre mixture had better wetting
property as well leading to better
mechanical properties (Table 2). The
matrix system adhered on the fibres acts
as a protection against moisture, hence
the composite has a low thickness
swelling compared to other fibre
reinforced composites which can be
seen in Figure 3.
Figure 3. Percentage of water absorption (filled) and thickness swelling (crossed
line) values for the fibre reinforced composites with LPF resin
Figure 4. SEM images of (a) flax, (b) flax/wood

Figure 5b), occurring from the thermal

depolymerization of hemicellulose and
pectin in the fibres. The maximum
decomposition temperature for the
natural fibres stated in the literature 21
is in the range of 285-305 °C which
attributes to the thermal decomposition
of cellulose. For the three natural fibre
reinforced composite with LPF resin,
the peak maximum temperatures
are shifted to higher temperatures
between 325-330 °C.

Obviously
the incorporation of LPF binder has
increased the thermal stability of the
natural fibres. The cellulose content
of flax is higher than kenaf and wood
fibres (see Table 1), which is probably
the reason why the rate of thermal
decomposition between 325-330 °C
for flax composites is rather high for
flax/kenaf composites and much higher
for the flax/wood composites. Due to
this differences in cellulose content
of the fibres, the weight loss between
150 and 380 °C for flax and flax/kenaf
fibre-reinforced composites are around
47%, where the wood fibre composite
shows a weight loss of 43%. The weak
shoulder above 380 °C for all of the
composites (see Figure 5b) mainly
results from the decomposition of
the lignin along with decomposition
residuals of cellulose and LPF.
2.5 Thermal conductivity measurements

Thermal conductivity values are used to measure heat flow through a material according to the

apparatus specifications of lee ś disk method used in determination of thermal conductivity of

bad

conductor, the specified specimens were found to take the form of a thin disc with one side of it
is

heated by being placed in contact with a metallic steam chamber and the other side is in contact
with a
cylindrical brass calorimeter which is used for measuring the quantity of heat conducted to it per

second as shown in figure 3. reading for the temperature of steam chamber and that of the
calorimeter denoted by (Ө1 and Ө2)

respectively, then the specimen is removed.

3. The calorimeter with steam chamber on it is heated to about 50C above the steady temperature
Ө2,

and then the steam chamber is replaced by the specimens allowing for the calorimeter to cool to
a

temperature lower 5 0C below the steady temperature Ө2.

•Rate of heat loss by the calorimeter and specimen is calculated according to the following
formula:

Q= m*s*(dӨ/dt) (1)

•Rate of conducting of heat = K*A*(Ө1- Ө2)/X (2)

•Thus at steady state: K*A*(Ө1- Ө2) /X = m*s* (dӨ/dt) (3)

Where:

(Ө1- Ө2)/X …. Temperature gradient [0C /m]

X…………….. Thickness of the specimen[m]

Q……………. Rate of heat loss by the calorimeter and specimen [J/sec]

m…………… Mass of the calorimeter [Kg]

S……………. Specific heat of calorimeter [J/Kg. 0C]

A……………. Area of the circular disk specimen [m2]

K…………….The proportionality factor, i.e. thermal conductivity coefficient of the material

It is clear that there are large discrepancies in results of thermal

properties of gypsum from different investigators and there is a need to develop

a method to help manufacturers to extract relevant specific thermal properties of

their specific gypsum products.