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Original Article

Proc IMechE Part L:

J Materials: Design and Applications
Development of snake grass 0(0) 1–9
! IMechE 2015
fiber-reinforced polymer composite chair Reprints and permissions:
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DOI: 10.1177/1464420715569291
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TP Sathishkumar

Abstract
The natural fiber-reinforced composites have been widely used in many applications and emerging as a replacement for
wood materials. The wood is a main component for making chairs, tables, and various furniture elements. The snake
grass fiber-reinforced polymer composites chair is fabricated and is used to replace the usage of wood chair for com-
mercial application. The mechanical properties such as flexural and compressive and the water absorption at various time
periods have been analyzed. These properties are compared with SAL wood and the inferences are discussed. The
preparation and material cost of the composites are compared with SAL wood chair. The composite chair have higher
mechanical properties and lower cost for fabrication compared to SAL wood chair. The total weight of composites chair
is lower than wood. Hence, snake grass fiber-reinforced polymer composites might replace SAL wood and other wood
chairs and save trees, which in turn helps in reducing global warming.

Keywords
Composite chair, SAL wood, mechanical properties, water absorption

Date received: 9 June 2014; accepted: 29 December 2014

Introduction were used in electrical equipments such as voltage sta-

The natural fiber-reinforced polymer matrix compos- bilizer, switch box, and projector cover, mirror casing,
ites have been used for interior and exterior parts of paper weight. Sapuan et al.9 fabricated the multipur-
automobile, household appliances, roof sheets, insu- pose table using woven mat banana fiber-reinforced
lation materials, and dividers in rooms. In recent composite. The eight design model concepts such as
years, there was a growing interest in the use of nat- characteristic, stability of product, cost of manufac-
ural plant fibers as reinforcing components. Natural ture, ease of manufacture, reliability of service, ergo-
fibers are classified into many types such as bast, leaf, nomic to user, low setup time and ease to carry and
seed, fruit, and wood fiber. These fibers have been lightweight were considered in making the table.
traditionally used for commercial purposes like rope, Mathur10 reported the potential use of natural fibers
roofing, household appliances, bandage, etc.1,2 and such as sisal, jute, and coir fiber-reinforced with vari-
fibers were extracted by various methods.3 These ous polymer matrixes. The laminates and panels were
fibers have been reinforced with various polymer fabricated by chopped sisal/jute mats with unsatur-
matrixes for preparing the single fiber-reinforced ated polyester. The door shutters were prepared by
polymer composites4 and two or more fiber reinforced the jute/ sisal laminates with plastics wood slab. The
with matrixes for preparing the hybrid fiber- pultrusion technique was used to fabricate the jute
reinforced polymer composites.5 Enhancements of cloth/phenolic resin door frames. The roofing sheets
fiber/matrix interface have been done by treating the were fabricated by coir/cement materials for various
fibers with various chemicals. This improved the lengths and thickness. The sisal/glass fiber epoxy
mechanical, thermal, tribological, and machinability sheets were prepared by using compression molding
properties of the composites.6 for replacing the asbestos-cement sheet.
This revolution has been an inherent advantage for
the environment because of the biodegradability, reu-
sability, effective utilization of agro wastes and free Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu Engineering College,
from environmental pollution.7 Satyanarayana Erode, Tamil Nadu, India
et al.8 reported that the sisal-epoxy composite was
Corresponding author:
used for making various cylinders; coir fiber polyester TP Sathishkumar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kongu
composites were used in helmet, light dooms, roofing, Engineering College, Erode, Tamil Nadu, India.
and post box; the banana fiber polyester composites Email: tpsathish@kongu.ac.in
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2 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

Table 1. Mechanical properties and chemical composition of snake grass fiber.

Tensile Tensile
Density Diameter strength modulus Elongation Cellulose Lignin Hemicelluloses Pectin Ash Moisture
(kg/m3) (mm) (MPa) (GPa) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) Reference

887 10–250 279 9.7 2.8 80 7.8 11.25 0.45 0.6 10.55 Sathishkumar et al.3

Marsh11 reported that the flax-reinforced polypropyl- Table 2. Typical properties of isophthallic polyester resin.
ene composites were used to replace the interior parts
S. no. Properties Unit Range Reference
of car. The doors and inner trim panels were fabri-
cated by using mats of 60% natural fiber in a pre-perg 1 Specific gravity – 1.1–1.46 Sathishkumar
polyurethane resin. Holbery and Houston12 reported 2 Density kg/m3 1125 et al.6
that the glove box, door panels, seat coverings, seat 3 Hardness – 70–115
surface/backrest, trunk panel, and trunk floor of vehi- (Rockwell
cle interior parts were fabricated by wood/cotton hardness)
fibers, flax/sisal with thermoset resin, leather/wool 4 Tensile strength MPa 20
backing, coconut fiber/natural rubber, cotton fiber, 7 Shrinkage % 0.004–0.008
cotton with polypropylene fibers, and cotton fiber-
reinforced polymer composites. The exterior part of
floor panel mat was made up of flax fiber-reinforced
polypropylene composites. the resin.15,16,17 Thermoset isophthallic polyester
The natural fiber-reinforced polymer matrix com- resin was one of the economical resins when com-
posites have been used in many applications and have pared to other resins owing to its very low water-
also replaced wood and nonwood materials. This is absorbing capability, excellent bonding tendency as
due to low cost and less weight. The present work well as mechanical properties. The distinctive proper-
emphasizes the developments of new model snake ties of the isophthallic polyester resin were tested and
grass fiber-reinforced composites chair for commer- listed in Table 2.
cial usage. The chair legs and plate has been fabri-
cated separately with 30 mm fiber length and
assembled. The mechanical properties such as flexural
Preparation of composites chair leg and platform
and compressive, water absorption, and cost-effective The extracted snake grass fibers were chopped into
analysis of chair have been reported. 30 mm length and subjected to 5% NaOH treatment
for preparation of the composites.16,17 After treat-
ment the color of the fibers was dark brown. The
Materials and experiments simple hand lay-up technique was adopted to prepare
the composite specimen with 40 wt% fractions of
Natural fiber fiber. One percent of catalyst and accelerator
Snake grass fiber is obtained from the leaf of snake was used to cure the isophthallic polyester resin.15–17
grass plant.3 The snake grass plant have been used for Thick aluminum square hollow pipes were used as die
various purposes like rope-making, roofing materials, for preparing the legs and steel die plate was used for
bandage, etc. The maximum length of the leaf is preparing the composites plate. Initially, the releasing
around 160 cm. The fibers were extracted by using agent (polyvinyl chloride) was coated inside of the die
mechanical decorticator.16 The outer skin material and surface was allowed to queer for 10 min. During
of the plant was removed and the fibers were sepa- leg preparing, the bottom of the die was closed by
rated. The extracted fibers were dried by using the simple steel clamp and surrounding gap was closed
natural convection process in the sun light for 2 by M-seal. After that a little amount of resin was
days to remove the the water content in the fiber sur- poured in to the die and fibers were dumped continu-
face.3,13 The fibers were chopped in to required length ously in inside of the die. The small steel pipe hammer
for preparing the composite. The unique mechanical was used to properly dump the fibers in the pipes
properties and chemical compositions of snake grass during composite preparation. Finally, the die was
fiber3,14 are shown in Table 1. closed by steel clamp and allowed for solidifying the
composite legs for 4 h and the cured composite leg was
removed from the die by hydraulic press. During com-
Properties of resin posites plate preparation, the fibers were placed in the
Commercially available isophthallic unsaturated poly- female steel die and the resin was poured for prepar-
ester resin was used for the investigation.15–17 Catalyst ing the composite plate. Male die closed the mold and
namely cobalt naphthalene and accelerator methyl was kept under the hydraulic press for 4 h to solidify
ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) were used to cure the composite. The required composite chair legs
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Sathishkumar 3

Figure 1. Snake grass fiber reinforced polyester composite legs.

deflection at break of the composites were evaluated.

The schematic diagram of the flexural test is as shown
in Figure 3.

Compressive test
The compressive tests were conducted in vertical com-
pressive testing machine capacity of 120 kN with
speed rate of 5 mm/min. The dimension of the com-
posite and SAL wood legs were machined on to
120 mm  20 mm  20 mm. The schematic diagram
of the compressive test is as shown in Figure 4 and
the load versus displacement datas was recorded.

Water absorption test

The water absorption of the composite and SAL
wood legs were machined in to 150 mm 
20 mm  20 mm and plates were machined in to
Figure 2. Snake grass fiber reinforced polyester composite 100 mm  20 mm  15 mm. Before water absorption,
plate. the composites and SAL woods were preheated for
1 h at 45  C. The legs and plates were immersed in
water for testing and the weight of the materials was
dimensions of 450 mm  20 mm  20 mm is as shown measured using digital balanced machine at 1 h inter-
in Figure 1 and the composite chair plate dimensions val with 0.01 g accuracy.
of 300 mm  300 mm  15 mm is as shown in Figure 2.
The commercial SAL wood chair dimensions are
300 mm  300 mm  15 mm for plates (flat form) and Results and discussion
450 mm  20 mm  20 mm for legs. The legs are fixed
Assemble of composites chair
in four locations from the sides measuring 25 mm.
Figure 5 shows the assemble view of snake grass fiber-
reinforced polyester composite chair. Initially, the
Flexural test composite legs and plates are removed from the die
Three-point flexural tests were conducted according and dried in a hot air oven for 3 h. These leg edges are
to the machine standard using the spring mass testing shaped by knife and the assembling location of legs on
machine with a special attachment.6 The specimens the surface of composites plate is marked. Marked
were machined for the dimensions of 340 mm  four locations are machined to make 3 mm depth.
20 mm  20 mm (plate) and 340 mm  20 mm  These cavities are filled by semi-liquid solution-like
15 mm. The span-to-depth ratio of the specimens araldite and also the top surface of the legs is sub-
was considered as 16:1. For this testing, the load cell jected to araldite. These legs are inserted in the cav-
of 10 kN was utilized with the cross-head speed of ities and the assembled system is allowed for curing
5 mm/min. Deflection of the specimens was measured the araldite at 2 h to obtain the permanent joint.
using the digital dial gage and the flexural properties Finally, the developed composite chair is used for
like flexural strength and modulus, flexural load, and commercial usage.
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4 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

Figure 3. Flexural testing.

fiber and matrix in the first mode of failure and max-

imum stress is carried by fiber in the second mode of
failure. The percentage improvement of flexural
strength and modulus between the composite and
SAL wood are 31% and 51%, respectively.

Flexural properties of plates. Figure 8 and 9 shows the

flexural properties of snake grass fiber-reinforced
composite and SAL wood plates. Figure 8 shows the
flexural load versus displacement curves of composite
and SAL wood plates. The flexural load increased
linearly with increasing the displacements. Similarly,
the two modes of failure are observed in the flexural
curve. But the first mode of failure in SAL wood
Figure 4. Compressive testing. occurs earlier than composite and the failure observes
at the displacement of 5.2 and 3.9 mm with loading of
1.68 and 1.62 kN for composite and SAL wood,
respectively. Second mode of composite and SAL
Flexural properties of the composites and wood failure occur at the displacement of 11.2 and
8.1 mm with loading of 3.4 and 2.55 kN, respectively.
SAL wood chair
The composite plate has higher load-carrying capabil-
Flexural properties of legs. Figures 6 and 7 show the flex- ity than SAL wood. Further increasing the displace-
ural properties of snake grass fiber-reinforced com- ment decreases the load. Figure 9 shows the flexural
posite and SAL wood legs. Figure 6 shows the strength and modulus of composite and SAL wood
flexural load versus displacement curves of composite plates. The maximum flexural strength and modulus
and SAL wood legs. The flexural load increased grad- is obtained in composite plate than SAL wood plate.
ually with increasing displacements. The two modes The percentage improvement of flexural strength and
of failures are observed in the flexural curve. The first modulus between the composite and SAL wood are
mode of failure in composite occurs earlier than SAL 32% and 66.7%, respectively. The SEM image of the
wood. First mode of failure in composite and SAL flexural fractured composites leg is shown in Figure 10.
wood failure occur at the displacement of 2.5 and It shows that the density of the fiber in the matrix was
2 mm with loading of 1.93 and 1.86 kN, respectively. higher and all fibers are perfect shear-off, and lowest
Second mode of composite and SAL wood failure fibers pull-out. It is clear that good bonding exists
occur at the displacement of 7.5 and 4.5 mm with between the fiber and matrix and withstands higher
loading of 4.11 and 3.14 kN, respectively. This is load in the real time usage.
total fracture mode of the materials. The composite
leg has higher load-carrying capability than SAL Compressive properties of the composites and SAL
wood. Further increasing the displacement decreases
the load.
wood legs
Figure 7 shows the flexural strength and modulus Figures 11 to 13 show the compressive properties of
of composite and SAL wood legs. The maximum flex- snake grass fiber-reinforced composite and SAL wood
ural strength and modulus is obtained in composite legs. Figure 11 shows the compressive load versus dis-
leg than SAL wood leg. The stress is carried by both placement of the composites and SAL wood legs. The
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Sathishkumar 5

Figure 5. Snake grass fiber reinforced composite chairs.

Figure 6. Flexural load versus displacement curve of composite and SAL wood legs.

Figure 7. Flexural properties of composites and SAL wood legs.

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6 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

Figure 8. Flexural load versus displacement curve of composite and SAL wood plates.

Figure 9. Flexural properties of composite and SAL wood plates.

two specimens are tested for above each. The SAL

wood has two modes of failures such as one at 32.5
and 34 kN load of 4.1 mm displacement and second at
52.8 and 46 kN of 7 mm displacement, respectively.
The composite has single mode of failure which
occurs at 61.5 and 60 kN of 12 mm displacement.
The maximum load is taken by the composites and
its 23% higher than the wood. Figures 12 and 13
show the compressive strength and modulus of the
composites and SAL wood legs. The maximum
strength and modulus is observed by the composites
compared to SAL wood. The average of strength of
the composites and SAL wood is 152 MPa and
123 MPa, the average of modulus of the composites
and SAL wood is 0.168 GPa and 0.13 GPa, respect-
ively. The percentage difference between the compos-
Figure 10. Scanning electron micrograph of the flexural ites and SAL wood is 23% of strength and 29% of
fractured composites leg. modulus, respectively.
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Sathishkumar 7

Figure 11. Compressive load versus displacement curve of composite and SAL wood legs.

Figure 12. Compressive strength of composite and SAL wood legs.

and SAL wood plates with respect to time. Similarly,

Water absorption test the composite has higher water absorption compared
Effect of water absorption on legs. Figure 14 shows the to SAL wood. The saturation water absorption is
percentage of water absorption of the composites and observed at 3.5 h for wood and 4 h for composite.
SAL wood legs with respect to time. The water The water uptakes at 0.5 h is higher for wood than
absorption increases with time and the saturation composite and increasing the time decreases the water
water absorption observed at 3.5 h for SAL wood uptake by wood. The percentage of water absorption
and 4.5 h for composites leg. Initially, the water is show in Table 3.
uptake is higher for SAL wood and time increases
for water absorption of the composites. The water Kinetics and transport coefficients of water absorption. The
uptakes of both are equal at 2.5 h. Figure 15 shows kinetic and transport coefficients of water absorption
the percentage of water absorption for the composites of composites and wood are examined based on
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8 Proc IMechE Part L: J Materials: Design and Applications 0(0)

Figure 13. Compressive modulus of composite and SAL wood legs.

Figure 14. Water absorption of composite and SAL wood Figure 15. Water absorption of composite and SAL wood
legs. plates.

Sathishkumar et al.15–17 and shown in Table 3. If the n

value of composites is closer to 0.5, it is said to be Weight of the composites and cost-effective analy-
Fickian. If it is away from 0.5, it is said to the non-
Fickian. The k values of the composites was higher
sis of chairs
than wood. The transport coefficients such as diffu- The total weight of the SAL wood chairs are around 2
sion, sorption, and permeability are calculated based to 2.5 kg and the composites are around 1.5 to 1.85 kg.
on Sathishkumar et al.15–17 The diffusion coefficient is The percentage of weight reduction is around 33.3 to
little higher for composites compared to wood. 35, respectively. The weight of the composites chair is
Compared with composites plate, the higher diffusion the sum of fiber weight, resin weight, and araldite
coefficient is observed in composite leg. The sorption weight. The weight of the fiber and resin is respect-
coefficient is higher for SAL wood compared to com- ively around 0.8 kg and 1.1 kg. The araldite weight is
posites. The product of diffusion and sorption coeffi- very negligible.
cients results in permeability coefficient. The higher The total cost for preparing the composite chair is
coefficient is observed in wood when compared to around 500 to 570 Indian rupees. But the SAL wood
composite. chair cost is 750 Indian rupees. The cost includes
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Sathishkumar 9

Table 3. Water absorption properties of composite and SAL wood legs and plates.

Kinetics of water absorption Transports coefficients

Diffusion
coefficient (D) Sorption Permeability
Materials Mm (%) n k (m2/min) coefficient (S) (g/g) coefficient (P) (m2/min)
06 07
Composite leg 22.5 0.5786 0.22138 4.0787  10 0.03436 1.40137  10
06 07
SAL wood leg 21.0 0.6163 0.25732 1.3895  10 0.08617 1.19745  10
06 07
Composite plate 30.5 0.5412 0.27090 1.2024  10 0.13809 1.66044  10
07 07
SAL wood plate 34.5 0.6688 0.19738 6.7205  10 0.14406 9.68135  10

material and manpower cost. One kilogram of snake

grass fiber and resin is 45 and 135 Indian rupees, 5. Nunna S, Ravi Chandra P, Shrivastava S, et al. A
respectively. The cost for manpower is around 250/ review on mechanical behavior of natural fiber based
chair and other cost includes transportation, etc. hybrid composites. J Reinf Plast Compos 2013; 31:
Hence, the cost and weight of the composite chair is 759–769.
6. Sathishkumar TP, Navaneethakrishnan P and Shankar
lower than wood chair.
S. Tensile and flexural properties of snake grass natural
fiber reinforced isophthallic polyester composites.
Conclusion Compos Sci Technol 2012; 72: 1183–1190.
7. Yan L, Mai Y-W and Ye L. Sisal fibre and its compos-
The preparation, mechanical properties, water ites: A review of recent developments. Compos Sci
absorption, weight, and cost of the snake grass Technol 2000; 60: 2037–2055.
fiber-reinforced polyester composites and SAL wood 8. Satyanarayana KG, Sukumaran K, Mukherjee PS,
chairs have been discussed. The preparation of the et al. Natural fiber –polymer composite. Cement
composites chair was simple compared to wood Compos 1990; 12: 117–136.
chair with good surface finishing. The maximum 9. Sapuan SM, Harun N and Abbas KA. Design and fab-
mechanical properties were obtained in composites rication of a multipurpose table using a composite of
epoxy and banana pseudostem fibers. J Tropl Agricul
than wood. The water absorption of composite was
2007; 45: 66–68.
little higher than wood. The cost and total weight of
10. Mathur VK. Composite materials from local resources.
the composites chair was lower than wood chair. This Constr Build Mater 2006; 20: 470–477.
snake grass fiber-reinforced composites can replace 11. Marsh G. Next step for automotive materials. Mater
the wooden chair and save trees which helps in redu- Today 2003; 6: 36–43.
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in various applications such as book rack, model polymer composites in automotive applications. JOM
tables, multi-utility tables and chairs, electrical 2003; 58: 80–86.
switch boxes, helmets, light dooms, etc. 13. Venkateshwaran N and Elayaperumal A. Banana fiber
reinforced polymer composites - A review. J Reinf Plast
Funding Compos 2010; 29: 2387–2396.
14. Sathishkumar TP, Navaneethakrishnan P, Shankar S,
This research received no specific grant from any et al. Mechanical properties of randomly oriented snake
funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit grass fiber with banana and coir fiber reinforced hybrid
sectors. composites. J Compos Mater 2012; 47: 2181–2191.
15. Sathishkumar TP, Navaneethakrishnan P, Shankar S,
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