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EFFECTS OF HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ON NFRECs
EFFECTS OF HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ON NFRECs
EFFECTS OF HUMIDITY AND TEMPERATURE ON NFRECs
BY
FEBRUARY 2024
CERTIFICATION AND APPROVAL
Certified By
…………………………………… ………………………
EBUBECHI S. EZEAMUZIE Date
(Final Year Student)
Reg. No:
Tel. No:
E-Mail:
…………………………………… ………………………
EKEH-DESMOND C. CHARLESON Date
(Final Year Student)
Reg. No:
Tel. No:
E-Mail:
2
Approved by
…………………………………… ………………………
ENGR. C.O. ANYAOHA Date
(Supervisor)
…………………………………… ………………………
ENGR. DR. P.A. AKO Date
(Head of Department)
3
ABSTRACT
This work explores the relationship between temperature and humidity as well as their
effects on natural fiber reinforced epoxy composites. Although natural fiber
composites are becoming more and more popular due to their environmentally
friendly qualities, environmental factors can still have an impact on how well they
perform. Tensile and flexural strength, among other mechanical properties, are
examined under a range of humidity levels and temperatures. This investigation seeks
to show that environmental factors have a significant impact on material behavior and
that humidity affects moisture absorption, which in turn affects the mechanical
strength of the composites. Moreover, temperature variations have a notable impact
on the thermal stability and general performance of the natural fiber reinforced epoxy
composites. Taguchi experimental design will be employed in analysing the results to
determine the optimum temperature and humidity that will give the best mechanical
properties of the NFREC composite. Additionally, Linear and Quadratic regression
models will be utilized to provide a mathematical program to predict the localised
effects of the constraints of temperature and humidity on the lamination process. The
use of analysis of variance will show whether observed changes in the mechanical
characteristics are most likely the result of real variances in the materials or
treatments under comparison, or whether they might just happen by accident.
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Fibres have been successfully utilized by humans in various manners since the earliest
days of society. Fibres were employed in many different forms, from clothing to
ropes. In the past, people employed natural fibres made from the stem and leaves of
plants in their daily activities. There was improvement in technology over time. The
invention of new methods and materials led to an increase in the output of synthetic
fibres. (Aditya et al., 2021).
The materials used in production over the years have been adjusted numerous times to
get the best product for specific projects based on what is required in terms of
mechanical strength, weight, thermal, corrosion resistance, etc. This includes
everything from the use of cement in building construction to the body panels of
automobiles. Sometimes, this fine tuning can lead to the combination of materials to
produce what is called a Composite. Composites are products of the combination of
two materials, the Matrix and the Reinforcement. A matrix is the primary material
that binds the reinforcement holding it in place and protecting it from external factors,
examples are polymers, metals, ceramics etc. While the reinforcement adds strength,
stiffness and other desirable properties to the composite some examples are glass,
carbon e.tc. When combining these materials which are of different physical and
chemical properties, the aim is to get a new product that has enhanced or unique
characteristics required for different applications and environmental conditions.
Composites are usually made of two materials but they can be made from three in
which case is called an Advanced Composite Material (ACM) (Egbo, 2021).
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Fibre-reinforced plastics, or FRPs, are an important class of composite materials that
are in use in different industries due to their exceptional physical and chemical
properties. FRPs are of two types Synthetic fibre reinforced composite and Natural
fibre reinforced plastics (NFREC) (Egbo, 2021). In line with this study, NFRECs will
be the main focus.
The fibres and matrix may expand or contract at different rates in response to
temperature changes, which might cause internal tensions in the composite.
Delamination or other types of structural damage might arise from this. The
mechanical characteristics of composites made of natural fibres can be affected by
high temperatures. The strength and stiffness of the material may decrease due to
softening or degradation of the polymer matrix, which is typically produced from bio-
based sources. For the composite to remain intact at different temperatures,
researchers and engineers need to closely assess the matrix's and the natural fibres’
thermal stability.
The amount of moisture in the air, or humidity, has a significant impact on the
characteristics and functionality of natural fibre reinforced epoxy composites
(NFRECs). Natural fibre reinforced composites (NFRECs) that are made of natural
fibres like hemp, sisal, jute, or flax mixed in a polymer matrix are gaining popularity
as environmentally friendly substitutes for traditional synthetic fibre composites. The
mechanical, thermal, and dimensional stability of NFRCs may be significantly
impacted by the way these materials interact with humidity.
They have numerous applications such as wind turbine blades, the exterior and
interior parts of an automotive, bike frames, reinforced bars for bridges, doors. etc.
on the fibres themselves and the resulting mechanical effects. To the greatest extent of
the investigators’ comprehension, no research investigations have been conducted on
the effects of temperature and humidity on the mechanical properties of the final
composite product during the composite lamination process. This is predicated on a
comprehensive analysis of the literature. To leverage this expanding body of
knowledge for improving the mechanical properties of natural fibre reinforced plastic,
it is essential to understand how ambient conditions, such as humidity and
temperature, affect NFREC lamination.
This research can help develop natural fibre reinforced plastics with improved
longevity and durability, as well as suitability for a wider range of applications, by
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elucidating the relationship between the bonding reactions of NFRECs and
environmental variables like temperature and humidity. The study's conclusions may
also help engineers select materials as they shed light on the bonding methods and
environmental conditions
required to produce NFRECs with certain properties for particular applications. All
things considered, this study may result in significant advancements in the domains of
material science and engineering as well as the creation of more complex NFRECs
with improved performance and durability. In searching for composite materials with
better mechanical properties, this work opens up new avenues for scientists by
considering the impact of the NFREC production circumstances. The research would
contribute to the development of strategies for controlling environmental variables in
order to create composite materials with improved mechanical properties. This will
expand the uses for current NFREC composites and pave the way for new ones that
were previously unmapped due to limitations on their mechanical properties.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
The behavior of composite materials under precisely crafted circumstances that mimic
real-world operating conditions has been extensively studied. Numerous studies have
examined the impact of temperature and humidity on the sorption behavior of
composites and their consequences on the mechanical properties of fibre-reinforced
plastics, yielding valuable insights that facilitate industrial applications.
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to (Hu, Sun, & Lim, 2010), a natural fibre's moisture absorption rate occurs in three
phases: (I) a brief, fast phase; (II) a slow, stable, and uptalking phase; and (III) an
abrupt, fast phase. The influence of moisture absorption on the mechanical properties
of hybrid polyester
composites reinforced with short roselle and sisal fibres was investigated by
(Athijayamani et al., 2009) The findings showed that in damp circumstances, there
was
a considerable reduction in both tensile strength and flexural strength. The fibres'
exposure to moisture was blamed for the decrease in mechanical characteristics.
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2.1.5 EFFECTS ON MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF
FILAMENT WOUND POLYMER BASED COMPOSITES
(Srebrenkoska et al., 2023) discovered that the winding angle greatly impacted
mechanical properties. It was noticed that composites with fibres aligned along
loading direction (0 degrees) showed the highest tensile and flexural strength while
fibres at right angles were the weakest. Also, higher curing temperature showed
improvements on the mechanical properties. However, excessively higher temperature
could lead to thermal degradation of the resin and negatively impact the properties.
(Murali Mohan Rao et al., 2010) carried out a study on banana, bamboo, sisal, and
vakka fibres, analysing the tensile, dielectric, and flexural characteristics. Retting
produced vakka fibres, which were then mixed into a polyester resin matrix. These
characteristics were contrasted in the study with those of conventional composites.
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Tensile strength was shown to be directly correlated with the volume percentage of
vakka fibres, mirroring bamboo's flexural strength. Furthermore, a direct correlation
between the dielectric strength and the volume percentage of vakka fibres was
observed, suggesting that the material is suitable for electrical insulation.
for varying lengths of time. The impact of the composite production circumstances on
the final product's qualities was not taken into account in these works. The goal of the
present research project is to close this observed gap. The idea behind this research is
that the production process and the environmental factors that were present during the
composites' lamination might significantly affect the final product's mechanical
characteristics. For this endeavour, the manufacturing parameters of importance are
humidity and temperature. By optimizing production conditions for improved
mechanical qualities, this study should pave the way for much-needed ongoing
advances in composite manufacturing processes.
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CHAPTER THREE
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Distilled Water
Petroleum jelly
Rollers
Hand brush
Paper tape
Nose mask
Measuring cylinder
Weighing balance
Hand gloves
Test tube, beaker
Knife
Arduino Microcontroller
Relay
Powerpack
DHT II sensor (For Temperature and Humidity)
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Control chamber 2 x 2 x 2 ft
Thermometer for temperature measurement
Firstly, the mould would be cleaned and wiped dry of water or other particles to
minimize the occurrence of defects. Releasing agent (petroleum jelly, for example),
would be applied, exp. This would allow for easy removal after the experiment. The
randomized natural fibre would be laid into the mould and epoxy resin mixed with
hardener would be applied. The roller brush would be used to eliminate voids and
ensure the resin saturates the natural fibre.
14
Before laminating, the components are weighed first, then the researcher will put his
hands into the chamber with the material and perform the lamination. Once it’s done,
components are weighed, to know the increase in mass. After mixing the resin and
hardener, the natural fibre is placed in the mould, the resin combination is poured on
fibre, and lamination is complete. The finished Product is given 3 minutes to solidify,
then the weight is measured. After curing under room temperature, then we cut into 3
Samples. Each experiment is repeated 3 times.
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experiment make up the first portion of the name. A, B, C, and so on are frequently
used to stand for 1, 2, 3, and so on. A number representing the number of levels for
each component appears in the second section. Two, for instance, denotes two levels
(often low and high). Sometimes, to indicate special information about the array, such
whether it's a standard or mixed-level array, more letters or digits are added to the
notation. The goal of Taguchi design is to maintain a target mean while reducing
variation in a sample population. By maximizing the signal to noise ratio, this is
accomplished. The term "signal" describes the main variables that the experiment
must determine in order to determine their link to the output response quality feature.
The mechanical characteristics and water absorption of the reinforced composite are
the responses, while the treatment duration, concentration, and bath temperature are
the signals. The category of quality characteristic in the analysis of the signal to noise
(S/N) ratio, as would be used for this project is given below:
a) Larger-is-better.
When analysing Taguchi designs, the signal-to- noise (S/N) ratio is calculated
for each factor level combination. Equation (2) is used for larger-is-better S/N
ratio calculation.
( )
n
S/ N log 10
1 ∑ μ12
= -10 n i =1
(3.2)
Y = β 0 + β 1 x 1 + β 2 x 2 + …, + β n x n + ε (3.3)
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variable. For specific values of the independent and dependent variables, ε represents
the random error. The parameter estimate was done using the least squares method.
b) Quadratic regression.
The process of determining the parabola's equation that best fits a collection of
data is known as a quadratic regression. It is employed to forecast the dependent
variable's value based on the independent factors. It's commonly referred to as a
polynomial regression in statistics. A polynomial regression model is used when a
linear connection is unable to correctly predict the response variable. A polynomial
regression model is generally expressed in equation (3.4)
Z = β 0 + β 1 x i + β 1 x 2i + β 2 x 2i + β 3 x 3i +¿…, + β n x ni + ε (3.4)
Humidity
(%) 30 40 50 60 70
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Table 3.2 Taguchi L25 53 experimental work plan.
Humidity
S/N Temperature (°C) Mechanical
(%)
Properties ( Impact,
Flexural, Tensile)
30 30
1
30 40
2
30 50
3
30 60
4
30 70
5
35 30
6
35 40
7
35 50
8
35 60
9
35 70
10
40 30
11
40 40
12
40 50
13
40 60
14
40 70
15
45 30
16
45 40
17
45 50
18
45 60
19
45 70
20
50 30
21
50 40
22
50 50
23
50 60
24
18
50 70
25
Control Ambient Ambient
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sensor
7 Humidifier 1 50mAH 5500 5500 Will be
sourced
locally
8 Hot air 1 2200W Frequenc 8000 8000 Will be
blower y: 50HZ sourced
locally
9 Digital Will be
Weighing 1 - 2000 20000 sourced
balance 0 locally
10 Petroleum 1 - 1000 1000 Will be
jelly sourced
locally
11 Rollers 1 - 2000 2000 Will be
sourced
locally
12 Paper tape 2 - 300 600 Will be
each sourced
locally
13 Measuring 2 - 800 1600 Will be
Cylinder each sourced
locally
14 Hand gloves 1 - 2500 2500 Will be
sourced
locally
15 Scissors and 1 - 1500 1500 Will be
brush sourced
locally
16 Nose Mask 6 - 200 1200 Will be
each sourced
locally
17 Test tube and 6 (3 - 150 900 Will be
beaker each) each sourced
20
locally
18 Knife 1 - 1000 1000 Will be
sourced
locally
19 Distilled 10 Litres 30 30 Will be
Water sourced
locally
20 Flexural Test 25 - 300 7500 Test
samples each will be
× 25 carried
here in
UNN
21 Impact Test 25 - 300 7500 Test
samples each will be
× 25 carried
here in
UNN
22 Tensile Test 25 - 300 7500 Test
samples each will be
× 25 carried
out here
in UNN
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Miscellaneou - - 10000
s
₦144,33
Total Cost - - -
0
21
3.6 GANTT CHART
A Gantt chart is a visual view of tasks scheduled over time for the work and it is shown
in table 3.4
Table 3.4 Gant Chart for the work.
TASK/
FIRST MONTH SECOND MONTH THIRD MONTH
ACTIVITY
WEEKS WK WK WK WK WK WK WK WK WK WK WK WK
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4
Background
and Research
study
Identification,
Specification
/Sourcing of
the materials
Planning an
experimental
research study
Con
duct
ing
the
expe
rime
nt.
Testing of
Experimental
Samples
Analyzing the
data/
Results.
Presentations
22
REFERENCES
Abdollahiparsa, H., Shahmirzaloo, A., Blok, R., & Teuffel, P. (2023). Influence of
moisture absorption on tensile and compressive properties of natural fiber-
reinforced thermoplastic composites. Polymer-Plastics Technology and
Materials, 62(16), 2138–2142. https://doi.org/10.1080/25740881.2023.2250845
Aditya, A., Pratim, P., & Chaudhary, V. (2021). Materials Today : Proceedings Effect
of moisture absorption on the properties of natural fiber reinforced polymer
composites : A review. Materials Today: Proceedings, xxxx.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2021.02.812
Athijayamani, A., Thiruchitrambalam, M., Natarajan, U., & Pazhanivel, B. (2009).
Effect of moisture absorption on the mechanical properties of randomly oriented
natural fibers/polyester hybrid composite. Materials Science and Engineering: A.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msea.2009.04.027
Egbo, M. K. (2021). A fundamental review on composite materials and some of their
applications in biomedical engineering. In Journal of King Saud University -
Engineering Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksues.2020.07.007
Liang, J., Liu, L., Qin, Z., Zhao, X., Li, Z., Emmanuel, U., & Feng, J. (2023).
Experimental Study of Curing Temperature Effect on Mechanical Performance
of Carbon Fiber Composites with Application to Filament Winding Pressure
Vessel Design. Polymers. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15040982
Murali Mohan Rao, K., Mohana Rao, K., & Ratna Prasad, A. V. (2010). Fabrication
and testing of natural fibre composites: Vakka, sisal, bamboo and banana.
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Ogakwu, P. A., Okpanachi, G. E., & Philip, N. (2016). Effect of Moisture on Natural
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Resarch.
Pastukhov, L. V, Govaert, L. E., & Engels, T. A. P. (2020). Influence of fiber
orientation , temperature and relative humidity on the long-term performance of
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https://doi.org/10.1002/app.50382
Rao, K. M. M., Prasad, A. V. R., Babu, M. N. V. R., Rao, K. M., & Gupta, A. V. S. S.
K. S. (2007). Tensile properties of elephant grass fiber reinforced polyester
composites. Journal of Materials Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-
0657-8
Srebrenkoska, S., Kochoski, F., Srebrenkoska, V., Risteska, S., & Kotynia, R. (2023).
Effect of Process Parameters on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Filament
Wound Polymer-Based Composite Pipes. Polymers.
https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15132829
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