Sustainable Manufacture of Natural Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composites with Coupling Agent in the Hardener

Lignocellulosic natural fibres are hydrophilic, while many matrix systems for composites hydrophobic. The achievement of good mechanical properties fibre-reinforced polymer (NFRP) relies on fibre-to-matrix bonding at the interface. reinforcement is normally coated with an amphiphilic coupling agent to promote a strong A novel alternative approach dissolve in hardener resin before creating stoichiometric mix base epoxy resin. During composite manufacture, hydrophilic (polar) end migrates surfaces (internal interfaces) and bonds fibres. hydrophobic (non-polar) remains embedded mixed Mechanical testing samples showed that silane added directly produced NFRP enhanced longitudinal properties. As pre-process fibre coating no longer required, there economic (shorter process times), environmental (elimination contaminated solvents) social (reduced worker exposure chemical vapours) benefits arising from new technique.