Journal Published Online: 11 December 2018
Volume 48, Issue 5

Characterization of Recycled Silk Fiber PP Composites with Optimal Performance of Silk Fibers by Response Surface Methodology

CODEN: JTEVAB

Abstract

This article emphasizes the optimization of the retrieval of silk fibers from silk selvedge waste in a hard waste opening machine. It also highlights the characterization of composites developed from retrieved silk fibers with a polypropylene matrix in a compression molding machine. The machine conditions of the hard waste opener, such as the licker-in speed, cylinder speed, and setting between feed roller to licker-in, were optimized with respect to the fiber staple length using the Box-Behnken experimental design with response surface methodology. The optimum conditions for the fiber staple length were found to be licker-in speed, 550 r/min; cylinder speed, 280 r/min; and setting between feed roller to licker-in, 0.01 inch. Composites were developed using the silk fibers retrived at optimum conditions with polypropylene resin in compression molding at three different fiber loadings, namely 40, 50, and 60 weight % of silk fibers. The influece of silk fiber loading on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were studied and compared to pure PP composite. It is observed from the results that the composite with 50 weight % of silk fiber loading has shown greater mechanical properties. Furthermore, the incorporation of silk fibers in the polypropylene matrix has shown an improvement in the mechanical properties of 71.6 %, 76.66 %, 69.73 %, 67.97 %, and 58.45 % for tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and impact strength, respectively, in the composites when compared to pure polypropylene composite. The Differential Scanning Calorimetry analysis has also shown an increase in the degradation temperature of 8°C in the silk fiber-reinforced composite.

Author Information

Rajkumar, G.
Department of Fashion Technology, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Saravanampatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Srinivasan, J.
Department of Textile Technology, Kumaraguru College of Technology, Saravanampatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
Pages: 18
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Stock #: JTE20170712
ISSN: 0090-3973
DOI: 10.1520/JTE20170712