Micro-structural and mechanical characterization of doum-palm leaves particulate reinforced PVC composite as piping materials

A doum palm particulate reinforced polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composite was developed with considerably low cost materials providing an overall light-weight and good mechanical properties for potential application as piping material. The specimen composite material was produced with the doum palm (leaves) particulate as reinforcement using compression molding. Results showed that density and elastic Modulus of the composite decreases and increases respectively with increasing weight fraction of the particulate reinforcement. The tensile strength increased to a maximum of 50 MPa and then decreased steadily. The composition with optimum mechanical property (50 MPa) was determined at 8, 62 and 30% formulation of doum palm particulates (reinforcement), PVC (matrix) and Kankara clay (filler) respectively with corresponding percentage water absorption of 0.72%, Young’s Modulus of 2 GPa, flexural strength of 84 MPa and density of 1.43 g/cm3. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis of the constituents showed identical bands within the range 4000–1000 cm−1 with renown research work. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) result showed fairly uniform distribution of constituents’ phases. X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) confirms the X-ray diffraction (XRD) result of the presence of minerals of kaolinite, quartz, rutile and illite in the kaolin clay. Comparison with conventional piping materials showed the composite offered a price savings per meter length of 86.6% and 35.9% when compared with carbon steel and PVC material. Keywords: Particulate composite, Mechanical characterization, Spectroscopic analysis, Microstructure, Piping materia