A study on fibre length and composition of kenaf-polypropylene (k-pp) composite for automobile interior parts

This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between fibre length and the composition of fibre inside the composite. In this study, three different fibre lengths were used (i.e. 1cm, 1.5cm and 2cm)various filling for kenaf fibre/polypropylene (K/PP) composite ratio, with fibre composition ranged from 10% until 50%. 0.3g of maleic anhydride (MA) was added as an additive to improve the bonding between filler and matrix. The properties of composite were measured using hardness and density tests. Dino Lite microscope was used to observe the bonding inside the composite. After testing, it was found that polypropylene affected hardness when mixed with maleic anhydride. Kenaf fibre affected the density of composite when it was submerged in water during testing. Kenaf fibre tends to absorb water if it is not fully covered by polypropylene. Maleic anhydride has been proven to improve the strength of composite after being added to the composite