THE EFFECT OF KAOLINITE ON TENSILE AND FLEXURAL BEHAVIOR OF SALACCA FIBER - REINFORCED EPOXY/KAOLINTE HYBRID COMPOSITES

The use of filler in composite materials is emerged as a result of increasing demand for the advancement inmaterial properties to satisfy the market necessities. This study presents the effects of kaolinite inclusion ontensile, flexural and characteristics of Salacca fiber/kaolinite reinforced composite laminates. The laminateswere fabricated by hand layup and moulding. Kaolinite particles having four different weight fractions as 1, 3, 6and 9by volume percentages were used for fabrication of composite laminates. The specimens were preparedaccording to ASTM D638 and D790 standards for tensile and flexural tests, respectively. Results obtained fromspecimens having Kaolinite particles showed the serious improvement on the tensile strength, flexural modulusand flexural strength values compared to specimens without kaolinite inclusion.The use of filler in composite materials is emerged as a result of increasing demand for the advancement inmaterial properties to satisfy the market necessities. This study presents the effects of kaolinite inclusion ontensile, flexural and characteristics of Salacca fiber/kaolinite reinforced composite laminates. The laminateswere fabricated by hand layup and moulding. Kaolinite particles having four different weight fractions as 1, 3, 6and 9by volume percentages were used for fabrication of composite laminates. The specimens were preparedaccording to ASTM D638 and D790 standards for tensile and flexural tests, respectively. Results obtained fromspecimens having Kaolinite particles showed the serious improvement on the tensile strength, flexural modulusand flexural strength values compared to specimens without kaolinite inclusion