Journal of Science and Technology of Composites

Journal of Science and Technology of Composites

Manufacturing and evaluation of mechanical and physical properties of green geopolymer composite reinforced with kenaf fibers and carbon nanotubes

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Vajihe Sadeghi Panah 1
Mehrab Madhoushi 2
Taghi Tabarsa 2
Morteza Nazerian 3
Ebrahim Najafi Kani 4
Zahra Abdullahnejad 5
1 Ph.D. Student of Wood Composite Products, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran
2 Department of Wood Engineering and Technology, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran.
3 Associate Professor, Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Zirab Campus, Mazandaran, Iran.
4 Associate Professor, Faculty of Chemical, Oil and Gas Engineering, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
5 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, United States of America.
10.22068/jstc.2023.1972309.1809
Abstract
The aim of this study was manufacturing and evaluation of the mechanical and physical (water absorption) of a green geopolymer composite reinforced with kenaf fibers and carbon nanotubes. For this purpose, the effect of amount of kenaf fibers, carbon nanotubes and water each in 5 levels (% wt) compared to metakaolin-based geopolymer and steel slag on the mechanical and physical properties of the composite were evaluated. Response surface method and central composite design were used as statistical method to select the mixtures. Bending tests (bending strength, modulus of elasticity and fracture toughness), compression test and water absorption were conducted on the samples. Also, ultrastructure of geopolymer and dispersion quality of carbon nanotubes and kenaf fibers in the composite matrix, was evaluated by FESEM images. The results showed that by increasing the amount of kenaf fibers up to 7.5%, the bending strength, compressive strength, fracture toughness and water absorption increased, whilst at higher amounts of the fibers, the values of mechanical strength decreased. Also, the use of carbon nanotube as a reinforcement up to 0.6%, had a positive effe on increasing the mechanical strengths of the composite. The results of FESEM showed that with increasing the amount of percentage of kenaf fibers, and carbon nanotubes the diameters of pores in matarix highly increased. Generally, in this research accoriding to the statistical results, the sample with the combination of 7.5% kenaf fiber, 0.6% carbon nanotube and 29% water is introduced as the optimal combination.
Keywords
Composite
Geopolymer
Carbon nanotube
Kenaf fiber
Fracture toughness
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Journal of Science and Technology of Composites
Volume 9, Issue 3
Autumn 2022
Pages 2011-2022