Swelling behaviour of pine apple leaf fiber reinforced polymer composites in different working fluids

However, the natural fibre reinforced polymer composites are prone to absorb fluids and swell when they are in contact with working fluids such as water, sea water, alcohol, acids etc. Absorption of such working fluids leads to change in characteristics of composite materials. Hence, the present work aims to analyse the swelling and weight gain behaviour of pine apple leaf fiber (PALF) reinforced composite material in different working fluids. The specimen are prepared and tested according to ASTM standard D5229 under different fluids like normal water, sea water, dilute HCl acidic solution, bases, hydrocarbons, petrol and diesel. The minimum change in relative weight and thickness of 2.3% and 1.8% respectively is obtained for sea water when compared to other fluids. The maximum adsorption of moisture takes place for NH4OH of relative weight fraction of 29.5% and relative thickness of 14.95%.