KARAKTERISASI SIFAT FISIS DAN MEKANIS KOMPOSIT HIBRIDA SISAL/CARBON/LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE (LDPE) YANG DIFABRIKASI DENGAN METODE “LAMINA, MIXING, DAN SANDWICHING
Abstract
Sisal natural fiber composites as reinforcement / fillers with matrix Polymer low density polyethylene (LDPE) was developed as a candidate for biomedical application materials. Sisal fiber has several advantages in low density, low price and biocompatible for the human body. The purpose of this study is to make hybrid composites (LDPE) with sisal / carbon fiber fillers as biomedical device materials, and to know the best fabrication methods from variations in fabrication of lamina, mixing and sandwiching methods.
Fabrication of hybrid composites was using the lamina, mixing and sandwiching methods in a hot press machine, at a temperature of 115 ˚C, and a pressure of 2,175 MPa for 2 hours. Sisal fiber was treated with NaOH of concentration of 6% for 36 hours, and sisal fiber was cut in length of 6 mm. Carbon fiber was treated by soaking in liquid nitrogen for 10 minutes, cut to 10 mm in length arranged using the hand lay-up method. The matrix / filler composition is 80:20% and sisal to carbon hybrid ratio is 3: 1. The bending test uses the ASTM D790-03 standard, and water absorption that standard was ASTM D570, then characterization of the failure structure of the bending test is carried out using a macro optical microscope.
The results showed that the sisal/carbon LDPE hybrids composites with the highest bending stress and modulus of elasticity in composites is being fabricated using the lamina method were 24,97 MPa and 1,900 Gpa respectively, and water absorption and thickness swelling tests were 5.19% and 3.46% respectively, Thus the lamina method is better when compared to the mixing method and the sandwiching method. In addition, from the photo macrographs, the fabrication method of lamina shows the most even distribution of fibers and matrices when compared with the other fabrication methods