Analysis of Rice Straw and Ijuk Fiber Composite for Lightweight Material Applications

Abstract

Many lightweight materials are required to improve many advancements such as the travel distance of vehicles. Composites are required to be light, strong and if possible, economical so it may be used to increase the lightweight properties of vehicles and other lightweight applications. Indonesia has a variety of natural fibers such as rice straw and Ijuk palm fibers that are abundant and relatively cheap. This study aims to understand the character of the fibers when utilized in composites. Composites are made from resin with different contents of carbon fibers, rice straw fibers and Ijuk fibers. The products are then tested using load, tensile, impact, density and porosity tests. Samples showed that composites are able to withstand a maximum load of 680.79 kgf and tensile test of 12.90 N/mm² from straw fiber composite and 768.24 kgf and tensile test 14.47 N/mm² from Ijuk composites. Impact tests have also shown a maximum impact of 0.189 J/mm² and 0.132 J/mm² for rice straw and Ijuk fibers respectively. There are different variations in density and porosity due to the size of the fibers. The values indicate that it is possible to manufacture the natural fibers and carbon fibers into composites.