Fabricação e caracterização de um compósito com matriz de resina poliéster ortoftálica e carga de fibras de agave angustifolia haw

Abstract

Environmental issues have raised discussions among several social agents such as activists, ambietalists, politicians, scientists, professors and both private and public institutions. Within this scope, this paper aims to develop and carachterize an Orthophthalic Polyester resin matrix composite with reinforcing / filling load of vegetable fiber of the species Agave Angustifolia Haw in the proportion of 5%, 7.5% and 10% in mass comparing to the matrix. Agave fiber blankets were made for three formulations and, to obtain the composite, the cold pressing process was used. The agave blankets, intercalated with the resin, were placed in the template with 90° lagged orientations between them and weighing 5g each. The test specimens of the composite formulations were fabricated in a closed mould, based on specific standards and subjected to mechanical, thermal, physical and chemical test cycles. The tensile strength, flexural strength, impact, thermophysical properties, density, freshwater and saltwater absorption, and chemical composition are determined by X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (FRX). The feasibility of obtaining the composite was tested for all formulations studied. The mechanically most viable formulation was the one composed by 10% Agave Angustifolia Haw fiber. All the formulations had higher tensile and impact strength than the matrix resin, leading to a reinforcing load function of the Agave fiber used. The fibers behaved as fillers when all of their formulations presented mechanical strength at lower flexion than the matrix resin.