Abstract
Stress-strain curves of coir fibres have been determined. Mechanical properties including initial modulus, strength and percentage elongation of coir fibres have been evaluated as functions of retting treatment (during retting the coconut husks are soaked in saline water for a period of about six months to facilitate the extraction of fibres presumably due to a bacterial process), fibre diameter, gauge length and strain rate. No significant differences in mechanical properties were observed between retted and unretted fibres. The strength and percentage elongation seem to increase for both retted and unretted fibres up to a fibre diameter of 0.2×10−3 m whereafter they remain almost constant. On the other hand, moduli seem to decrease with increase in diameter of the fibre. The observed modulus values and percentage elongation have been related to microfibrillar angle. Observed strength values have been explained on the basis of structural changes occurring with an increase in the diameter of the fibre. Scanning electron/microscope studies have indicated that the failure of the fibre is due to the fracture of the cells themselves accompanied by the uncoiling of microfibrills. There is no appreciable variation in strength and percentage elongation with strain rates for any one diameter of the fibre. On the other hand, with increase in gauge length, a decrease in both strength and percentage elongation at break has been observed. These have been attributed to an increase of probability of defects and localized deformation and gentle necking, respectively.
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Kulkarni, A.G., Satyanarayana, K.G., Sukumaran, K. et al. Mechanical behaviour of coir fibres under tensile load. J Mater Sci 16, 905–914 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542734
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00542734