Natural filler effect on the mechanical properties behavior of unsaturated polyester composite plate.

In this study, the effect of natural fillers on the unsaturated polyester composite material mechanical properties (yield stress, tensile and impact strength) investigated. The natural filler consist of date palm waste samples. The samples selected and examined in this study were date seed, petiole and old leaf bases. The date palm waste were separately ground and sieved to produce a filler of≤400µm. In the experiment design, the most important stage is the selection of the control factors therefore, the L9 (33) orthogonal array Taguchi technique has been used. The three fillers types were considered with three levels (2%, 3% and 5%) of weight fraction. The hand lay-up method been used to manufacture the composites. The results of experimental tests present that the tensile strength influenced by the filler of date seeds. The petiole filler has the main parameter effect on the impact strength and yield stress. For yield stress, the optimum combination levels are level 2 for date seeds, level 2 for old leaf base, and level 1 for petiole fillers. Furthermore, the designation for tensile strength and impact strength was A2B1C1and A3B2C3, respectively. The predicated and experimental values of mechanical properties are close, with error not exceeds to 6.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]