Effects of preparation methods on mechanical and tribological properties of SFCM/UP composites

In this paper, the effects of preparation methods on mechanical and tribological properties of sisal fiber cellulose microcrystalline (SFCM)/unsaturated polyester (UP) composites were studied. Compared with the pure UP composites, the SFCM/UP composites prepared by in-situ polymerization had greatly improved the mechanical and tribological properties. The impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of SFCM/UP composites with 2 wt% SFCM were 6.8 KJ/M2, 105.53 MPa, and 14.29 GPa, increased by 74.81%, 33.38%, and 7.36% in comparison with pure UP composites, respectively. Meanwhile, the volume wear rate of SFCM/UP composites at 100, 150, and 200°C decreased 50.40%, 52.39%, and 50.06%, respectively. These results suggested that the properties of SFCM/UP composites prepared by in-situ polymerization were significantly improved, which may be attributed to the strong interface interactions between SFCM and UP matrix. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.