Effect of Reinforcing Fillers and Fibres Treatment on Morphological and Mechanical Properties of Typha-Phenolic Resin Composites

This study estimates the potential using of typha australis (t. australis) as reinforcing element in composite materials based on plant fibres as way of enhanced for this invasive plant. Composite materials based on t. australis, bamboo and rice husk fibres were prepared with phenolic resin and their properties compared in order to evaluate this invasive plant in relation to the commonly used fibres in composite materials. Scanning Electronic Microscopy shows similarity in the morphologic structure of t. australis and bamboo fibres. The failure mode is typically the same for all composite materials when fibres or system undergo the same treatment. The 3-point bending tests exhibit mechanical characteristics in the same range for different composites materials, for example the Young modulus for t. australis, bamboo and rice husk composites without any modification are estimated at 1.92, 2.04 and 2.00 GPa respectively.