STUDIES OF THE MECHANICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF ZEBU CATTLE HAIR REINFORCED POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE WASTE COMPOSITE

Abstract

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic wastes were collected and filled with treated and untreated keratin fibres of zebu breed of cattle using melt-mixing and compression moulding technique. The variation of PET to Zebu hairs was made in the ratios: 100_0g; 90_10g; 80_20g; 70_30g; 60_40g and 50_50g. The samples were buried under the ground to investigate the degradation effect soil burial will have on the mechanical properties of the material. After the soil burial, the tensile and flexural properties of the materials were analysed. Scanning electron microscope was used to examine the morphological properties of the tensile fractured properties of the buried materials. Results obtained showed a general decrease in the mechanical properties tested after the soil burial test. The tensile strength of the buried samples decreased steadily with all the filler loadings. At 50_50g filler loading the tensile strength decreased by 33% for composites made with treated fibres and 45% for composites made with untreated fibres. Similar trend was observed with the flexural strength of the buried samples. Soil burial had degradation effect on the composites.