Heat Insulator From Natural Fiber Composite.

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

HEAT INSULATOR FROM NATURAL FIBER COMPOSITE

This report submitted in accordance with the requirements of the Universiti Teknikal
Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for the Bachelor Degree of Manufacturing Engineering
(Engineering Material) with Honours

by

MOHAMMAD ARSYAN BIN KAMARUZAMAN

FACULTY OF MANUFACTURING ENGINEERING
2009

UNIVERSITI TEKNIKAL MALAYSIA MELAKA

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS LAPORAN PSM
JUDUL:
Heat Insulator From Natural Fiber Composite
SESI PENGAJIAN:

Semester 2 2008/2009
Saya, Mohammad Arsyan Bin Kamaruzaman
mengaku membenarkan laporan PSM ini disimpan di Perpustakaan Universiti
Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) dengan syarat-syarat kegunaan seperti berikut:
1.

2.

3.

Laporan PSM / tesis adalah hak milik Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dan
penulis.
Perpustakaan Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka dibenarkan membuat salinan
untuk tujuan pengajian sahaja dengan izin penulis.
Perpustakaan dibenarkan membuat salinan laporan PSM ini sebagai bahan
pertukaran antara institusi pengajian tinggi.
*Sila tandakan (√ )
SULIT

(Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah keselamatan atau

kepentingan Malaysia yang termaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA
RASMI 1972)

TERHAD

(Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh
organisasi/badan di mana penyelidikan dijalankan)

TIDAK TERHAD

(TANDATANGAN PENULIS)
Alamat Tetap:
Lot 1253, Kg Jerulong,
Lemal,

(TANDATANGAN PENYELIA)

17000 Pasir Mas,
Kelantan


Tarikh: 17 April 2009

Tarikh: 17 April 2009

* Jika laporan PSM ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak organisasi berkenaan
dengan menyatakan sekali sebab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT atau TERHAD.

DECLARATION

I hereby declare this report entitled “HEAT INSULATOR FROM NATURAL
FIBERS COMPOSITE” is the result of my own research except as cited in the
references.

Signature

:

………………………………………………………

Author‟s ζame


:

MOHAMMAD ARSYAN BIN KAMARUZAMAN

Date

:

17 April 2009

APPROVAL

This report is submitted to the Faculty of Manufacturing Engineering of UTeM as a
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Manufacturing
Engineering (Engineering Material) with Honours. The member of the supervisory
committee is as follow:

……………………………
Mohd Yuhazri Bin Yaakob

(Principle Supervisor)

ABSTRACT

Due to high interest in high quality but low cost material, many researches have been
done by the researcher and engineers to develop new material that will save the cost
especially from natural fiber. Together with the increasing usage of composite material
from mixture of natural materials nowadays, this technical report will proposed a
research entitled heat insulator from natural fiber composite. Coconut fiber and natural
rubber is the material selected for this research as it offers lots of advantages which has
high quality as well as easy to found especially in Malaysia. This mixture of coconut
fiber and natural rubber is mixed together in a mold and through the cold press process
to fabricate the composite with twelve different compositions of natural rubber of five
percent to 60 percent. For the specimen preparation, a ten millimeters thick mold is
fabricated using several machining process. A specimen of 100 percent coconut fiber
also fabricated, as well as an existing product sample as a comparison to the specimens
with natural rubber for its mechanical properties. The product is made of 100 percent
synthetic rubber. All the specimens will then be tested with heat absorption test test,
tensile test, compression test and moisture absorption test to examine the properties of
the specimens. From the results obtained, an evaluation will be done to choose the best

specimen for heat insulator application. The best specimen for heat insulator application
is 30 percent of weight percent of rubber.

i

ABSTRAK

Selaras dengan permintaan yang tinggi untuk bahan yang berkualiti dan berkos rendah,
banyak kajian telah di lakukan oleh para pengkaji dan jurutera. Sejajar dengan
penggunaan bahan komposit daripada campuran bahan semula jadi yang semakin
meluas masa ini, laporan teknikal ini membentangkan hasil kajian yang bertajuk
penebat haba daripada komposit gentian semulajadi. Sabut kelapa dan getah asli semula
jadi adalah bahan mentah yang digunakan dalam kajian ini disebabkan oleh kelebihan
bahan ini yang mempunyai kualiti yang tinggi disamping mudah didapati terutamanya
di Malaysia. Campuran sabut kelapa dengan getah asli semula jadi dihasilkan menerusi
proses mampatan menggunakan kaedah mampatan acuan untuk mengfabrikasi 12
komposisi komposit dengan peratus kandungan getah asli semula jadi yang berbeza
dari 5 peratus hingga 60 peratus. Plat acuan setebal 10 milimeter di fabrikasi dengan
beberapa process mesin sebagai acuan untuk penyediaan sampel. Sampel sabut kelapa
sepenuhnya juga difabrikasi, dan satu sampel produk yang sedia ada diperolehi untuk

tujuan perbandingan sifat mekanik nya dengan sabut kelapa yang diisi dengan getah asli
semula jadi. Sampel produck adalah 100 peratus getah sintetik. Kesemua sampel ini
akan diuji dengan ujian resapan haba, ujian tegangan, ujian mampatan dan ujian
kelembapan untuk dibuat penilaian. Daripada keputusan yang diperolehi, hasil yang
terbaik akan dijadikan produk yang sesuai untuk aplikasi penebat haba. Sampel yang
terbaik adalah 30 peratus kandungan getah untuk aplikasi penebat haba.

ii

DEDICATION

I would like to dedicate this report to myself, my beloved parents and family, my
supervisor an also my fellow friends. Without these people‟s support and help it would
be difficult for me to complete this research.

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First of all I would like to thank God for giving me this opportunity and time to

complete this report for „Projek Sarjana εuda‟ (PSε). I would also prolong my
appreciation especially to my beloved supervisor, Mr. Mohd Yuhazri Bin Yaakob for
his continuous support, help and guidance during the completion of this report. Next, I
also thank to UTeε‟s technician, εr. Hisyam and εr. Azhar Shah for helping me out
with the equipment in the material lab. Finally, I also want to thank all my family,
fellow friends and whoever that helping me during the completion of this report. For
those who read this report, thank you for your time and I really appreciate it.

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Abstract

i

Abstrak

ii


Dedication

iii

Acknowledgement

iv

Table of Contents

v

List of Tables

viii

List of Figures

x


List of Abbreviations

xiii

List of Symbols

xiv

1.0

2.0

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background

1

1.2 Problem Statement

1


1.3 Objective

2

1.4 Scope

3

1.5 Rational of Research

3

1.6 Research Frame

3

1.7 Expected Results

4

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction

5

2.2 Heat

5

2.2.1 Conduction

6

2.2.2 Convection

6

2.2.3 Radiation

7

2.3 Coconut Fiber

8

2.3.1 Physical Properties of Coconut Fiber
v

9

2.4 Rubber

11

2.4.1 Natural Rubber

11

2.4.2 Synthetic Rubber

13

2.5 Composite

14

2.5.1 Polymer-Matrix Composite

3. 0

METHODOLOGY
3.1 Material Preparation

18

3.1.1 Preparation of Coconut Fiber

18

3.1.2 Preparation of Natural Rubber

19

3.2 Mold Fabrication

20

3.3 Composite Fabrication

24

3.3.1 Equipments

24

3.2.2 Procedure of Cold Press Process

26

3.4 Composite Testing

27

3.4.1 Heat Absorption Test

27

3.4.1.1 Heat Absorption Test Procedure

28

3.4.1.2 Specimen Size

29

3.4.2 Tensile Testing

30

3.4.2.1 Tensile Testing Procedure

31

3.4.2.2 Specimen for Tensile Test

32

3.4.2.3 Calculation

34

3.4.3 Compression Testing

34

3.4.3.1 Compression Testing Procedure

35

3.4.3.2 Calculation

36

3.4.4 Moisture Absorption Testing

4.0

16

37

3.4.4.1 Water Absorption Testing Procedure

37

3.4.4.2 Calculation

38

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Heat Absorption Test

39
vi

5.0

4.2 Tensile Test

42

4.3 Compression Test

59

4.4 Moisture Absorption Test

75

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 Conclusion

78

5.2 Recommendation

78

6.0

REFERENCES

7.0

APPENDICES

vii

LIST OF TABLES

2.1

Tensile properties of coconut fiber

8

2.2

Length and diameter of sisal and coconut fiber

10

2.3

Chemical composition in coconut fibers

11

3.1

Specimen Dimension for heat test

29

3.2

Dimension of tensile specimen

33

4.1

Environment data

39

4.2

Heat Absorption Test result data

40

4.3

Tensile data for 0% rubber specimens

44

4.4

Tensile data for 5% rubber specimens

45

4.5

Tensile data for 10% rubber specimens

46

4.6

Tensile data for 15% rubber specimens

47

4.7

Tensile data for 20% rubber specimens

48

4.8

Tensile data for 25% rubber specimens

49

4.9

Tensile data for 30% rubber specimens

50

4.10 Tensile data for 35% rubber specimens

51

4.11 Tensile data for 40% rubber specimens

52

4.12 Tensile data for 45% rubber specimens

53

4.13 Tensile data for 50% rubber specimens

54

4.14 Tensile data for 55% rubber specimens

55

4.15 Tensile data for 60% rubber specimens

56

4.16 Tensile data for synthetic rubber specimen

57

4.17 Compression data for 0% rubber specimen

59

4.18 Compression data for 5% rubber specimen

60

4.19 Compression data for 10% rubber specimen

61

4.20 Compression data for 15% rubber specimen

62

4.21 Compression data for 20% rubber specimen

63

viii

4.22 Compression data for 25% rubber specimen

65

4.23 Compression data for 30% rubber specimen

66

4.24 Compression data for 35% rubber specimen

67

4.25 Compression data for 40% rubber specimen

68

4.26 Compression data for 45% rubber specimen

69

4.27 Compression data for 50% rubber specimen

70

4.28 Compression data for 55% rubber specimen

71

4.29 Compression data for 60% rubber specimen

72

4.30 Compression data for synthetic rubber specimen

73

4.31 Moisture Absorption Test result data

75

ix

LIST OF FIGURES

2.1

Coconut tree

8

2.2

Coconut fiber

9

2.3

Natural rubber

13

3.1

Sample of coconut fiber

19

3.2

Raw natural rubber

19

3.3

Liquid natural rubber gathered at estate

20

3.4

Laser cutting process on mild steel

21

3.5

Cutting process using oxy-acetylene

21

3.6

Milling process

22

3.7

Male mold

22

3.8

Female mold

23

3.9

Base of the mold

23

3.10 Complete mold

23

3.11 Composite design composition

24

3.12 Hydraulic Hot Press Machine

25

3.13 Final Product

26

3.14 House Model Simulation of Heat Absorption Test

28

3.15 House model for heat absorption test

29

3.16 Specimen Size

29

3.17 Specimen placement

30

3.18 Universal testing machine

30

3.19 Specimen placement on UTM machine

32

3.20 Geometry of tensile specimen

32

3.21 The grip use in tensile testing

33

3.22 Geometry of compression specimen

36

3.23 Configuration of compression test

36

3.24 Specimen for moisture absorption test

38

x

4.1

Graph of Heat absorption Percentage

40

4.2

Burnt area of synthetic rubber specimen

42

4.3

Burnt area on natural fiber specimen

43

4.4

Graph of 0% rubber specimen

44

4.5

Graph of 5% rubber specimen

45

4.6

Graph of 10% rubber specimen

46

4.7

Graph of 15% rubber specimen

47

4.8

Graph of 20% rubber specimen

48

4.9

Graph of 25% rubber specimen

49

4.10 Graph of 30% rubber specimen

50

4.11 Graph of 35% rubber specimen

51

4.12 Graph of 40% rubber specimen

52

4.13 Graph of 45% rubber specimen

53

4.14 Graph of 50% rubber specimen

54

4.15 Graph of 55% rubber specimen

55

4.16 Graph of 60% rubber specimen

56

4.17 Graph of synthetic rubber specimen

57

4.18 The specimen break off after tensile testing

58

4.19 Sample of synthetic rubber break off after tensile test

59

4.20 Graph of 0% rubber specimen

60

4.21 Graph of 5% rubber specimen

61

4.22 Graph of 10% rubber specimen

62

4.23 Graph of 15% rubber specimen

63

4.24 Graph of 20% rubber specimen

64

4.25 Graph of 25% rubber specimen

65

4.26 Graph of 30% rubber specimen

66

4.27 Graph of 35% rubber specimen

67

4.28 Graph of 40% rubber specimen

68

4.29 Graph of 45% rubber specimen

69

4.30 Graph of 50% rubber specimen

70

4.31 Graph of 55% rubber specimen

71
xi

4.32 Graph of 60% rubber specimen

72

4.33 Graph of synthetic rubber specimen

73

4.34 Moisture absorption rate percentage

76

4.35 Composition difference on surface of the specimen

77

5.1

Roof top heat insulator

79

5.2

Synthetic rubber

79

5.3

Fiber glass

79

xii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ASTM

-

American Society for Testing and Materials

SI

-

International System of Units

UTeM

-

Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka

UTM

-

Universal Testing Machine

Sdn. Bhd.

-

Sendirian Berhad

UTS

-

Ultimate Tensile Strength

Min

-

Minimum

Max

-

Maximum

Ave.

-

Average

xiii

LIST OF SYMBOLS

%

-

percent

cm

-

centimeter

s

-

second

min

-

minute

g

-

gram

L

-

length

rms

-

root mean square

m

-

meters

m/s

-

metres per second

m/s2

-

metres per second squared

γ

-

specific weight

V

-

volume

W

-

water absorption

S-t

-

strength immersion time

-

strain

E

-

elasticity

MPa

-

mega Pascal

GPa

-

giga Pascal

NBR

-

nitrile elastomers

RPDM

-

Ethylene-propylene rubbers

-

stress

PMAX

-

Maximum load before failure

Pi

-

load at X data point

A

-

cross sectional

°C

-

degree Celsius

°F

-

degree Farenheit

xiv

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1

Background

Heat is a form of energy that is associated with the atoms and molecules movement or
vibration. Heat that is transferred from one body to another can cause the increasing in
temperature and also can change the phase of the body. Excessive heat can cause
thermal stress to the environment especially to the peoples surrounds. Thermal stress is
net heat load experienced to individual due to environment factors such as air
temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity and humidity. This can cause negative
impact to occupational health, reduce productivity and increase of accidents and errors
by people affect from the heat in environment.

This research will find a new composite material that can use as heat insulator for the
better living. The new materials are from natural fiber and can offer lower cost of
fabrication and materials itself.

1.2

Problem Statement

Heat as mention earlier can cause thermal stress to the people in the environment
effected by excessive heat. Better heat insulator in the environment is needed to reduce
the thermal stress. Some product of heat insulator that exists in market today is effective
but high in cost. For example, the use of fiber glass as heat insulator in roof top of

1

building which is good and effective but with the cost of fiber glass that is high it can be
a liability.

Nowadays, the need for efficient yet low cost material or product is increasing gradually
because of higher cost of normal material used. The materials used in today application
can be the major factor that can determine the cost efficient of the applications. Higher
cost means lower productivity and so it can reduce the profit. So, alternative materials
that can have same properties with the normal material is continuously been research as
it can offer lower cost but still with same or sometimes better in properties compared to
the normal materials. One of the alternative materials that widely been research is
natural fiber. These materials are very easy to get and it is low in cost yet it still have
some very good properties that can be used in various applications. Example of natural
fiber that is widely used today is cotton, hemp, flax, jute, kenaf and coconut. These
materials can easily be found and have properties such as light weight, low density and
high ductility. If compared to several materials that are now used such as steel, plastic
and ceramic, natural fiber sometime is better yet low in cost.

1.3

Objective

The objectives of this research are:

(a)

To identify the mechanical properties of natural fiber and natural rubber that will
suit the heat insulator application

(b)

To design and fabricate the heat insulator material from natural fiber composite
with the use of coconut fiber as the reinforcement and the rubber as the binder or
the matrix material.

2

1.4

Scope

This research is about to find the best material from natural fiber for heat insulator
application. The scope for this research are to do survey on existing product for the
same application, to research and develop a new composite material from natural fiber
for heat insulator application, to test and analyze the strength and weakness of the new
composite materials that have been fabricated and finally to summarize and choose the
best materials for the heat insulator application.

1.5

Rational of Research

Rational of this research is to apply the new natural fiber composite materials for
various applications especially when it comes to heat insulator. It then can replace the
existing material used nowadays that have higher cost. This material can solve the
major problem of today engineering problem which is the cost. Although this new
material cost less, it still produces better heat insulator application.

1.6

Research Frame

This report is divided into 5 chapters. The first chapter, Introduction, describe overview
of the research. Second chapter, literature review, is about definition of the research.
Third chapter, methodology, tells about how the research is carried out and tested. Forth
chapter, results and discussion, discussed about results obtain from test and lastly, fifth
chapter, conclusion and recommendation, conclude all the research by choosing the best
composition and some recommendation as stated for future research. All the references
and appendix also put in the report.

3

1.7

Expected Results

After all the process of fabricating the composite is done, it is expected that the new
composite material will be produced and by doing all the necessary testing process, the
ultimate composite composition will be get and can be use as heat insulator.

4

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1

Introduction

This research is conducted to find the best composite material from natural sources
which are coconut fiber and natural rubber for heat insulator applications. Both material
to be combine as a composite is from natural as it has high resistance to heat and easy to
find as well as process. To get the best results out of these composite, the geometry of
the reinforcement, the ratio of matrix and the reinforcement and also method to produce
the composite should be suitable to the application.

2.2

Heat

Heat is a form of energy which is stored in molecules as molecular vibration. More
vibration produces higher temperature. Material that has higher amount of molecules
will vibrate faster thus will produces higher temperature. The higher the density of
material (more molecules) the better heat can be produces and become more
conductive. Less density material is the better heat insulator. (Dolores G., 2004)

Heat moves in three ways which are conduction, convection and radiation. In
conduction, heat transfer through a medium which has contact to each other. In
convection, heat moves through freely in gas or liquid in circulate motion. These two

5

mechanism work only if there is intervening medium to enable them. In radiation, the
heat is reflected on a surface to other.

2.2.1

Conduction

Solids, particularly metals, whose molecules are packed relatively close together, are
the best materials for conduction. Molecules of liquid or nonmetallic solids vary in their
ability to conduct heat, but gas is a poor conductor, because of the loose attractions
between its molecules.

The qualities that make metallic solids good conductors of heat, as a matter of fact, also
make them good conductors of electricity. In the conduction of heat, kinetic energy is
passed from molecule to molecule, like a long line of people standing shoulder to
shoulder, passing a secret and, just as the original phrasing of the secret becomes
garbled, some kinetic energy is inevitably lost in the series of transfers. As for electrical
conduction, which takes place in a field of electric potential, electrons are freed from
their atoms; as a result, they are able to move along the line of molecules. Because
plastic is much less conductive than metal, an electrician uses a screwdriver with a
plastic handle as so a metal cooking pan typically has a wooden or plastic handle.

2.2.2

Convection

Wherever fluids are involved, convection is a common form of heat transfer.
Convection involves the movement of heated material, whether it is air, water, or some
other fluid. Convection is of two types which are natural convection and forced
convection, in which a pump or other mechanism moves the heated fluid. When heated
air rises, this is an example of natural convection. Hot air has a lower density than that
of the cooler air in the atmosphere above it, and, therefore, is buoyant; as it rises,

6