Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.

7, 1336-1345 ISSN 1229-9197 (print version)

DOI 10.1007/s12221--017-1064-2 ISSN 1875-0052 (electronic version)

Development of Mathematical Models and Estimation for the Mechanical

Properties of Organic Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites
I. O. Oladele* and N. I. Agbeboh
Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure 340221, Nigeria
(Received October 31, 2016; Revised May 5, 2017; Accepted May 8, 2017)

Abstract: Organic fiber from animal waste was used for the development of environmentally friendly animal fiber based
polyester composites using cow hair. The cow hair fibers were cut into 10 mm lengths to produce the needed short fiber for
random dispersion in the matrix. Before use, some of the fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide for fiber surface
modification while some were left as untreated. Composites were developed using predetermined proportions of the fibers in
an open mould production process. Samples were formed into tensile and flexural shape in their respective moulds and were
stripped off the moulds after curing while further curing was ensured for 27 days before testing. Tensile and flexural
properties of the cow hair fiber reinforced polyester composites were evaluated from which it was discovered that the
untreated fiber reinforced composites possess better enhancement of mechanical properties compared to the treated fiber
reinforced composites and the unreinforced polyester material. Mathematical models for the tensile and flexural properties
were developed using statistical packages and estimation using developed software. The developed models revealed high
degree of correlation between the experimental values and the predicted values. This denotes that the models can be used to
predict the mechanical properties of cow hair reinforced polyester composites for various reinforcement contents.
Keywords: Mathematical models, Composites, Polymer matrix, Mechanical properties, Organic fiber, Cow hair, Polyester

Introduction them the ability to withstand various chemical and thermal

Polymer based composite development has seen massive
advancements in recent times due to the need and demand
for cost effective and efficient materials which are stronger,
lighter and more durable. There has been a proliferation of
research into the development of natural fiber reinforced
polymeric composites with the aim of replacing the more
expensive synthetic fibers with the readily available natural
fibers mostly from vegetables like sisal, banana, coir and
palm kernel fibers which otherwise are waste products and
contribute to environmental pollution by posing disposal
problems. The use of these fibers as reinforcements in
thermoplastic and thermoset polymers give the twin benefits
of solving disposal problem and cost effectiveness. The
inherent advantages of availability, light weight, high specific
strength, ease of production, enhanced energy recovery, high
toughness, non-corrosive nature, low density, low cost,
reduced tool wear, renewability and biodegradability [1].
These sometimes outweigh the disadvantages of poor fiber
matrix compatibility and high moisture absorption [2].
These disadvantages are usually modified and improved by
varying chemical treatments which reduce or eliminate the
lignin and hemicellulose thereby enhancing the fiber strength
and reducing the water absorption properties [3]. Animal
fibers, specifically the hairs of mammals contain structural
proteins notably keratin that form an intricate network of
intermediate filaments in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells
and their foremost function is fundamentally to provide
structural maintenance for cells and tissues [4]. This gives
*Corresponding author: wolesuccess2000@yahoo.com
treatments and an appreciable variety of physical and
mechanical stresses without sustaining permanent damage
[5,6]. Due to these advantages animal hair has proven to be
an adequate reinforcement to thermoset and thermoplastic
polymers. Due to its light weight from its low density, it has
been observed that low fiber weight fractions enhance
mechanical and abrasion properties [1] while Young’s
modulus and flexural modulus decrease with an increase in
fiber amount in the polymer [7].
Mathematical modeling enables quick and efficient data
estimation and prediction which is useful to enhance the
process of composite development. Regression analysis is a
statistical technique that attempts to explore and model the
relationship between two or more variables. It forms an
important part of the statistical analysis and modeling of the
data obtained from designed experiments. The regression
model here is called a simple regression model because there
is just one independent variable, x in the model which is the
reinforcing fiber weight fraction within the matrix. In
regression models, the independent variables are also referred
to as regressors or predictor variables. The dependent
variable, y representing the mechanical property in question,
is also referred to as the response variable. The slope can be
interpreted as the change in the mean value of y for a unit
change in x. The slope, and the intercept, of the line are
called regression coefficients which are used for solution
and validation of the model. These models can then be used
to develop software and simulated to estimate and predict
the mechanical properties.
Historically, the development of hair fiber reinforced
composites dated back to the BC ages, when goat and horse

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Models for Mechanical Properties of Polyester Composite
hair fibers were used to reinforce masonry mortar and plaster
[8]. However, this application of hair fibers as reinforcements
was short-lived owing to the advent of mineral and synthetic
fibers in the ensuing millennia. Although these new fibers
demonstrated phenomenal improvement in their applications
and in a short time saturated the fiber market. Nevertheless,
the limitations associated with them in terms of availability,
synthesis, pecuniary viability and ecological impact have
ultimately obligated materials scientists and engineers of this
contemporary era to revisit the prospective applications of
animal fibers for composites development [9-11]. Re-
examination of animal fibers, particularly, keratin-based
fibers for composites development has manifested in quite a
remarkable but not exhaustive number of investigations with
encouraging results [12]. Dwivedi et al. [6] used human hair
fiber to reinforce polypropylene and documented a
significant improvement in the mechanical properties of the
developed composites; the work of Oladele et al. [13] also
showed an improvement of the flexural properties of cow
hair fiber reinforced high density polyethylene composites.
Also, [14] show improvement of the tensile properties of
cow hair fibers reinforced low density polyethylene composites.
The selected organic fiber as well as mathematical model
and software development were the main focus in this paper.
High demand for natural products and search for the use of
ecofriendly based materials for automobile applications in
the recent times contribute immensely to the choice of the
goal of this work which was carried out to synergize the
potentials in all the items that were combined. The research
findings will be useful in automobile industries where strong
and light-weight products are needed in higher quantity.
Therefore, cow hair fiber reinforced polyester composites
were developed and their mechanical properties were
investigated, mathematical models were developed, validated
and simulated for rapid estimation and prediction of the
mechanical properties of the composites.
Experimental
Materials
Cow hair fiber is one of the principal materials utilized for
this research. It was extracted by scraping the hairs from the
tails of white Fulani cows known as Zebu breed procured
from abattoir at Ijoka Area in Akure, Ondo State, South-
West, Nigeria. The average age of cows from which the hair
fibers were scraped is 2 years±6 months. The cows were
raised in North-Central Nigeria under free-range system
where the temperature across the year varies between
22.55±0.423 oC in the wet season and 33.54±0.23 oC in the
dry season [15].
The fibers were washed thoroughly with tap water to
remove debris and excrement followed by sun drying for
5 days. The dried fibers were cut into 10 mm lengths and
were divided into two where one part was treated with 0.15
Fibers and Polymers 2017, Vol.18, No.7 1337
molar solution of NaOH at 50 oC for 4 hours in a shaker
water bath and the other part was washed and used as the
untreated fiber. Both the treated and untreated fibers were
washed with tap water and rinsed with distilled water in
order to ensure neutral status as confirmed by litmus paper
test followed by sun drying for 3 days.
Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) pellets were obtained from
Pascal Scientific Chemicals, Akure, Ondo State while
Polyester resin, accelerator and catalysts were procured from
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. The plastic moulds were fabricated
from John Kolyns Constructions, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo
State. The distilled water was gotten from the Chemistry
Department, Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo
State.
Method
The composites were developed using open mould process.
The short fibers were randomly dispersed in the polyester
matrix in predetermined proportions of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 15 and
20 wt%. The cow hair fiber (CHF) reinforced polyester
composites were fabricated by casting the compounded
samples into the tensile and flexural moulds and were
stripped from the mould after curing and allowed to cure
further for 27 days before they are subjected to tests.
Mechanical Testing
Flexural Test
Three point bend test was performed on the composites as
per ASTM D790. The test was performed at room temperature
using universal testing machine, Instron incorporated USA
model; Instron-series 3369 operated at a crosshead speed of
0.3 mm/mm and at a specific strain rate of 10-3/s. In carrying
out the test, the grip for the test was fixed on the machine
and the sample was hooked on the grip and the test
commenced. As the specimen is stretched the computer
generates the required data and graphs. Three samples were
tested for each representative samples from where the
average values for the test samples were used as the illustrative
values [16].
Tensile Test
Tensile tests were performed using Instron machine;
Instron Computerised Mechanical Universal Testing Machine,
Series 3369 with a Load Cell Capacity of 50 kN in accordance
with ASTM D3038M-08 standards. The test samples were
prepared according to ASTM D412-83 while the tests were
performed at a fixed crosshead speed of 10 mm min-1 at
25 oC. The computer automatically generates the required
data and graphs as the tests are being carried out. To ensure
accuracy and reliability of tensile test results, three repeatability
tests were performed for each determined tensile property of
the cow hair fibers [15].
Regression Analysis
The nonlinear regression analysis generates an equation to
describe the nonlinear relationship between a response