PHYSICO - MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CASTOR (recinus communis) PLANT FIBRE AND ITS UTILIZATION AS AN ENGINEERING MATERIAL

Abstract

In many communities, natural fibres and other waste materials from agricultural production are extracted without proper utilization due to inadequate knowledge of its engineering properties. This study is aimed at the extraction of fibre from SA -2 variety of castor plant at different stages of the plant growth with the view of evaluating some properties of the fibre relevant to its possible utilizations. The properties evaluated were physical and mechanical. ASTM (1997), TAPPI(1980) standard methods for the physical and material tensile testing machine (Cusson P5030) for mechanical properties were employed. The physical properties determined were moisture absorption (5.024%, 5.066% and 4.136%) and density (0.458gcm^-3, 0.684gcm^-3and 1.234gcm^-3)at initial (4WAS),flowering(8-9WAS) and matured (16WAS) stage, respectively. The mechanical properties analysed were found to be (2.220kgf and 4.180kgf)breaking load,  elongation at break (4.513mm and 6.65mm), stress (0.005kgf /mm² and 0.006kgf/mm²), strain (0.056 and 0.066), modulus of elasticity (0.125kgf /mm² and 0.102kgf /mm²) and the specific work at rupture(3.000kgf and 5.700kgf) at flowering(8-9WAS) and matured (16WAS) stages, respectively. The fibres were better when matured than any other stage but the fibres at all stages were recommended for various possible utilization in composite and engineering applications.