1. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre
Reinforced Composite
By:
Ahmad Mujahid Ahmad Zaidi
Advance Textile Training Centre (ADTEC)
Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

2. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
What is Composite?
Composite materials (or composites for short) are engineered materials made
from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or
chemical properties which remain separate and distinct on a macroscopic level
within the finished structure.
Advantages: Lightweight, Good materials properties, etc.
Figure 1: Applications of composite materials.

3. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Why “IMPACT STUDY” on COMPOSITES?
qComposites materials are often to used as a protective structure.
(b) Safety requirements for transportation
(a) Nuclear protective requirements
(c) Protective composnents
Figure 2(a)-(c): Application of protective structure

4. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
qThreats from kinetic missiles.
(a) Military Application
(b) Explosion (c) Natural forces
Figure 3(a)-(c): Various missile threats

5. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
qDangerous implication.
Head of Severity Index (HSI)
< 1000
(a) Damage on vehicle
Important parameter:
Acceleration = Velocity/ time
(b) Effects on brain
Figure 4 (a-b): Implication of impact on concrete structural

6. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
qSolution-New COMPOSITE materials.
Energy absorption model
Figure 5: Energy absorption
model
Acceleration-time analysis

7. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
What are Important Ingredients in Composite?
Two IMPORTANT INGREDIENTS, i.e. filler (fibre reinforcement) and matrix
binder.
Types of FIBRE:
qNatural :
Cellulose
Animal
qSynthetic :
Oil based fibre.

8. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Why is Natural Fibre?
Nature continues to provide mankind generously with all kinds of rich resources
in plentiful abundance, such as natural fibres from a vast number of plants.
However, since the last decade, a great deal of emphasis has been focused on
the development and application of natural fibre as reinforcement in composite
materials in many industries. This is due to the natural fibres composites are
undergoing a high tech revolution and are replacing conventional
composites in high performance applications due to their advantages over
conventional reinforcements. For this reason natural fibres reinforced composite
are applicable and need broader research programmes. Moreover, due to the
relatively high cost of synthetic fibres such as glass, plastic, carbon and
Kevlar used in fibre reinforced composites and the health hazards of asbestos
fibres, it becomes necessary to explore natural fibres, e.g. cotton, sisal, jute,
palm oil, paddy, ijok, etc. In addition, the main advantages of these fibres are
their availability in large quantities in many countries, good thermal and
acoustic insulating properties, better electrical resistance, higher resistance to
fracture and impact absorption, low density, low cost and ease to manufacture.

9. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
What is Arenga Pinnata?
IJUK or scientific name is Arenga Pinnata is a type of PALM TREE native to
tropical ASIA (inc. MALAYSIA). Medium size palm (growing up to 20m) and
trunk covered by rough old leaf bases. In this research, the composite material
is made by using IJUK fibre as reinforcement and epoxy resin as a binder.

10. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Why is Arenga Pinnata fibre?
qAvailability-in tropical countries, e.g. MALAYSIA
qFast fibre growth rate.
qInteresting finding on ITS TENSILE STRENGTH-water treatment.

11. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
FABRICATION PROCESS
Matrix Binder

12. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
MATERIAL PROPERTIES Ijuk Long random fibre vs Fibre added
90
80
70
Flexural strength (MPa)
60
Specimen 1
50 Specimen 2
Flexural Tests 40
Specimen 3
Specimen 4
Specimen 5
30
20
10
0
10 15 20
Weight fibre (%)
Ijuk Long random fibre vs Fibre added
3.50
3.00
Modulus strength (MPa)
2.50
Specimen 1
2.00 Specimen 2
Specimen 3
1.50 Specimen 4
Specimen 5
1.00
0.50
0.00
10 15 20
Weight fibre (%)

13. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Ijuk Woven roving fibre vs Fibre added
80
70
60
Flexural strength (MPa)
50 Specimen 1
Specimen 2
40 Specimen 3
Specimen 4
30 Specimen 5
20
Ijuk Woven roving fibre vs Fibre added
10
3.00
0
10 15 20
2.50
Weight fibre (%)
Modulus strength (MPa)
2.00
Specimen 1
Specimen 2
1.50 Specimen 3
Specimen 4
Specimen 5
1.00
0.50
0.00
10 15 20
Weight fibre (%)

14. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Ijuk Chopped random fibre vs Fibre added
30
25
Flexural strength (MPa)
20
Specimen 1
Specimen 2
15 Specimen 3
Specimen 4
Specimen 5
10
5 Ijuk Chopped random fibre vs Fibre added
1.00
0
10 15 20 0.90
Weight fibre (%)
0.80
Modulus strength (MPa)
0.70
Specimen 1
0.60
Specimen 2
0.50 Specimen 3
Specimen 4
0.40
Specimen 5
0.30
0.20
0.10
0.00
10 15 20
Weight fibre (%)

15. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Long random fibre of ijuk + E Resin
60
Tensile Tests 50
Tensile Strength (MPa)
40 T1
T2
30 T3
T4
20 T5
10
0
10 15 20
% wt. fibre
Chooped random fibre of ijuk + E Resin Woven roving fibre of ijuk + E Resin
30 35
25 30
Tensile Strength (MPa)
Tensile Strength (MPa)
25
20 V1 U1
V2 20 U2
15 V3 U3
V4 15 U4
10 V5 U5
10
5
5
0 0
10 15 20 10 15 20
% wt. fibre % wt. fibre

16. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
IMPACT PROPERTIES
Energy Adsorbed vs Fibres Added
(Ijuk Long Fibre)
0,35
E n erg y A dso rb ed (J)
0,30
CT1
0,25
CT2
0,20
CT3
0,15
CT4
0,10
CT5
0,05
0,00
10 15 20
Fibre Added (%)
Energy Adsorbed vs Fibres Added Energy Adsorbed vs Fibres Added
(Ijuk Woven Fibre) (Ijuk Chopped Fibre)
2,5
0,35
E n erg y A d so rb ed (J )
Energy Adsorbed (J)
2 0,30
CR1 CS1
0,25
1,5 CR2 CS2
0,20
CR3 CS3
1 0,15
CR4 CS4
0,10
CR5 CS5
0,5 0,05
0 0,00
10 15 20 10 15 20
Fibre Added (%) Fibre Added (%)

17. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite

18. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
qMOTORCYCLE INDUSTRIES:
Helmet-Ijuk Reinforced Composite [H-IReC]
PASSED MS-TEST: Conducted by QAS INT., SIRIM
Project collaborators:
HUSM-Prof.Jafri Malin Abdullah
AMTC, SIRIM-Dr.Mohd Zaid Othman
QAS International, SIRIM-Mr.Wan Mohd Rafi Wan Hussin
MIROS-Assoc.Prof.Dr.Wong Shaw Voon
AdVeS-Dr.Waluyo Adi Siswanto
K-UTECH-Khalil Mohamad

19. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
qFURNITURE INDUSTRIES
Current projects:
Development of HARD TOP TABLE/ WORK BENCH
Development of FANCY/UNIQUE top surfaces
Project collaborators:
KU-TECH
Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia,
86 400 Parit Raja,
Batu Pahat, Johor
Portable composite table

20. Study on Impact Resistance Performance of Arenga Pinnata Fibre Reinforced Composite
Details of R&D
q Cost of R&D: RM 10,000
q Source of R&D: Product Development Grant-UTHM
Awards:
• Silver Medal (ITEX 2009)
• Silver Medal (Research & Innovation Fest 2008)
• Bronze Medal (Innova-Brussels, Belgium 2009)
• Bronze Medal (Malaysia Technology Expo 2009)

21. BRIEF ABOUT PRESENTER
Ahmad Mujahid Ahmad Zaidi was born in 1980 at Taiping, Perak. He
received his B.Eng. with Honours in Mechanical Engineering at
UTHM (formerly known as KUiTTHO) and completed his PhD in
Impact and Explosion Engineering (Specialisation in Protective
Technology) at The University of Manchester (formerly known as
UMIST). He is an active researcher and has produced over 60
technical papers. He is currently working as a lecturer at Department
of Mechanics, FKMP, UTHM. In 2008, he has been invited as an
Honorary Academic Visiting Fellow from Impact and Explosion
Research Group, The University of Manchester, U.K. He is a Council
Member of Concrete Society of Malaysia (CSM), Member of Institute
of Engineering Technology (IET) and Member of International
Association of Engineers (IAENG).
He is also serve as an Editorial Board for the Journals:
1) Modern Applied Science-CANADA
[ISSN: 1913-1844 (Print) 1913-1852 (Online)] http://www.ccsenet.org/mas/
2) Journal of Mathematics Research-CANADA
[ISSN: 1916-9795 (Print) 1916-9809(Online)] http://www.ccsenet.org/jmr/
3) Applied Physics Research-CANADA
[ISSN:1916-9639(Print) 1916-9647(Online)] http://www.ccsenet.org/apr/
4) International Journal of Integrated Engineering-MALAYSIA
[ISSN: 1985-854X(Print)].