Atomic force microscopy-based nanomechanical characterization of kenaf fiber. (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Parvej, M Subbir; Wang, Xinnan; Fehrenbach, Joseph; Ulven, Chad A
• Is Part Of: Journal of composite materials. Volume 54:Number 15(2020)
• Page Start: 2065
• Page End: 2071
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: AFM -- nanomechanical characterization -- nanoindentation -- natural fiber -- kenaf -- bast fiber -- radial elastic modulus -- JKR model; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composites -- Périodiques; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1177/0021998319892073
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9983

Abstract

Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus L.) fiber is being extensively used as a reinforcement material in composites due to its excellent mechanical properties. To use this fiber more efficiently, it is necessary to understand its mechanical properties at micro/nano meter scale. Despite the evidence of some past studies to determine the elastic modulus of kenaf fiber, most of them were performed on fiber bundles. Bundle-based method to find the elastic moduli has some obvious issues of foreign materials being present, incorrect gauge length, and sample diameter due to void spaces. These issues pose as obvious hurdles to determine the elastic modulus accurately. In this study, individual kenaf micro fiber was used to find elastic modulus in the radial direction. The radial elastic modulus of the fiber was characterized by atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation. To determine the radial elastic modulus from the force versus sample deformation data, the extended Johnson–Kendall–Roberts model was used which considered adhesion force from the fiber surface. The radial elastic modulus of the kenaf fiber was found to be 2.3 GPa.