Static and dynamic mechanical properties of barkcloth (Ficus Natalensis)-reinforced epoxy composite

Abstract

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) proclaimed in 2005 that Ugandan barkcloth largely produced from mutuba tree (Ficus natalensis) as a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” An exploratory investigation of barkcloth a nonwoven material produced through a series of pummeling processes from mutuba tree in Uganda is fronted as reinforcement for epoxy composite laminates. The fabric and composite morphology was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The composite response to loading against temperature, time, and frequency was investigated using dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA). The results show that the developed composites are stable with considerable tensile strength and bending rigidity thus providing material engineers with the possibility of applying the material for semi-structural applications.