Penentuan Kekuatan Optimum Serat Agave Cantula Dengan Menggunakan Perlakuan Termal

Abstract

Abstract : Agave Cantula fiber is a kind of fiber that can reinforce thermoset resin for composites application. For getting optimum strength after fibres extraction, the fiber need thermal treatment to decrease internal strength and water content of fiber. In order to that condition, the research to investigate the thermal treatment of agave-cantula fiber to find the fibres optimum strength is needing. For the first, the thermal treatment was carried out at different temperature (70^oC, 80^oC, 95^oC, 110^oC, 120^oC, 140^oC) for an hour, to find optimum temperature (105^oC) for an hour treatment. For the second, the thermal treatment was conducted at 105^oC for many different times (15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes and 60 minutes), it is to find optimum time (45 minutes) for thermal treatment at 110^oC. As the result, the research can find the optimum temperature (110^oC) and optimum time (45 minutes) to get the highest strength (37 kg/mm²) and minimum water content (decrease10%) of agave cantula fiber.

Key word : thermal treatment, fiber strength, water content