Fabrication and Optical Characterization of Palm Fiber Reinforced Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Based Composites: Band Gap Studies

Abstract

The composite materials are replacing the conventional materials, owing to their excellent properties. The developments of new materials are on the anvil and are thriving day by day. Natural fiber composites such as palm fiber (PF) polymer composites became more enchanting because of their high specific strength, low weight and biodegradability. Mixing of natural fiber like PF with acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer is finding increased applications. In this work, PF reinforced ABS composites PF-ABS was fabricated by Injection Moulding Machine. The effect of UV-Visible radiation on PF-ABS composites was studied by means of ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy in the wavelength 200 - 1000 nm at room temperature. The present investigation shows that the addition of palm fiber modifies the absorption property of the materials. The absorption ability is maximal for 10% PF-ABS composites while minimal for 20% PF-ABS composites in the visible region of the spectrum. Optical constant like direct band gap energy, Urbach energy and Steepness parameter were determined using absorbance data. The values of direct energy band gap, Urbach energy as well as Steepness parameter were found to be in the range 2.6 - 3.9 eV, 0.40 - 0.85 eV and 0.03 - 0.06, respectively. It was observed that the value of direct band gap energy as well as Urbach energy is higher while the value of Steepness parameter is lower for PF-ABS composites with 10% palm fiber.