Abstract :
Utilization of composite materials, especially those using natural fibers in
various equipment has begun to be developed, in the aircraft industry, especially
for UAV ( Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) and also other industrial sectors. The use of
sea pandan leaves as a composite material can reduce the use of synthetic
materials and increase the utilization of sea pandan leaves, which are still wasted.
This study aims to determine the strength of the sea pandan fiber composite with
the fiber orientation direction of 0° and 90°.
To determine the strength of the sea pandan fiber composite, tensile, and
bending tests were carried out to determine the stiffness and strength values of the
composite. Starting with the composite manufacturing process, using epoxy resin,
and alkaline (NaOH 6%) treatment for 1 hour with a variation of the orientation
of the fiber 0° and 90°, and the manufacturing methods used were hand lay-up
(non vacuum bag) and vacuum bag.
From the results of the composite tensile test, it can be concluded that the
sea pandanus fiber in the 0° fiber direction with the vacuum bag manufacturing
method has a higher average strength of 16.54 MPa and the sea pandan fiber
composite using the hand lay-up (non vacuum bag) method with 90° fiber
direction has a higher average strength. the lowest average strength is 6.22 MPa.
From the bending test, it can be concluded that the sea pandanus fiber in the 0°
fiber direction with the vacuum bag manufacturing method has a higher average
strength of 24.54 MPa and the sea pandan fiber composite using the hand lay-up
(non vacuum bag) method with the fiber direction of 90° has average strength. the
lowest average is 7,36 MPa. So it can be concluded that the method of making
composites using the vacuum bag method has a high strength value compared to
the method of making composites using the hand lay-up (non vacuum bag)