Study on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Jute-Reinforced Methyl Acrylate Grafted PET Composites

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) granules were grafted with methyl acrylate (MA) from the solution containing 10% MA in methanol (86%) solvent and photo initiator (4%) for 10 min and then cured under UV radiation. MA-grafted PET films were prepared at 260°C and 5 ton pressure using heat press. Jute fabric-reinforced, MA-grafted, PET-based composites (25% fiber by weight) were fabricated by compression molding. Mechanical, thermal and soil degradation tests of the composites were performed. It was found that the MA grafted PET composites showed higher mechanical properties over the ungrafted PET/jute composite.