Absorção de água em compósitos poliméricos reforçados por fibras da folha do abacaxi: modelagem e simulação.

Abstract

In this research, we sought to determine by a mathematical model, using the Fick's Second Law that explores the phenomenon of diffusion to predict the moisture absorbed by unsaturated polyester composite matrix, reinforced by fibers of pineapple leaf in conditions of variation of fiber volume, variation of the lengths of the fibers, variation in treatment time of the fibers in a solution of 10% NaOH and fiber treatment by cold plasma. For the solution of the mathematical formulation, it was used analytical method considering a solid three-dimensional, isotropic, and symmetric, with boundary condition convective surface and transient. To obtain the analytical values of the diffusion coefficients of mass, moisture and average moisture, it we used a computer code developed at the software platform Mathematica7. It was observed that the values of the diffusion coefficients for the three-dimensional model increases with increasing of fiber volume and forthe fiber length this ratio has increased to a length of 55 mm, decreasing again to greater fiber length. Was analized the values of moisture and average moisture comparing the experimental and analytical values. The results compared between experimental and analytical data demonstrated that the proposed model can predict the absorbed moisture conditions adopted for conditions at any time with an accuracy of over 95%.