THE NATURE COMPOSITE OF VETIVER FIBER AND THE WASTE OF POWDER SAWN AS AN SOUND ABSORPTION MATERIALS

Abstract

The increasing use of composites in all fields is engineered materials that many people do to obtain the new alternative materials, one of the materials such as natural vetiver fiber (SAW) which is strong and lightweight and powder sawn (SGK), which is waste material. In this research, manufacturing the composite of  SAW and SGK then testing acoustic/absorption power by measuring the absorption coefficient of the sound and the observation of microstructure. The method used in the study is an experiment in the laboratory to make composites based on the ratio of the weight fraction between SAW and SGK from 1: 5, 2: 5, 3: 5, 4: 5 and 5: 5. Having formed the composites, then the specimen has made by an acoustic test that compatible to ASTM E-1050-98 standard with B & K 4206 Small Tube Set test instrument. Furthermore, to determine the composition of fibers in the composites, there do the micro observation. From the results of the show the composites produced the sound absorption ability for the low frequency (1000 Hz) with an absorption coefficient (α) of 0.25 occurred in comparative fraction of 2: 5 (SAW20, SGK50). While at high frequency (5000 Hz) has a value of coefficient (α) of 0.41 occurred in the ratio of 1: 5 (SAW10, SGK50). The number of composition number fiber influence the composite tensile strength and micro observations occurred in the composition ratio of 5: 5 its highest strength.