Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Hemp Hurd/PP Composites for the Application of Water Irrigation Pipes

In this study, for the first time, a new generation hemp hurd/PP composite material coupling sleeve prototype production was performed for the water irrigation pipes. Within the scope of experiments, at first hemp hurds were prepared by using cyclic grinding machine. Later, the compounds of hemp hurds (0 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt% and 30 wt%) and polypropylene (PP) were prepared using double screw extruder machine at Ondokuz Mayıs University. After that, the specimens of 0 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt% and 30 wt% hemp hurd reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were fabricated using injection molding machine. Three points bending tests were performed on the fabricated specimens with INSTRON 5982 100 KN universal test device at Ondokuz Mayıs University (OMU) KITAM Central laboratory. Prototyping of hemp hurd/PP composite material coupling sleeves were produced using plastic injection machines of Poelsan Plastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.  Long-term tightness test under internal pressure was conducted on the fabricated coupling sleeves in Poelsan Plastik Sanayi ve Ticaret A.Ş.  According to the bending test results, the bending modulus of specimens were increased by increasing hemp hurd content. The highest bending strength was obtained by 10 wt% hemp hurd powder reinforced PP composites (46.5 MPa). The findings showed that the coupling sleeves manufactured from hemp hurd/PP composite material can be successfully used as an alternative to %100 PP material coupling sleeve under similar service conditions in water irritation systems.