International Journal of Materials Science and Applications 2015; 4(3): 189-197 Published online May 13, 2015 (http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ijmsa) doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20150403.16 ISSN: 2327-2635 (Print); ISSN: 2327-2643 (Online) Effect of Chemical Treatments on the Physicochemical and Tensile Properties of Cow Hair Fibre for Low Load Bearing Composites Development Isiaka Oluwole Oladele 1, 3, * , Jimmy Lolu Olajide 1, 2 , Adekunle Sulaiman Ogunbadejo 1 1 Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Federal University of Technology Akure, Akure, Nigeria 2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Elizade University Ilara-Mokin, Ilara-Mokin, Nigeria 3 African Materials Science and Engineering Network (AMSEN) a Carnegie-IAS (RISE) Network Email address: wolesuccess2000@yahoo.com (I. O. Oladele), jimmy.olajide@elizadeuniversity.edu.ng (J. L. Olajide), adekunleogunbadejo@gmail.com (A. S. Ogunbadejo) To cite this article: Isiaka Oluwole Oladele, Jimmy Lolu Olajide, Adekunle Sulaiman Ogunbadejo. Effect of Chemical Treatments on the Physicochemical and Tensile Properties of Cow Hair Fibre for Low Load Bearing Composites Development. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications. Vol. 4, No. 3, 2015, pp. 189-197. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20150403.16 Abstract: This research has investigated the influence of H 2 O 2 , KOH and NaOH treatments on the physicochemical and tensile properties of cow hair fibres for composites applications. The chemical treatments for this present study were prepared with predetermined molar concentrations of 0.10, 0.15 and 0.2 M respectively. The physicochemical properties of the cow hair fibres were established using proximate analysis and the tensile properties of the fibres were evaluated with the aid of an Instron universal testing machine. From the results of the proximate analysis, it was observed that, with increase in the concentration of the H 2 O 2 treatment there was increase in the crude protein and moisture contents and decrease in the ash content of the fibres. However, the KOH and NaOH treatments showed an opposite trend. Also, from the tensile test results, it was observed that the chemical treatments aided the enhancement of ultimate tensile and yield strengths of the fibres in comparison with the untreated fibres while tensile strain at break was enhanced by 0.1 and 0.2 M of KOH as well as 0.2 M of NaOH treatments. The results of this research have shown that proper chemical treatment can enhance the properties of cow hair fibres for composites applications. Keywords: Animal Fibre, Alkaline and Oxidative Treatments, Physicochemical Constituents, Mechanical Behaviour, Composite Applications 1. Introduction Nowadays, topical advancements in materials processing techniques have efficaciously occasioned in a drastic change in the development of novel engineering materials [1]. Contemporary materials processing routes such as, laser surface melting, electric discharge machining, chemical vapour deposition, thin film technology, and nanotechnology have immensely revolutionized the types of engineering materials emerging from the laboratories of materials scientists and engineers worldwide [2-5].These new materials offer a broad spectrum of advantages such as aesthetics, low density, biomimicry, non-toxicity and topnotch performance under the harshest service environments be it acidic, basic, and cryogenic or elevated temperatures [6-10]. However, most of these processing techniques are unbearably extortionate, environmentally hazardous and are not relatively available to materials scientists and engineers globally [11]. Albeit, some researchers in the developed countries have been able to establish that the shortcomings concomitant with these new materials are overridden by their fundamental applications and unique functionalities during service life [12]. Quite the opposite, researchers from the developing countries who stalwartly believed that these shortcomings can be progressively vanquished are now congregating their ingenious research efforts in seeking alternatives solutions to develop renewable, sustainable, cost effective, biodegradable, and highly functional engineering materials [15-17]. This mounting convergence in their research efforts has culminated in the proliferation of published research articles on the potential applications of natural fibres, dispersoids and