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Journal of Polymer & Composites Original Research Special issue

Development and Evaluation of Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites

  1. Sagar Yanda Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali
  2. Jagadish Statistical Quality Control (SQC) & Operations Research (OR) Unit, Indian Statistical Institute, Bangalore
  3. Venkata Swamy Naidu Neigapula Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Raipur

Abstract

Natural fiber based polymer composites are becoming more common because they are cheap, sustainable, and operate effectively across mechanical and environmental settings. Natural fibers (NFs) like bamboo and roselle are being used to strengthen polymer composites. They are being used in textiles, medical equipment construction, and car making. People are becoming more interested in these fibers because of the unique properties. Bamboo fiber is an effective option for reinforcement in composite materials because it is strong, stiff, flexible, and easy to find. The roselle fiber is also unique because it has a low density, is biodegradable, and has mechanical characteristics that are similar to those of other natural fibers. This property makes it a good choice for making composites that are environmentally friendly. The current study concentrates on the development and mechanical assessment of innovative hybrid composites fortified with short bamboo and roselle fibers, each chopped to lengths between 2 and 4 mm. Five unique composite samples were fabricated using different fiber weight fractions, employing the traditional hand lay-up technique. The binding agent was epoxy resin (LY556), and the hardening agent for the matrix was HY951. To assess the performance of the manufactured composites, extensive mechanical testing was conducted, including tensile and flexural evaluations. The experimental findings indicated that the hybridization of bamboo and roselle fibers within the epoxy matrix led to significant enhancements in mechanical properties compared to composites reinforced by a single fiber type. The hybrid composites had an ultimate tensile strength of 70.115 MPa, maximum flexural strength of 1747.66 MPa, maximum tensile stress 70.10 Mpa, maximum flexural stress 27.24 Mpa and a maximum elongnation 1.57 mm, which was better than the single-fiber composites. These results show that combining bamboo and roselle fibers has a synergistic effect, which could lead to the creation of highly effective, eco-friendly composite materials. The results of this study offer significant insights into the enhancement of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites for various engineering applications, fostering a sustainable environment and material innovation.

Keywords

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