Analysis of Bending and Tensile Strength of Sisal/Bamboo/Polyester Hybrid Composite

Abstract

Nowadays composite materials are promising material which can replace metals and they can be used in different applications so studying mechanical properties of composites is crucial. Hybridization of two different fibers improves properties of composites by compensating the weak properties of individual fibers. In this study sisal and bamboo fiber hybrid polyester composite are prepared to study the effect of hybridization on strength of composites. Tensile test Samples are prepared according to ASTM D3039 and bending test samples are prepared according D790. Mats are prepared from each fiber using manual mat making machine to reduce porosity, reduce effort aligning fibers to increase strength of the composite. Sisal/Bamboo/Polyester composites are prepared for tensile and bending test by varying the mixing weight ratio of fibers to matrix ratio. Samples prepared are (0%/30%/70%), (15%/15%/70%), (10%/20%/70%), (20%/10%/70%) and (30%/0%/70%), by wt% of Sisal/Bamboo/Polyester respectively for tensile and bending test to study how hybridization affect the strength of composite. Tensile and bending strength are tested using universal tensile tester machine and 5 samples are tested for each sample to reduce errors during testing. From the test result hybridizing fibers compensate the weak properties of one by another and increase the tensile and bending strength of individual fiber polyester composite. From tensile test of different weight ratio 10%/20%/70% by wt% of sisal/Bamboo/Polyester has better strength than other ratios. From bending test of Sisal/Bamboo/Polyester hybrid composite hybridizing the sisal and bamboo 10%/20%/70% wt% improve the yield strength of pure sisal polyester composite. Generally hybridizing fibers improves the tensile and bending yield stress of individual fiber polyester composites and compensates the weak properties one fiber by the other fiber.