Characterization of Hemp/Glass Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites with Filler Material for the Engineering Application

Abstract

Cenosphere is a powder form material obtained by burning of coal in thermal plants. This industrial waste is ceramic rich, economically available and as filler material has the potential to improve properties of Composites. This work deals with the effect of cenosphere as filler material on mechanical properties of the Hemp/Glass Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites. Industrial hemp fiber/fabric, which is produced by the bast of the hemp tree, is used along with Glass fibers in this hybrid composite with cenosphere as a filler material and epoxy as the matrix material. Hand layup technique is used to develop composite specimens with various weight fractions. Composite specimen prepared as per relevant ASTM standards were tested for their mechanical properties to establish the influence of cenosphere and glass fabrics in the laminates with Hemp fabrics. It has found that some of the properties of hybrid composite samples are significantly increased by the influence of filler material. This hybrid composite can be used as alternative material to plastics used in automobile mudguard.