Effect of Glass and Banana Fiber Mat Orientation and Number of Layers on Mechanical Properties of Hybrid Composites

Abstract

In this work, the effects of fiber mat orientation and number of layers on the tensile, flexural and impact properties of glass fiber random (SGFR) and banana fiber woven (BFW) mat reinforced epoxy laminated hybrid composites are investigated experimentally based on ASTM standards. The hybrid composites are prepared by compression molding process and results are compared with pure glass and banana fiber mat epoxy laminated composites. Results shows that introducing of SGFR mat in-between the BFW mats in the epoxy laminated composites reduces the overall weight of the composites and the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites are varied with BFW mat orientation. Moreover, the mechanical properties are varied by varying the number of layers in hybrid composites. The hybrid composites with four layers of glass and three layers of banana (i.e. G4B3) are showing higher tensile, flexural and impact properties compared to G3B2 composites. Also, by varying orientation of banana fiber woven mat, the maximum mechanical properties obtained for composites containing G4B3 layering pattern at 0° and 30° orientations.