Evaluation of tensile strength of fibreglass composites-hybrid due to differences in sand size

Abstract

Hybrid composites are a combination of two or more types of fibers to create alternative materials. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the potential of hybrid fiber-particle composites to acquire new tensile properties derived from both types of fibers and particles. In this study, CSM300 glass fiber reinforcement was combined with sand, incorporating varying particle sizes to create a hybrid fiber reinforcement system. The analysis was carried out using five variations of sand particle sizes at 12, 16, 20, 24, and 40 (mesh size). The layers were arranged as RS+FG-SP-FG+RS (resin + fiberglass - sand particle #12, #16, #20, #24, #40 - resin + fiberglass), each incorporated in polyester resin using the manual press molding method at room temperature. The results showed that the highest tensile strength of the hybrid system (RS+FG-SP#16-FG+RS: 49.49 MPa) was achieved by combining both types of glass fiber and sand with #16 (sand mesh size). Furthermore, the maximum yield stress of 44.84 MPa and percent elongation of 10.17% were obtained at #16 and #12 sand mesh size, respectively. Research limitations/implications: The tensile strain-to-failure showed a significant increase from 0.22% at the beginning of the mesh particle size variation and reached a maximum for the fiberglass hybrid composite at #16 sand mesh particle size. For practical implications, the utilization of this technology requires the critical adjustment of sand diameter for industrial hybrid composite applications to achieve desired product specifications. Generally, the tensile index showed an increase at the initial sand size, reaching its peak at 0.35 mm (#16), followed by a decrease as the sand diameter is refined, with increasing mesh size.