Experimental and simulation study for mechanical properties characterisation of green natural reinforced composites

Abstract

AbstractThis study focuses on investigating the mechanical properties of a composite comprising jute fibers reinforced with a combination of cellulose and non-cellulose fillers. These fibers are infused with aloe vera gel and reinforced in an epoxy matrix. The process involves applying aloe vera gel to the jute fibers, followed by a 48-h cooling period. These treated jute fibers are then used to reinforce the epoxy matrix. Experimental tests were conducted to evaluate the tensile and flexural strengths of the composite. The epoxy matrix is reinforced with jute fiber composites that have been coated in aloe vera gel and include both cellulose- and non-cellulose-based particles. The cellulose-based fillers selected for this study are groundnut shell powder and teakwood powder, while graphene is chosen as the non-cellulose-based filler. The incorporation of graphene, teakwood powder, and crushed groundnut shell powder into the aloe vera gel-coated jute fibers improved tensile strength by 11.11%, 8.46%, and 53.43%, respectively, compared to a jute composite without particle reinforcement. Additionally, the study explores the behavior of a composite material containing two pre-existing cracks positioned differently, utilizing finite element methods. In all materials examined, transverse fractures consistently resulted in higher von Mises stresses and shear stresses compared to longitudinal cracks.