Experimental investigations and mechanical analysis of hybrid natural fibre reinforced composites

Abstract

Natural fibres now a days replacing the conventional structural materials such as Aluminium, steel, wood etc. with their excellent weight to strength ratio and with their high mechanical properties. In this present investigation hybrid composites were fabricated using Hand layup process using the natural fibres such as Banana, Coconut, Jute and Cotton fibres reinforced with Polyethylene at different weight proportions of 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20 wt%. Tests such as water absorption, flexural rigidity, tensile, hardness and few other mechanical tests were conducted on the hybrid natural fibre reinforced composites. Among the hybrid composites the coconut fibre with 20 wt% and banana fibre with 18% shows high tensile strength with 56.4 N/mm2 and 54 N/mm2 and flexural strength. Water absorption is less in the hybrid composite with coconut and cotton fibres as reinforcements and gains mass of 5gm and 7gm.