Experimental investigations on mechanical properties of sisal and coir fiber reinforced hybrid bio composites

Abstract

Nowadays, natural fibres have emerged as a new category of material, gradually displacing synthetic fibres in a variety of contexts. Synthetic fibres have the potential to lower the price of hybrid composites while enhancing their use with natural fibres. Coir and sisal fibres were used to create the hybrid composites in this investigation. Epoxy LY556 and Hardener HY951 were used in a hand lay-up process to create composites with alternating stacks of coir and sisal fibres. The produced composites were tested in accordance with the ASTM standards for tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, compression strength, water absorption, and biodegradability. The mechanical characteristics of composites were shown to be significantly influenced by the orientation of the fibres through experimentation. When compared to their angle-ply and cross-ply equivalents, unidirectional hybrid composites prove to be the superior material. Flexural and impact characteristics of hybrid composites are greatly affected by the hand lay-up method, whereas tensile strength and water absorption % are unaffected. These hybrid composites have shown promise as a lightweight load-bearing structural material, and this is something that should be noted.