Mechanical Characterization of Areca Fiber and Coconut Shell Powder Reinforced Hybrid Composites

Abstract

The use of natural fibers in polymer matrix composites are increases because of their advantages like good stiffness, strength, environmental friendly, low cost and biodegradable. In the present investigation, hybrid fiber reinforced composites are fabricated using areca fiber and coconut shell powder (CSP) as reinforcement in epoxy resin. Unidirectional areca fiber and CSP reinforced epoxy composites were fabricated by varying the overall fiber loading (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt.%) and different weight ratios of areca fiber and CSP (1:1, 1:3, and 3:1). Effect of fiber loading and weight ratio on mechanical properties like tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), impact energy and surface hardness of hybrid composites were evaluate experimentally. All the hybrid composite samples fabrication and mechanical testing was done as per ASTM standards. The experimental investigation reveals that the tensile, flexural and ILSS properties show their maximum values at 30 wt.% of fiber loading with areca fiber and CSP weight ratio as 1:1. From the impact and hardness results it has been found that composites with areca fiber and CSP weight ratio as 3:1 and 1:1 respectively shows their maximum values at 40 wt.% of fiber loading. Interfacial analysis of the hybrid composites were also observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM).