Mechanical characterization of pineapple, watermelon peel nanoparticles reinforced carbon, jute fabric, and its hybrid epoxy composites

Abstract

In the present investigation mechanical properties of pineapple and watermelon peel particles in nano form (described as fruit filler) is reinforced with carbon, jute fabric and its hybrids in an epoxy matrix. The composites under investigation were fabricated using hand layup combined with compression molding. Test on the effect of nanofiller weight concentration and fiber hybridization concerning mechanical properties such as tensile strength, hardness, flexural strength, and impact strength are conducted as per ASTM standards. The results show that the tensile strength of jute composite is improved by hybridizing it with carbon fabric or reinforcing it with watermelon nanofiller. The tensile strength of the carbon/jute hybrid is 197.36 MPa, which is higher than jute watermelon nanocomposites, which recorded 42.85 MPa. The hardness of jute composite increases by 7.6%, 5.06%, and 2.53% respectively while hybridizing it with carbon fabric, watermelon peel nanofiller and pineapple peel nanofiller. The flexural strength of the carbon/jute hybrid is 315.77 MPa, which is improved by hybridization. The impact strength of carbon composites increases by 13.63% and 27.27% by hybridizing it with jute fabric and reinforcing it with both pineapple and watermelon peel nanofiller. The fractured surface from the tensile test is analyzed using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to study the alignment of the fibers, fiber-matrix adhesion, voids, filler agglomeration, and fiber fracture.