Abstract
Awareness of environmental concerns influences researchers to develop an alternative method of developing natural fiber composite materials, to reduce the consumption of synthetic fibers. This research attempted testing the neem (Azadirachta indica) fiber and the banyan (Ficus benghalensis) fiber at different weight fractions, under flame retardant and thermal testing, in the interest of manufacturing efficient products and parts in real-time applications. The hybrid composite consists of 25% fiber reinforcement, 70% matrix material, and 5% bran filler. Their thermal properties—short-term heat deflection, temperature, thermal conductivity, and thermal expansion—were used to quantify the effect of potential epoxy composites. Although natural composite materials are widely utilized, their uses are limited since many of them are combustible. As a result, there has been a lot of focus on making them flame resistant. The thermal analysis revealed the sample B was given 26% more short-term heat resistance when the presence of banyan fiber loading is maximum. The maximum heat deflection temperature occurred in sample A (104.5 °C) and sample B (99.2 °C), which shows a 36% greater thermal expansion compared with chopped neem fiber loading. In sample F, an increased chopped neem fiber weight fraction gave a 40% higher thermal conductivity, when compared to increasing the bidirectional banyan mat of this hybrid composite. The maximum flame retardant capacity occurred in samples A and B, with endurance up to 12.9 and 11.8 min during the flame test of the hybrid composites.
Highlights
Growing demands for environmental awareness in the recent era, promoting the use of renewable resources in numerous applications of lightweight materials, have gained the attention of researchers in the industry
High-performance composite parts can be fabricated with epoxy LY 556 as base material, with hardener HY951 used as a catalyst [16] for bonding purposes
The following major findings are observed: Short-term heat resistance was greater in sample A and sample B, according to the measured values of heat deflection temperatures (104.5 ◦C and 99.2 ◦C, respectively)
Summary
Growing demands for environmental awareness in the recent era, promoting the use of renewable resources in numerous applications of lightweight materials, have gained the attention of researchers in the industry. In the creation and examination of the mechanical and thermal properties of an epoxy composite reinforced with banana–kenaf glass fiber, warm tests were carried out and the outcome showed that the hybrid composite fibers were orchestrated at a 45◦ tendency and have preferred properties over the others [6]. In a review study on the thermal behavior of natural fibers filled with materials such as cellulose and protein particles, eco-friendly flame retardant treatments are shown to overcome the impact of those environmental issues can influence the performance of natural fiber composite [7]. Epoxy resins and other high-performance polymers, such as halogen-free and self-extinguishing thermoplastics, thermosets, fiber-reinforced composites, fibers, and foams, are being developed [13]
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