Developed Hybrid Composites Research Articles

Impact of nano sized SiC and Gr on mechanical properties of aerospace grade Al7075 composites

Aluminum composites exhibit high resistance to wear and corrosion, possess high strength, offer durability and more such properties. In this study, Al7075, reinforced with nano size SiC - Gr was produced by a stir casting technique and its microstructure and mechanical behavior were evaluated. Reinforcements were added in the range of 0 - 3 wt. %. The microstructure study, tensile and compression strength of the developed hybrid Metal Matrix Composites have been analyzed and examined. From the investigational study, it was found that the reinforcements are evenly dispersed in the base material. The porosity and density of the developed composites were found to be enhanced. The mechanical properties such as ultimate tensile and compressive strength of the developed MMCs could be improved by addition of SiC particulates compared to base material. Further, the strength of developed hybrid composites was found to be decreased by adding of solid lubricant such as graphite (Gr) particulates along with hard ceramic particulates. Finally, fractured surface of the tensile test specimens were analysed using a SEM analysis.

Study on the Impact and Water Absorption Performance of Prosopis juliflora & Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Composite Laminates.

Current global trends demand the replacement of synthetic fibres with natural fibres in polymeric composites. The present work makes use of Prosopis juliflora, a plant that is a threat to the environment as a partial replacement in a hybrid composite. Individual Prosopis juliflora fibres are added to matrices at ratios of 12, 6, 9 and 8 wt % and glass fibres are added discretely at ratios of 28, 24, 21 and 32 wt % into matrices as well. The composites are prepared with four different combinations and tested in terms of the mechanical benefits and water absorption performance. This work exploits the mechanical advantage of impact energy in addition to producing Prosopis juliflora particles, fibre glass mats, and resin appropriate for structural uses. Water absorption tests are conducted for four different compositions. Among the four samples, sample 3 (9 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 21 wt % glass fibres) has a higher rate of water absorption than the others, although sample 2 (6 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 24 wt % glass fibres) has a lower rate. The difference in the quantity of water absorption between the hybrid composites can be attributed to the weight percentage of fibres. On the other hand, sample 1 (12 wt % Prosopis juliflora fibres and 28 wt % glass fibres) is reported to have absorbed 2.6 J of energy in the impact strength test. The increase in impact strength is attributed to the increase in the weight percentage of glass fibres. A scanning electron microscope is employed to study the fractured surfaces of the composites. This study shows that the developed hybrid composite could be employed in structural and automotive applications because of its improved impact strength and water resistance.

Energy absorption performance of Kevlar/snake grass fiber composites under ballistic impact test with nano Al2O3 inclusion

AbstractPresent research work aims to know the significance of nanofiller aluminum oxide (Al2O3) loading on viscoelastic behavior and ballistic impact behavior of Kevlar/snake grass fiber (SGF) hybrid epoxy composites. A mechanical stirring process was used to modify the epoxy matrix by adding different weights (0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10%) of the nanofiller Al2O3. The manual lay‐up method by subsequent hot pressing was used to create the Al2O3‐added Kevlar/SGF hybrid epoxy composites. The tensile, interlaminar shear, flexural, and impact strength were tested. When compared to the control sample, the 2 wt% filler‐loaded hybrid composites had higher tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, and interlaminar shear strength by 6.42%, 6.11%, 53.11%, and 11.08%, respectively. Furthermore, morphological analysis was performed on the mechanically tested samples to forecast the failure mechanism. The 2 wt% filler‐loaded hybrid epoxy composites demonstrated effective interfacial bonding with matrix and minimal fiber pullout, according to micrograph images. The developed hybrid composites were subjected to dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The DMA results demonstrated that hybrid composites with 8 wt% filler had better viscoelastic behavior than the control sample. Under a ballistic impact test, the ability of the Kevlar/SGF composites with nano Al2O3 inclusion to absorb energy was assessed. According to the findings, incorporating nano Al2O3 into Kevlar/SGF composites strengthened their ballistic impact resistance and energy absorption. The addition of 8 wt% nanofiller resulted in high energy absorption, according to ballistic impact studies. As compared to the control sample, the composite sample with 8% filler reveals a 68.80% enhanced energy absorption. Furthermore, the composite samples with the optimal wt% Al2O3 nanofiller can be used to mold impact‐resistant materials for a bulletproof vest.

Taguchi Predictions On Wear And Heat Treatment Of A357 Based Hybrid Metal Matrix Composites

<p>A large range of engineering applications can be suited to hybrid metal matrix composites because of their improved mechanical properties, making them superior to conventional materials. Hybrid composites are widely used in the automotive and aerospace industries because they feature excellent wear resistance, corrosion resistance, high strength, and low density. This paper demonstrates how to use the stir casting method to create a hybrid composite. The current focus of research is on the fabrication of composites using triple particle silicon carbide (5% weight) and graphite (1.5% weight) as the reinforcements and A357 as the matrix. Wear analysis of the composite materials was conducted following the Taguchi L18 method. To obtain insight into how control factors and heat treatment parameters affect the wear rate of composites, the prescribed number of experiments was carried out. Using ANOVA, major influencing factor for the wear rate accomplished was the sliding distance of all the developed hybrid composites.</p>

ENHANCEMENT OF MECHANICAL BEHAVIOUR THROUGH HYBRIDIZATION OF KENAF WITH BASALT FIBER IN REINFORCED VACUUM BAGGED POLYMER COMPOSITE

"Many researchers concentrate on designing and developing natural hybrid fiber-reinforced composites due to their tremendous merits in terms of mechanical and thermal behaviors, and biodegradability. The present work developed hybrid composites using the vacuum bagging method with woven kenaf and basalt fiber reinforcement. Six hybrid composites, with five stacks in six different stacking sequences, were produced and compared with five stacks of layered composite made of individual basalt and kenaf fiber, respectively, to analyze mechanical properties, such as tensile, flexural, compression, impact, hardness, thickness swelling and water absorption, according to ASTM standards. Results revealed that the tensile, compressive and flexural properties, as well as water absorption (hydrophobic behaviour) and thickness swelling, of basalt fiber reinforced laminates were better compared with those of kenaf fiber-reinforced laminates and of kenaf and basalt fiber hybrids. Laminates with basalt fiber as the outermost layer showed good hardness and impact strength results. Morphological analyses were carried out on fractured composite samples, using scanning electron microscopy to study the failure modes."

Thermophysical properties of hybrid silica phenolic ablative composite: Theoretical and experimental analysis

AbstractSilica phenolic ablative composites are used in many high‐temperature applications like rocket/missile solid motor nozzles, space re‐entry vehicles, and so forth. As ablative composite with lower thermal conductivity and density can save considerable cost, a hybrid silica phenolic ablative composite was developed by establishing a novel processing methodology using chopped silica fiber, phenolic resin, and hollow glass microsphere. The thermophysical properties of the developed hybrid composite are analyzed and established the scientific know‐how. The developed composites, with 36% lower density, displayed 50% lower thermal conductivity and 50% lower thermal diffusivity than standard silica phenolic composite. Since a proper thermal conductivity model for a three‐component composite with matrix, fiber, and hollow glass microsphere is not available, the most suitable model for the developed composite is established.

Effect of beryl and graphene nano platelets reinforcements on the wear behaviour of AL7075- beryl graphene particulate hybrid nano composites

The effect of beryl particles and graphene nano platelets (GNPs) on the wear behaviour of Al7075-beryl-graphene hybrid composites has been studied. The hybrid composites were developed containing Al7075 matrix as matrix materials and 6 weight percentage of beryl and varying 0.5 to 2 weight percentage of graphene by using novel two step stir casting technique and wear behaviour of the newly developed hybrid composites were studied. The dry sliding wear studies conducted using a pin-on-disc tribo-tester under atmospheric conditions revealed that the wear loss of Al7075-beryl-graphene hybrid composites are lower than that of the matrix Al7075 alloy and further with increasing weight percentage of graphene decreased the wear loss of the hybrid composites. The wear studies also showed that the increase in load, sliding speed and sliding distance, the wear loss of the composites increased. The microstructure of the worn out surface revealed that a huge amount of plastic deformation appeared on the unreinforced Al7075 alloy when compared to the reinforced hybrid composites. The incorporation of beryl and graphene into Al7075 showed worn out surface that is not smooth and grooves, scratches and parallel lines were observed. The addition of beryl and GNPs into the matrix reduces erosion and small grooves like structure were noticed in the hybrid composites which leads to a reduction in wear in Al7075-beryl-GNPs hybrid composites

A Review on the Parameters Affecting the Mechanical, Physical, and Thermal Properties of Natural/Synthetic Fibre Hybrid Reinforced Polymer Composites

The global drive towards a circular economy that emphasizes sustainability in production processes has increased the use of agro-based raw materials like natural fibres in applications that have long been dependent on inorganic raw materials. Natural fibres provide an eco-friendly, more sustainable, and low cost alternative to synthetic fibres that have been used for a long time in the development of composite materials. However, natural fibres are associated with high water absorption capacity due to their hydrophilic nature leading to poor compatibility with hydrophobic polymeric matrices, thus lower mechanical properties for various applications. Hybridization of natural fibres with synthetic fibres enhances the mechanical performance of natural fibres for structural and nonstructural applications such as automobile, aerospace, marine, sporting, and defense. There have been increased research interests towards natural/synthetic fibre hybrid composites in the past two decades (2001–2021) to overcome the identified limitations of natural fibres. Therefore, understanding the parameters affecting the properties and potential of using natural and synthetic fibre reinforcements to develop hybrid composites is of great interest. The review showed that using appropriate fibre orientation, fibre weight fraction and stacking sequence yields good mechanical, physical, and thermal properties that are competitive with what only synthetic fibre reinforced composites can achieve. In addition, these properties can be improved through pretreatment of natural fibres using different chemicals. This paper provides in review form the parameters affecting the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties of natural/synthetic fibre hybrid reinforced polymer composites from the year 2001 to 2021.

Effect of combined micro and nano silicon carbide particles addition on mechanical, wear and moisture absorption features of basalt bidirectional mat/vinyl ester composites

AbstractBasalt fiber reinforcement in polymer composites has recently become very competitive to the routinely used synthetic fiber reinforcements. In the present work, composite specimens were prepared with basalt fiber mat reinforcement in vinyl ester matrix along with varying quantity of the micro and nano silicon carbide (SiC) filler particle ranging from 1 to 5 wt% in combination. Tribological and water absorption properties of the developed hybrid composites were tested to ascertain its potential for commercial applications. The specimen made of SiC particle addictive combination of 3 wt% nano and 3 wt% micro particle exhibited better mechanical characteristics and this mechanical advantage declines beyond 3 wt% SiC filler addition due to agglomeration and poor dispersion of filler particles in the hybrid composite. The microstructural investigation done via scanning electron microscopy reveals the modes of failure, where better pull‐out resistance was displayed by the fiber bonding characteristics with the filler and vinyl ester matrix up to 3 wt% nano and 3 wt% micro SiC filler content. Similarly, the tribological characteristics of the composite specimen for the optimum filler content specimen were superior in comparison with other combinations. Moreover, the water absorption features of the developed hybrid composites were within the acceptable limits for marine and structural applications.

Development of an innovant carbon/jute porcine‐bone hybrid material for sustainable composite manufacturing

AbstractThe recent decade has witnessed significant innovations and research in the field of hybrid composites. This rapid growth warranted the development of lightweight composite with higher mechanical strength. The use of bio‐waste like cow bone powder and fishbone powder from food industries has shown significant enhancement in the mechanical properties of composites in recent past. Owing to the large number of pigs slaughtered daily for meat, porcine bones are readily available. Most of the time, these bones end up as waste, polluting the environment. In view of this, an attempt has been made to develop a sustainable and innovant hybrid composite using porcine bone powder (PBP) as filler, and carbon/jute fibers as reinforcement in a polyester matrix. The compression molding technique was used to develop the hybrid composite. Characterization of the developed composite was investigated by image processing, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. The influence of PBP percentage and size, on tensile strength, impact strength, and surface hardness were studied as per ASTM standard. In addition, the effects of alkali treatment of jute fiber on the above‐mentioned responses have also been studied. It was found that the mechanical strength of the hybrid composite was enhanced by the addition of PBP and alkali treatment. SEM images revealed that PBP with size 50–200 μm and weight percent from 10% to 15% demonstrated good bonding with the fibers. The developed hybrid composites demonstrated to be a sustainable solution to the bio‐waste management from the food industry.

Tribological Behavior of Aluminum Hybrid Nanocomposites Reinforced with Alumina and Graphene Oxide

Due to rapid technological advancements, the demand for lightweight materials with improved tribo-mechanical properties is continuously growing. The development of composite materials is one of the routes taken by researchers to meet these target properties. Aluminum (Al) is one of the most suitable materials used for developing composites for a wide range of applications because of its light weight, high conductivity, and high specific strength. In this study, aluminum hybrid nanocomposites with alumina (10 Vol% Al2O3) and varying loadings of graphene oxide (0.25, 0.5 and 1 wt% GO) were fabricated using the spark plasma sintering technique. The tribological properties of the developed hybrid composites were evaluated by conducting ball-on-disk wear tests at a normal load of 3N, with a sliding speed of 0.1 m/s, and for a sliding distance of 100 m. A 440C hardened stainless steel ball with a diameter of 6.3 mm and a hardness of 62 RC was used as a counterface. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), elemental X-ray dispersive analysis (EDS), and optical profilometry were used to ascertain the involved wear mechanisms. The results revealed that Al-10 Vol%Vol% Al2O3-0.25 wt% GO hybrid nanocomposite showed an increase of 48% in the hardness, a reduction of 55% in the specific wear rate, and a reduction of 5% in COF compared with pure aluminum.

Investigation of Weight Fraction and Alkaline Treatment on Catechu Linnaeus/Hibiscus cannabinus/Sansevieria Ehrenbergii Plant Fibers-Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites

The aim of the present work is to develop novel hybrid composites using areca, kenaf, and snake grass fibers as reinforcement and epoxy as the matrix. The areca, kenaf, and snake grass fibers were extracted from Catechu Linnaeus, Hibiscus cannabinus, and Sansevieria Ehrenbergii plants, respectively, and treated with 5% NaOH to improve the interfacial adhesion between the hydrophilic fiber and the hydrophobic matrix. Hybrid composites were developed by the compression molding technique and formulated based on the weight fraction of fibers. Tensile, flexural, and impact strength and hardness samples were prepared as per ASTM D 3039, ASTM D 790, ASTM D 256, and ASTM D 2240, respectively. The effects of alkaline treatment on developed hybrid composites were investigated. The developed hybrid composites with 20% wt. snake grass and 10% wt. areca fiber present interesting mechanical properties with a tensile strength of 58 MPa, flexural strength of 124 MPa, impact strength of 5.24 kJ/m2, and hardness of 88. The results indicate that maximum mechanical properties were obtained for alkaline-treated fiber composites with 20% wt. snake grass fiber compared to untreated fiber composites owing to better adhesion between the treated fiber and the matrix. The effect of alkaline treatment was analyzed by Fourier transform infrared. The fractured surfaces of tested samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy.

A Review of Recent Advances in Hybrid Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites (NFRCs) have demonstrated great potential for many different applications in various industries due to their advantages compared to synthetic fiber-reinforced composites, such as low environmental impact and low cost. However, one of the drawbacks is that the NFRCs present relatively low mechanical properties and the absorption of humidity due to the hydrophilic characteristic of the natural fibre. One method to increase their performance is hybridization. Therefore, understanding the properties and potential of using multiple reinforcement’s materials to develop hybrid composites is of great interest. This paper provides an overview of the recent advances in hybrid natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. First, the main factors that affect the performance of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites were briefly discussed. The effect of hybridization on the mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid composites reinforced with several types of natural fibers (i.e., sisal, jute, curauá, ramie, banana, etc.) or natural fibers combined with synthetic fibers is presented. Finally, the water absorption behaviour of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites is also discussed. It was concluded that the main challenges that need to be addressed in order to increase the use of natural-natural or natural-synthetic hybrid composites in industry are the poor adhesion between natural fibers and matrix, thermal stability and moisture absorption of natural fibers. Some of these challenges were addressed by recent development in fibers treatment and modification, and product innovation (hybridization).

Hybrid composites with engineered polysaccharides for automotive lightweight

In this study, the objective was to develop hybrid composites combining the semi-crystalline engineered polysaccharide α-1,3-glucan (Nuvolve™) with typical long glass fiber in a polypropylene matrix to optimize specific indicators of performance while also considering environmental attributes. Morphological analyses were conducted in conjunction with the evaluation of mechanical performance of these hybrid composites to gain further understanding of filler-matrix interaction. Optimum loadings of the polysaccharide / glass fiber system were identified as promising alternative to the current glass fiber / polypropylene incumbent material utilized in many commercial application (e.g. by Ford Motor Company for body interior and under-the-hood applications). Formulations with 10/15 (e.g. 10 wt.% polysaccharide and 15 wt.% glass fiber) or 10/20 showed an overall increase of >100% with respect to modulus, strength and impact properties while also demonstrating a density reduction of up to 13%. Interestingly, the life cycle analysis showed that addition of only 10 wt.% polysaccharide was able to save 4,720 liters of fuel for every ton of polysaccharide used in vehicles. Therefore, hybrid reinforced thermoplastic composites offer a balance of engineering and environmental performance to exceed materials in use. These new composites are commercially viable while also advancing the environmental stewardship and eco-efficiency within the automotive industry.

Influence of rare earth addition on the properties of AA6351 hybrid composites

Nowadays, the effect of the rare earth addition on the performance of aluminium matrix composites is a major interest for many researchers. The present research work emphasis is on the study of the effect of praseodymium oxide (rare earth element) addition on the performance of AA6351 hybrid composites. Silicon carbide and rice husk ash in the weight proportions of 6:2 were ball-milled with various weight percentages (0.4%, 0.8%, and 1.2%) of praseodymium oxide to have a consistent microstructure and combined density equivalent to the AA6351 matrix alloy. Further, AA6351 hybrid composites with the ball-milled reinforcement of silicon carbide, rice husk ash, and praseodymium oxide were produced using stir-casting technique. Physical, microstructural, mechanical, and tribological characterization were done to study the impact of praseodymium oxide addition on the developed hybrid composites. An increment of 2.61% in the density, 49.40% in the microhardness, and 19.78% in the ultimate tensile strength was recorded with the incorporation of 1.2 weight percentage of praseodymium oxide in the AA6351 hybrid composites. The wear rate of the developed composites also improved by 32.92% with the addition of praseodymium oxide. The results exhibited a remarkable improvement in the performance of the AA6351 hybrid composites with the addition of rare earth element.

Optimization of Sisal Fiber, Glass Fiber and Alumina- Based Hybrid Composite for Flexural Strength Using Taguchi Technique

Abstract: In the current study, flexural strength of combination of natural and synthetic fiber with particle filled hybrid composites have been studied. The flexural strength of the hybrid composite mainly depends on the proportion of the sisal fiber weight, glass fiber weight and alumina weight. Taguchi technique has been applied to find the optimized parameters of the developed hybrid composites. Results were obtained for the L9 orthogonal combination from experimentation. The results were analysed with the help of Signal/Noise (S/N) Ratio, Main effect plot and Analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Mini Tab 19. Regression equation are developed for all three reinforcements separately. From the current study it was observed that the flexural strength of the hybrid composite mainly depends on the sisal fiber precent that the other two reinforcements. Based on the experimental observations the maximum ultimate flexural strength was found to be 145.97 MPa for optimised input parameters as 20% of sisal fiber, 20% of glass fiber and 2% of alumina. Keywords: Taguchi technique, ANOVA, Flexural strength, Sisal fiber, Glass Fiber, Alumina

Structural and mechanical properties of a novel Al-Al2O3-WS2 hybrid composites

A solid-state processing method has been adopted to fabricate an advanced aluminum-based hybrid composite with two-dimensional WS2 reinforcement. The structural and mechanical properties of the newly developed Al-based hybrid composites were evaluated. The density of the hybrid composites increases from 2.73 g/cm3 to 2.86 g/cm3 and the average hardness from 33.3 ± 1.359 HV to 52.2 ± 0.729 HV with an increase in WS2 wt% in the matrix phase. The effect of WS2 reinforcement on structural and mechanical properties was discussed to optimize the composition of the developed hybrid composite.

Hemp/glass woven fabric reinforced laminated nanocomposites via in-situ synthesized silver nanoparticles from Tilia cordata leaf extract

ABSTRACT The reinforcement of natural and artificial fiber-oriented woven fabrics with thermosetting polymers is getting popularity nowadays. The hybridization of natural hemp with glass could facilitate the developed composite panels to be a potential candidate for automotive parts. Both hemp and glass-woven fabrics were treated with greenly synthesized silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) obtained from Tilia cordata leaf extracts and then composited by using thermosetting epoxy resin. Three composite panels were developed from five consecutive layers of glass- and hemp-woven fabrics (sequence is glass, hemp, glass, hemp, glass); in two of them the fabrics were loaded with 1% and 5% AgNPs, respectively, the third one was prepared without any nanosilver loading. The presence of green AgNP was tested and confirmed by using XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and ICP OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) test. The developed hybrid composites were characterized for thermal, mechanical, physical, and morphological performance and found satisfactory results. Statistical analysis of the test results also confirmed the positive influence of nanosilver loading on hybrid composites. However, the developed biocomposite panels could facilitate the industrial production units with most advanced, feasible, and multi-functional laminated products.

Hybrid composites of Al5083- graphene - fly ash by friction stir processing: machining studies

Hybrid composites are the modern engineered materials which exhibit presence of two or more than two reinforcements in a matrix. In the current work, Al5083 - Graphene and fly ash were dispersed in Al5083 alloy to develop hybrid composites by friction stir processing (FSP). Microstrucutral studies revealed band structures in the stir zone. Increased hardness was measured for the composites due to the grain refinement resulted from FSP and also due to the presence of reinforcements (Graphene and fly ash). The variations within the measured hardness values were observed as higher for the composites due to the variations in the concentration of the Graphene and fly ash in the stir zone. Lower cutting forces were recorded for the composites during drilling experiments conducted on the base materials and the composites. Here, the role of graphene as solid lubricant can be noticed as an important factor. The overall results demonstrate that Al5083-Graphene-fly ash hybrid composites can be successfully developed by FSP which exhibit better mechanical properties and machining behaviour.

Characterization of Hybrid Composites with Polyester Waste Fibers, Olive Root Fibers and Coir Pith Micro-Particles Using Mixture Design Analysis for Structural Applications.

In the present work, hybrid composites were developed by using polyester waste fibers along with natural origin materials: olive root fibers and coir pitch filler. Such composite panels can be used as a potential alternative for fiber glass sunshade panels and room dividers in buildings. Hybrid composites were fabricated by mixing polyester waste fibers and olive root fibers in different ratios (0:100, 33:67, 67:33 and 100:0). Coir pith micro-particles with an average size of 312 d.nm were used as filler in the polyester matrix at three different levels (0%, 5%, and 10%) of the overall matrix weight. Mechanical properties, e.g., tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength, thermal properties, e.g., coefficient of linear thermal expansion, thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and environmental properties, e.g., water absorption, loss of density after exposure to weathering were characterized. For comparison purposes, a commercially available fiber glass sunshades sample was also investigated. Mixture design analysis was used to optimize the ratio of all components in the composite. Graphical comparison of experimental results using regression models showed a high degree of correlation. An optimized formulation of composite with an objective of maximization of tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and minimization of water absorption, density loss, as well as coefficient of linear thermal expansion, was determined at 70.83 wt%, 15.15 wt%, and 14.01 wt% of polyester waste fibers, olive root fibers and coir pith micro-fillers, respectively. Overall, it can be concluded that the developed hybrid composites from waste fibrous materials can be used as a promising alternative and a value-added application in buildings and construction purposes.