Improvement In Flexural Strength Research Articles

Effect of pore structure characteristics on the properties of red mud-based alkali-activated cementitious materials

This study used a mercury intrusion porosimeter (MIP) to establish a Menger sponge model and a thermodynamic fractal model to investigate the influence mechanism of changes in the pore structure of red mud-based alkali-activated cementitious materials under different Na2O contents on their mechanical properties and volume stability. The results indicate that the thermodynamic fractal model can better reflect the pore size distribution within the entire pore size measurement range, with a correlation coefficient R 2 maintained between 0.98347 and 0.99854. Moreover, the thermodynamic fractal model can well reflect the relationship between the pore structure characteristics of the matrix and its macroscopic properties, with the increase of Na2O content, the N-(C)-A-S-H gel content continuously increased, and the pore fractal dimension increased from 2.42609 to 2.72440, indicating a denser pore structure, which promoted the improvement of compressive and flexural strength of the matrix at 28 days while deteriorating volume stability.

Effect of Hybrid Nanofillers on the Mechanical Characteristics of Polymethyl Methacrylate Denture Base Composite

The research study focused on enhancing the mechanical characteristics of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) denture bases. PMMA is commonly used in dentistry due to its easy fabrication, cost-effectiveness, and favourable physical properties. However, its limitations include low wear resistance, hardness, and mechanical strength, making it less suitable for long-term dental applications. To address these limitations, the study employed a combination of hybrid nano-fillers, specifically HNTs (halloysite nanotubes) and MWCNTs (multi-walled carbon nanotubes), at varying loading levels to improve the mechanical characteristics of the PMMA composite. These nano-fillers underwent treatment by using a coupling agent to enhance their compatibility with PMMA. Key findings of the research include that introducing HNTs/MWCNTs into the PMMA matrix led to a substantial increase in flexural strength, with a significant improvement of 109.1 MPa compared to unfilled PMMA. This indicates that the composite material became more resistant to bending or deformation. There was a substantial rise in flexural modulus values, suggesting improved stiffness in the nanocomposite compared to unfilled PMMA. In addition, the tensile strength of the PMMA composite increased by 64.4 MPa with the addition of the hybrid nano-fillers, indicating enhanced resistance to stretching or pulling forces. The study found that the improvement in flexural and tensile strength was dependent on the concentration of MWCNTs. Increasing the MWCNT concentration up to 0.75 wt.% led to improved mechanical properties, but further increases resulted in a reduction in PMMA properties. Although there was a modest improvement in Vickers hardness (approximately 18.93 kg/mm<sup>2</sup>), the addition of HNTs/MWCNTs as hybrid nano-fillers effectively enhanced the properties of the PMMA nanocomposite. The study concludes that incorporating hybrid nano-fillers into PMMA could contribute to the longevity and durability of dental composites, addressing some of the material's inherent limitations. The specific combination and concentration of nano-fillers played a crucial role in determining the mechanical properties of the resulting nanocomposite.

Fracture mechanism and ductility performances of fiber reinforced shotcrete under flexural loading insights from digital image correlation (DIC)

This paper investigates the fracture mechanism and ductility performance of fiber-reinforced shotcrete (FRS) under flexural loading through digital image correlation (DIC) analysis. The focus is on determining the optimal mix design, utilizing recycled and manufactured fibers in shotcrete through four-point bending tests. These tests reveal significant improvements in flexural strength and ductility, as well as crack resistance, attributed to the synergistic effect of both types of fiber in hybrid fiber reinforcement. Notably, the inclusion of recycled fibers from automobile tires enhances mechanical characteristics and impact resistance, contributing to environmental sustainability and cost reduction. DIC analysis offers crucial insights into crack initiation and propagation in shotcrete, highlighting the impact of fiber reinforcement on crack patterns. Manufactured fibers delay crack onset effectively, while hybridization enhances fracture characteristics, offering improved crack control and flexural strength. The study underscores the potential of hybrid fiber mixes for enhancing structural performance in tunnel support applications, emphasizing the synergistic effect of hybrid of different fiber types. Overall, the research contributes to advancing understanding of fracture behavior in fiber-reinforced shotcrete and provides practical insights for optimizing mix designs to achieve superior mechanical properties and durability.

Enhanced Mechanical Properties of Ceramic Rod-Reinforced TWIP Steel Composites: Fabrication, Microstructural Analysis, and Heat Treatment Evaluation

This study investigates the development and characterization of ceramic rod-reinforced TWIP (twinning-induced plasticity) steel matrix composites, produced using the lost foam casting technique. Mechanical tests revealed a substantial improvement in both flexural strength and ductility, with the composite demonstrating more than double the strength of unreinforced TWIP steel. Furthermore, a simple low-temperature heat treatment further enhanced these properties, increasing the flexural strength of the composite to 1023 MPa while also improving its ductility. The improvement in mechanical performance is attributed to the formation of additional twins in the TWIP steel matrix during deformation following heat treatment, which resulted in further strengthening of the matrix.

Tasar silk fiber waste reinforced polylactic acid composite: Physical, mechanical, and sliding wear characterization

Incorporating natural industrial waste as a reinforcement for the development of sustainable composite is now being extensively practiced to eliminate harmful synthetic fiber. This study exhaustively evaluated the potential of tasar silk fiber waste (TSFW) as a reinforcing agent in a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix to optimize the physical, mechanical, and wear properties. Therefore, PLA-based biocomposites with varying TSFW proportions (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 by weight) are manufactured and then evaluated for physical (density, voids, water absorption), mechanical (tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness), and sliding wear properties. Results suggested that water uptake of PLA composites increases with the addition of TSFW and becomes saturated after nine days of immersion. The TSFW reinforcement at 8 wt% in PLA yields 32 % and 22 % improvement in tensile strength (66.2 MPa) and flexural strength (103.2 MPa), respectively. A remarkable improvement was observed in the impact strength at similar reinforcement (8 wt%) of TSFW with the observed value of 27.90 kJ/m2. A continuous increase in hardness was obtained by including TSFW in PLA, with the highest value of 86 Shore D recorded for 10 wt% TSFW added biocomposite. The specific wear rate of all samples increased, but the incorporation of TSFW significantly reduced the same. Microscopic examination suggests that microploughing, microcutting and groove formations were the main mechanism of material removal. After examining the results, it is recommended that TSFW be used in bidirectional mat form for further enhancement of mechanical properties and improved bonding between fiber and matrix.

Bio-based liquid crystal epoxy resins: Toughening and strengthening of conventional epoxy resins with strategically extended spacer layers

Liquid crystal epoxy resin, as an ideal toughening agent, combines the features of liquid crystal ordering and network cross-linking, which can effectively optimize the comprehensive performance of blended epoxy resins and achieve an ideal balance of rigidity and toughness. Here we successfully synthesized rigid and flexible bio-based liquid crystal epoxy resin (THBR-EP) by finely tuning the length of alkyl side chains. Using aromatic diamine as curing agent, a homogeneous network without phase separation was constructed by taking advantage of the different activity but good compatibility with ordinary epoxy resins, which significantly improved the toughness of the blended system. Specifically, only a small amount of THBR-EP(2.5 wt%) was required to exhibit a maximum impact strength of 48.8 kJ/m2. Moreover, the increase in system toughness was accompanied by a benign improvement in flexural strength, modulus and thermal stability. The ordered structure of the liquid crystals and their good compatibility with the resin matrix enhanced the ability to inhibit crack extension and energy dissipation. The feasibility to simultaneously achieve effective toughening and other property improvements of common resins broadens the application of resins under various demanding scenarios.

Key Mechanical and Durability Characteristics of Concrete Admixed with Natural Rubber Latex and Sisal Fibre

Objectives: Significant infrastructure projects may require the use of high-performance concrete that possesses specific characteristics, including exceptional flexural strength, hardness, impact resistance and long-lasting durability. Polymer modified concrete is such type of concrete which improves the flexural strength and serviceability requirement of concrete buildings. Methods: The purpose of this study is to determine whether Natural Rubber Latex (NRL), a natural polymer, can replace synthetic latex and enhance the performance properties of concrete. Concrete is enhanced by the inclusion of natural rubber latex, which contributes a dry rubber content ranging from 0.5% to 1.5% of the weight of cement in the mixed composition. This study examines and compares the characteristics of latex modified concrete with sisal fibre-reinforced concrete with a constant sisal fibre content of 0.3%. It also investigates the combined effect of fibre and latex in concrete. Findings: The findings demonstrated a substantial enhancement in the ability of concrete to absorb energy (up to 166%) under impact loading. Additionally, the modification of concrete using latex resulted in an improvement in flexural strength of up to 39%. The decreased permeability of chloride ions and reduced water absorption in latex treated concrete are clear indications of its exceptional durability. Novelty: Polymer modified concrete using NRL is the next generation concrete and the sisal fibre incorporation in it is a relatively a novel approach in the field of concrete technology. It encourages the advancement of eco-friendly technology in the construction industry. Keywords: Sisal Fibre, Impact resistance, Chloride permeability, Natural rubber latex, Water absorption

Modeling for predicting and optimizing of the flexural and hardness properties of jute/kenaf/glass fiber nano-composite through RSM

The research involves developing and evaluating hybrid natural and synthetic fiber composites using a hand lay-up technique and statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) to exploit the exceptional properties of the materials. The study examines the effects of different fibers (kenaf, jute, and glass), fiber orientation, fiber sequencing, and nanoparticle content on key mechanical properties such as flexural strength and hardness. Response surface methodology (RSM) is employed to create mathematical models of these properties. Statistical analysis reveals that fiber alignment and placement have a significant impact on the mechanical properties, with the type of nanoparticles used also playing a critical role in enhancing composite strength. Composites with fibers oriented at 90° show the best mechanical properties, especially when 5 % nanoparticles by weight are added. Among the different sequences tested, the hybrid composite with a 90-degree fiber orientation, sequence 1, and 5 % nanoparticles exhibits a 40 % increase in flexural strength and a 20 % increase in hardness compared to previous designs. Sequence 2 results in a 35 % improvement in flexural strength and an 18 % increase in hardness, while sequence 3 yields a 27 % improvement in flexural strength and an 18 % increase in hardness. These results confirm the superior performance of the hybrid composites when optimized with appropriate fiber orientation, sequencing, and nanoparticle content.

Enhancement of sintering and mechanical properties of alumina-rich Al2O3-MgO-CaO refractory composite by doping La2O3

Ceramics or refractories prepared in the Al2O3-rich corner of the Al2O3-MgO-CaO system show excellent high-temperature mechanical properties and chemical stability because of the presence of spinel (MgAl2O4) and calcium hexaluminate (CaAl12O19). However, the densification of these two crystals usually requires high firing temperatures due to their poor sinterability. To address this issue, La2O3-doped MgAl2O4-CaAl4O7-CaAl12O19 refractory composites were designed, and the influence of the doping level on the densification, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the composite was investigated. It was found that the doped La3+ was predominantly dissolved in the CA6 grains by replacing Ca2+, forming uniform solid solutions regardless of doping concentration. This reaction significantly accelerates ion diffusion and CA2 grain growth. Besides, it reduces the aspect ratio of CA6 crystals, weakening the negative effect of the elongated grains on mass transfer and sintering. As a result, the relative density increases from 79.5 % to 95.1 % after sintering at 1600 °C with doping only 0.5 wt% La2O3 into the composite, producing a uniform and dense microstructure with regular angular grains. The above effects result in a significant improvement in flexural strength and fracture toughness (increasing by 61 % and 57 %, respectively). Moreover, the La2O3-doped refractory composite achieves a decline of the high-temperature creep rate by one order of magnitude at 1600 °C.

Mechanical properties and damage modeling of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete under freeze-thaw cycles

This study aimed to investigate the mechanical properties of steel-polyacrylonitrile hybrid fiber reinforced concrete and its durability under freeze-thaw damage. Firstly, the mechanical properties of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete were studied by compressive strength and flexural strength tests. Secondly, with the help of rapid freeze-thaw test, the variation rules of mass loss rate and relative dynamic elastic modulus were characterized. Based on the test results and freeze-thaw damage theory, the evolution equation of freeze-thaw damage of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete based on Weibull distribution was established. The results show that the enhancement effect of hybrid fiber on the mechanical strength of concrete is better than that of single mixed fiber, especially in the improvement of flexural strength; Accordingly, compared with the single mixing of steel fibers or single mixing of polyacrylonitrile fibers, hybrid fibers are more effective in improving the durability of concrete against freezing and this improvement effect increases with the increase of steel fiber content; The freeze-thaw damage model of Weibull distribution can better reflect the freeze-thaw damage process of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete .Through the freeze-thaw damage evolution curve, it can be found that after 500 freeze-thaw cycles, the freeze-thaw damage degree of the hybrid fiber reinforced concrete with different steel fiber content has been very close, which means that the influence of steel fiber content on the freeze-resistant performance of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete will be limited. This study provides a theoretical basis and technical basis for the design of concrete structures in alpine regions.

Influence of Steel Slag as a Partial Replacement of Aggregate on Performance of Reinforced Concrete Beam

Amidst the global pursuit of sustainable alternatives in concrete production, this study explores the viability of incorporating by-products or waste materials as aggregates to support the concrete construction industry, with a specific emphasis on steel slag. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of steel slag as a partial replacement for fine and coarse aggregates in concrete production. The experiment involved casting 30 cubes and 10 beams, replacing fine aggregate from 0 to 60%. Flexural and compressive strength tests at 7 and 28 days followed the ACI method. Results revealed that a 30% replacement of fine aggregate with steel slag led to higher compressive strength at both 7 and 28 days, while a 45% replacement showed superior flexural strength at 28 days. Further chemical analysis and optimization are recommended for deeper insights. The study concludes with marginal improvements in compressive and flexural strength with steel slag partial replacement, identifying 30% for fine aggregate and 45% for coarse aggregate as optimal replacements. In addition, the mineral composition of steel slag exhibits significant variability, with compounds, including silicon dioxide (SiO2), iron oxide (Fe2O3), manganese oxide (MnO), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and calcium oxide (CaO). Chemical analysis indicates high silicate content and minimal alkali content, contributing to enhanced strength during concreting. Higher steel slag replacement reduces workability, confirmed by slump tests. However, all mixes maintain a true slump, and unit weight increases with steel slag aggregate replacement. Compressive strength improves incrementally with higher steel slag content, echoing prior research. In addition, flexural strength rises with steel slag replacing both coarse and fine aggregates, suggesting enhanced performance in reinforced concrete structures. These findings highlight steel slag’s potential as a sustainable alternative in concrete production, aiming to advance its application in the construction industry, promoting environmental sustainability and economic viability.

An experimental study on mechanical and fracture characteristics of hybrid fibre reinforced concrete

This research investigates the impact of polypropylene and glass fibres on the mechanical and fracture properties of concrete. Prepared specimens consisted of plain concrete (PC), polypropylene fibre-reinforced concrete (PPFC), glass fibre-reinforced concrete (GFC), and polypropylene-glass hybrid fibre-reinforced concrete (HFC). The specimens were evaluated for their mechanical and fracture properties. PPFC indicated a little drop in compressive strength and GFC demonstrated a moderate gain; HFC, as a result of synergistic effect of polypropylene fibre and glass fibre, demonstrated a marginal increase in compressive strength. The substantial increase in flexural and split tensile strength was observed in all the fibre reinforced concrete specimens, compared to plain concrete. The incorporation of polypropylene fibre yields the greatest improvement in concrete's split tensile strength, whereas the incorporation of glass fibres results in the highest improvement in concrete's flexural strength. The fracture characteristics also showed significant improvement in fibre incorporated concrete. The coaction of polypropylene and glass fibre in HFC resulted in 30.1 % increase in first crack strength and a threefold rise in flexural toughness compared to plain concrete. Compared to plain concrete, the critical crack tip opening displacement of PPFC, GFC, and HFC increased by 43.90 %, 26.25 %, and 39.02 %, while the critical stress intensity factor increased by 15.73 %, 13.10 %, and 14.22 %. Subsequently, it was determined that the fracture energies of PPFC, GFC, and HFC were 3.35, 1.78, and 2.50 times those of PC, respectively. In addition, the synergistic effect of polypropylene and glass fibres in concrete was studied, and it was found that when used together, the fibres have better fracture characteristics than when used alone, without compromising mechanical strength. Subsequently, different bilinear softening curves were used to predict fracture parameters, and it was seen that the computed values agreed with the experimental values.

Advanced cement composites: Investigating the role of graphene quantum dots in improving thermal and mechanical performance

The investigation of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) at very small nano- and atomic sizes is a novel approach in the fields of structural cement, concrete, and ceramic materials, which have not been thoroughly explored. This study investigates the comparative effects of two variations of GQDs, Qdl and Qdp, against a control mixture to assess the potential of graphene derivatives in enhancing thermal and mechanical properties of cement composites. The research presents their influences across a wide range of attributes, including flowability, bulk density, permeable voids, water absorption, compressive strength, flexural strength, surface temperature, thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, specific heat capacity, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) isotherm, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and microstructural characteristics. The empirical data underscore the superior freshness, physical, mechanical, and thermal attributes of GQDs-infused cement composites. Notably, the composites with 0.3 % Qdl show 20.8 % and 50 % increases in compressive and flexural strengths, respectively. On the other hand, the composites with 1.2 % Qdp show significant improvements in both compressive and flexural strengths, being 40 % and 108 % stronger than the control, respectively. Additionally, the thermal properties of the composites exhibit a proportional enhancement with increasing GQDs content. Microstructural analyses reveal a nano-bridging mechanism well-uniformly facilitated by the secondary nucleation and crystallization of calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) gel. This investigation offers innovative insights into the incorporation of GQDs in cement composites, highlighting their potential to create highly conductive structural cement and ceramic.

Combined effect of silica fume and various fibers on fresh and hardened properties of concrete incorporating HDPE aggregates

Recycling of waste plastics has become essential to mitigate their detrimental impact on the environment. However, it can be used in the construction sector to fulfill construction needs and conserve natural resources. Previous research has demonstrated that incorporating plastic aggregate reduces the strength properties of concrete; hence, there is a need to improve its strength properties. In this study, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic is incorporated in aggregate form, as a partial substitute for natural coarse aggregates (NCA) at volumetric ratios of 10 %, 30 %, and 50 %. Various strength enhancement techniques, including the addition of macro synthetic fibers (MSF), steel fibers (SF), and substituting 20 % of cement with silica fume, were employed. The results indicated that workability of concrete is improved with an increase in the content of HDPE coarse aggregates (HCA). Furthermore, concrete containing 30 % HCA performed better in terms of strength compared to concrete with 10 % and 50 % HCA. The findings demonstrate that concrete containing fibers performs better than concrete without fibers. The utilization of 0.75 % MSF and 1 % SF dosage leads to a 93 % improvement in splitting tensile strength, a 72 % improvement in flexural strength, and a 48 % improvement in compressive strength for concrete containing 30 % HCA. Using scanning electron microscopy, it was found that incorporating HCA weakens the internal matrix. However, the addition of a precise amount of fibers and pozzolanic materials resulted in improvements in microstructure. The significance of this research lies in the utilization of HDPE waste materials in concrete by simultaneous usage of different fibers.

Sustainable Engineered Designs and Manufacturing of Waste Derived Graphenes Reinforced Polypropylene Composite for Automotive Interior Parts.

The automotive sector is actively pursuing a lightweighting strategy as a means to urgently decrease greenhouse gas emissions, which are a significant driver of climate change. The development of lightweight composite structures has been identified as crucial for enhancing part performance while mitigating negative environmental impacts and adopting energy-efficient manufacturing methods. This comprehensive study aimed to decrease the main reinforcement content of talc in commercial compounds while integrating graphene derived from waste polypropylene (PP) grown on talc and graphene nanoplatelet obtained from waste tires by upcycling processes into the PP compound. The entire value chain of interior automotive part production, from compound development and scaling up with a high-shear mixer, to injection molding of the part and performance tests, was investigated with a focus on sustainability considerations. The successful integration of 4 wt % micron talc, together with 1 wt % graphene nanoparticles and 1 wt % hybrid additive into the blended HomoPP/CopoPP matrix resulted in a 10% weight reduction compared to the conventional part. Moreover, significant improvements in flexural and tensile strength were observed, with enhancements of 52 and 38%, respectively. The uniform dispersion of additives and improved interfacial adhesion between the PP matrix and additives facilitated efficient stress transfer, contributing to enhanced mechanical properties. Furthermore, a systematic life cycle assessment study demonstrated the positive impact of waste PP incorporation on CO2 reduction, achieving a remarkable 95% reduction compared to virgin PP. The developed compound also demonstrated favorable processability and flow properties, supporting its potential for mass production. Overall, this study presents a sustainable and effective approach for lightweight automotive interior part production using a synergistically designed PP compound meeting the requirements of the automotive industry.

Enhanced strength and toughness of carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composite prepared via novel indirect extrusion method

The fabrication of large-sized, high-performance CF/Al composites presents significant challenges for the aerospace industry. This study introduces a novel indirect extrusion (IE) method for the high-quality production of CF/Al composites. The study investigates the infiltration mechanism of the alloy liquid during the IE process, highlights the technique's advantages, and systematically analyzes the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of CF/Al composites. Results show that the aluminum liquid initially fills the interlayers and subsequently penetrates the fiber bundles, effectively shortening the infiltration distance. At a casting temperature of 800°C and an infiltration pressure of 40 MPa, the composite exhibits excellent forming quality and microstructural integrity. Compared to direct extrusion (DE) CF/Al composites, IE-CF/Al composites show significant improvements in compressive strength (16.72 %), flexural strength (16.87 %), fracture toughness (43.18 %), and work of fracture (90.61 %). The interlayer alloy and increased fiber spacing in IE-CF/Al composites enhance energy absorption capacity and reduce the risk of brittle fracture. This process lays a solid foundation for the high-quality production and application of CF/Al composites.

Flexural behaviour of geopolymer concrete beams with hybrid natural–synthetic fibre reinforcement

The requirement of excellent flexural stiffness in construction elements has initiated the use of fibre reinforcement. However, the processing complexity involved in the manufacture of synthetic fibres is environmentally hazardous. The use of natural fibres in geopolymer concrete (GPC) structures was investigated in this work using a hybridisation of natural and synthetic fibre. Natural basalt fibre (BF) was used with synthetic steel fibre (SF) in various proportions in GPC and tests were conducted to evaluate the workability, compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength. It was found that, compared with the plain GPC, the addition of 1.5% BF and 0.5% SF resulted in 45%, 27% and 12% improvements in compressive, split tensile and flexural strengths, respectively. The compatibility between the SF and BF resulted in enhanced post-peak flexural behaviour, with 37% improvements in the modulus of elasticity and stiffness. As BF possesses more tensile strength than SF, the use of 1.5% BF and 0.5% SF provided better flexural and ductility properties than the use of SF alone, which could lead to the development of ductile GPC members under dynamic loading conditions.

Validating synergistic effects of hybrid nanomaterials and progressive collapse behaviour of UHPC beams: Do particle packing theory, experiments and finite element analysis strongly interconnected?

Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC), a unique cementitious composite that exhibits an ideal solution for structural reclamation. The significant objective is to develop UHPC with binary nanomaterials (nanosilica and nano clay) using Modified Andreasen and Andersen particle packing theory and examine effect of nano hybridization in flexural and shear behaviour of reinforced UHPC beams. In addition, findings such as load-deflection behaviour and crack pattern are validated with Finite Element Analysis (ANSYS). The synergistic effect of hybrid nanomaterials enhances formation of hydration products that accounts for 27%, 30.7%, and 49% improvement in compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength in 2% nanosilica and nano clay (D2 mix Id). Moreover, flexural UHPC beam (D2 F) and shear UHPC beam (D2 S) withstand 9.5% and 10% higher ultimate load than control (A0 F and A0 S mix). The Finite Element Analysis predicts ultimate load in very minimum discrepancy percentage that ranges from 1 to 3%.

Experimental study on the effects of SS304 and Aluminium reinforcements on mechanical and vibration properties in jute‐epoxy composites

AbstractJute fiber has emerged as a promising reinforcement material in polymer composites, and researchers are actively exploring hybrid composite materials to overcome its individual mechanical property limitations and enhance overall performance. The paper introduces a unique hybridization of polymer composites that harnesses the advantages of stainless steel and aluminium offering a lightweight material for potential engineering applications. In this study, stainless steel 304 wire mesh (S), aluminium wire mesh (Al) and aluminium perforated sheet (Alp) are used as an additional reinforcement along with jute (J) and glass (G) fibers to fabricate hybrid polymer composites with varying volume fractions of SS304 and Al wire mesh. Seven laminates of hybrid composites namely J/J/J/S/J/J/J, J/J/S/J/J/S/J/J, J/J/J/Al/J/J/J, J/J/Al/J/J/Al/J/J, J/J/J/Alp/J/J/J, G/J/J/J/S/J/J/J/G, (J/J/S/J/J/S/J/J)450 along with virgin composite laminate J/J/J/J/J/J/J/J were fabricated and tested to obtain mechanical and vibration properties. Bonding between metal wire and matrix is investigated and reported through ILLS tests and SEM observations. Experimental findings indicate a notable 24% and 7% increase in tensile and ILSS strength, respectively, with SS304 reinforcement. Moreover, significant improvements in flexural and impact strength, approximately 48% and 33% for J/J/S/J/J/S/J/J, demonstrate the effectiveness of the hybrid approach. The J/J/S/J/J/S/J/J laminate excels in damping capacity under various boundary conditions. The study underscores the potential of metallic reinforcement to enhance the mechanical properties of jute fiber‐reinforced polymer composites, presenting opportunities for the development of lightweight, sustainable, and high‐performance materials in engineering applications.Highlights Developed jute fiber‐based hybrid polymer composites with metal wire reinforcement. Significant increase in strength and stiffness observed with addition of metal wires. Bonding between metal wire and matrix is investigated through ILLS tests and SEM observations. Vibration damping of all hybrid materials is reported. Study provides valuable data to develop sustainable, lightweight, and cost‐effective materials.

An efficient approach to manufacturing carbon nanosheets from lignite and their impact on the mechanical performance of semi-crystalline thermoplastic composites with comprehensive benchmarking

Lignite-derived carbon nanosheets (CNS) offer a novel approach to producing carbon-based nanomaterials with unique advantages over other precursors. The primary mechanism successfully demonstrated the transformation of lignite into CNS by thermo-chemical treatment process through acid treatment (HNO3), catalyst impregnation (FeCl3), and carbonization (1000 °C, 5 min) steps resulting in the enrichment in the carbon content by maintaining the desired efficiency to be used as a filler in compounding process. Moreover, the produced CNS had superior characteristics in terms of carbon content reached 70 % and thermal stability even at 1000 °C compared to lignite. Subsequently, a comprehensive benchmarking study was conducted to achieve high compatibility and uniform dispersion between semi-crystalline thermoplastics such as HomoPP, CopoPP, PA6 and PA6,6 with CNS using a high-speed thermokinetic shear mixer. CNS exhibited enhanced compatibility with thermoplastics, leading to improved mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural modulus inpolymer composites. The benchmark studies revealed that a loading ratio of 0.5 wt% of CNS exhibited optimal reinforcement efficiency. Notably, PA6 matrix demonstrated the most significant improvement in yield strength, increasing by 12 %, while PA6,6 showed the highest increase in tensile modulus at 25 %. Similarly, PA6,6 exhibited the most notable improvement in flexural modulus with a substantial increase of 17 %. Conversely, HomoPP matrix displayed the highest improvement in flexural strength, increasing by 13 %. Furthermore, the incorporation of CNS into the polymer leads to an increase in the crystallization temperature from 182 °C to 194 °C for PA6-0.5 % CNS. These findings highlight the potential of CNS as versatile materials with promising polymer applications such as automotive and aviation.