Natural Fiber Hybrid Research Articles

Influences of various natural fibers on the mechanical and drilling characteristics of coir-fiber-based hybrid epoxy composites

In this research, the hybrid natural fiber composite specimens were fabricated with a 64 wt% epoxy resin matrix, 20 wt% coir fiber, and 16 wt% of various natural fibers by the hand-layup method. The influences of various natural fibers (Coir, Jute, Flax, Cotton, Human Hair, Sisal, Kenaf, and Calotropis) on the mechanical characteristics (tensile, flexural, and impact strengths) and drilling properties (delamination factor and ovality) of the Coir-fiber based hybrid composite have been investigated. The maximum tensile strength (48.15 MPa), maximum flexural strength (47.87 MPa), and maximum impact strength (2.85 kJ m−2) have been obtained by Coir/Flax, Coir/Sisal, and Coir/Hair Fiber hybrid composite materials, respectively. The minimum delamination factor (1.0) and ovality (169.4 μm) were obtained by coir/flax and coir/jute hybrid composite specimens when compared to other combinations of specimens. The delamination factor and ovality of the drilled hole of all combinations of hybrid composite specimens have been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. The delamination factors of Coir/Flax and the drilling ovalities of Coir/Jute composite specimens are lower than those of other combinations of Coir-fiber-based composites.

Study of the Effects of Alkali Treatment and Fiber Orientation on Mechanical Properties of Enset/Sisal Polymer Hybrid Composite

In the manufacturing process of innovative fiber-based composite materials, natural fibers are among the most commonly employed reinforcements. In this study, Enset/Sisal (E/S) fiber with a polyester matrix was used to develop the hybrid composites. Hand layup methods were employed for the sample preparation from untreated, 5%, and 10% alkali-treated unidirectional and woven fiber orientations having 50:50 volume ratios. The mechanical properties and water absorption of natural fiber hybrid composites were influenced by fiber treatment and orientation. In the present investigation, the result shows that treated and woven fiber orientation hybrid composites exhibit better mechanical properties than untreated and unidirectional E/S hybrid composites. The 5% NaOH-treated samples have higher tensile and flexural strength properties than the untreated and 10% alkali-treated composites, while the 5% NaOH-treated fiber composites have lower water absorption properties. The tensile and flexural strengths and impacts of 5% NaOH-treated composites were improved by 5.21%, 9.25%, and 5.98%, respectively, over untreated E/S hybrid composites. The morphological properties of the fracture surface of the composite were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Static and dynamic mechanical analysis of hybrid natural fibre composites for engineering applications

Static and dynamic mechanical analysis of hybrid natural fibre composites for engineering applications

Enactment of Fiber Reniforced Hybrid Epoxy Composite for Passenger Car Bumper Beam

These days, fuel economy and emission petrol control of passenger vehicles are two critical challenges. The most effective approach to improve fuel efficiency with the front and rear parts of a vehicle are equipped with bumpers, which are crucial in low-speed collisions because they serve as low-speed energy absorbers. Sacrificing safety is to employ fiber reinforced composite materials in the body of cars. The fascia is a major element that is designed to absorb abrupt or impact loads that are imparted to automobiles either purposefully or accidentally. The objective for the incorporation of the bumper is when a collision suspends a vehicle to abrupt or impact loads, it is employed to absorb crash energy and is beneficial again for safety of the driver passengers as well as for the vehicle. In this work, a novel composite bumper beam which will be made of hybrid (natural and synthetic) fiber epoxy composite material embedded with multi walled carbon nanotubes to improve the bending stiffness. The major goal of the current investigation is to determine the impact of nano carbon tubes on the mechanical characteristics of jute/glass/epoxy hybrids and banana/glass/epoxy hybrids. The samples manufactured using a hand layup method and a variety of stacking sequences. Experimentations for three quasi-static 3-point bending test as well as fracture toughness will be conducted. Also, water absorption capability in reinforced materials will be measured. Based on the results, the bumpers are proposed for the Indian passenger cars.

Image Computation Algorithm for Determination of Microstructural Properties of Rice Husk-Sisal-Kenaf Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composite

In the current work, the morphological and mechanical features of a hybrid epoxy matrix composite created by hand layup and reinforced with fibers from rice husk, sisal, and kenaf are predicted by using Watershed segmentation algorithm. To forecast the effect of coating composition on physical performance of a composite, Tensile and hardness tests were used to define the resulting hybrid composites' mechanical characteristics. The objective of the empirical investigation presented in this work is to understand the mechanical behavior of hybrid natural fiber composites. The production of rose husk-sisal-kenaf-epoxy hybrid samples is done by hand layup, with the planned plies being alternately stacked and the weight of the matrix and fibers being kept between 40% and 60%. Samples are sliced from a laminate that has been manufactured in accordance with ASTM specifications in order to undertake various experiments. Dog bone and flat bar shapes were used to cut specimens for tensile test & flexural test. Tensile strength and flexural strength were measured following execution of experiment under UTM and contrasted with base values of used epoxy polymer to identify constant change in strength.

Influence of abrasive water jet and conventional drilling on the fatigue performance of hybrid carbon/flax laminates

Most of the research on hybrid natural fiber composites has been focused on non-structural applications. The aim of this research is to improve the understanding of how to use hybrid natural fiber composites for structural applications, such as in the aerospace and automotive industries. The joining of subassemblies with rivets, bolts, or screws is a prominent feature in these industries, which implies that the presence of holes in the structural members is unavoidable. The study of the effect of holes on the mechanical behavior of these members is therefore imperative, especially given that holes are stress risers. An important factor in the design of open-hole hybrid flax composites is their fatigue behavior under cyclic loading because it accounts for most failures in composite structures. The investigation of this behavior is reported in this study where three types of 16-ply symmetric hybrid composites that were manufactured using woven carbon (C) and unidirectional flax (F), namely, unidirectional (CF[0]), cross-ply (CF[0/90]) and angle-ply (CF[[Formula: see text] 45]) are employed. A circular hole was made in the center of each specimen using either an abrasive water jet or conventional drilling methods. The observed machining-induced critical defect was delamination, which manifested in three forms: peel-up, push-out, and secondary. Stepwise fatigue tests were conducted to determine the damage evolution and high-cycle fatigue strength of each layup. The damage evolution of the material was assessed via stiffness damage, thermographic methods, and dissipated energy per cycle. It was observed that CF[0] layups are unaffected by the machining process and they have an identical high-cycle fatigue strength. For the CF[0/90] and CF[[Formula: see text] 45] layups, conventional drilling specimens have a higher high-cycle fatigue strength than their abrasive water jet counterparts.

Optimisation on uniformity and compressibility of rapeseed straw cellulose fiber mixtures for straw/mineral hybrid natural fiber composite

The aim was to optimise rapeseed straw cellulose fiber mixtures in terms of uniformity (UM) and compressibility (CP) for straw/mineral hybrid natural fiber composite preparation. Response surface methodology (RSM) combined with Box-Behnken design (BBD) was used to investigate the effect of mixing process conditions on UM and CP. The results showed that the optimum UM was 98.6% and CP was 16% when the fiber dispersion time was 130 s, the straw fiber size was 60 mesh and the addition was 6 wt%. Based on this the sustainable composites were prepared, their friction coefficient fade was tested and SEM analysis of the wear surface was carried out in parallel. The results further indicate that a uniform mix contributes to the friction coefficient stability of the composites. This study has valuable implications for the industrial application of straw fibers in the field of sustainable composites.

Investigation of Mechanical Characterisation and Thermal Performance of Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites for Automotive Applications

Investigation of Mechanical Characterisation and Thermal Performance of Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites for Automotive Applications

Effect of Natural Filler on Natural Fibre Hybrid Composite

The natural filler material is reinforced along with natural fibers in the composite to improve the quality and property of the component materials based on the requirements and its applications. In this paper, the hybrid composite was developed with Hemp/ Basalt fiber. Various wt% (15%,20%,25%) of Hemp fiber and filler materials were used as reinforcement. The Hemp fiber was surface treated with 5% of KMnO4. The developed hybrid natural fiber composites were performed with various mechanical properties studies like tensile, bending, impact, and Brinell hardness all these tests were performed as per ASTM standards. From the mechanical property study, 25 wt% Hemp fiber hybrid composite hold good mechanical properties compared to all other wt% developed hybrid composite.

Effects on mechanical properties by hybridization of glass fiber on Aloe vera/Roselle epoxy Composites

ABSTRACT The research toward replacing synthetic fiber with natural fiber was increased rapidly because of their significant advantages. In this research, an attempt is made to create the glass epoxy composite with the hybridization of natural fibers Roselle and Aloe vera laminates. Hybrid Natural fiber laminates were produced at four different combinations and the effect of hybridization on mechanical behaviors has been evaluated under ASTM Standards. The test results reveal Roselle based hybrid composite delivers better strength than other laminates. Morphological analysis was done on the fractured samples and analyzed through the scanning electron microscope (SEM).

Investigation of Hemp and Flax Fiber-Reinforced EcoPoxy Matrix Biocomposites: Morphological, Mechanical, and Hydrophilic Properties

Modern day industries are highly focused on the development of bio-inspired hybrid natural fiber composites for lightweight biosensor chips, automobile, and microfluidic applications. In the present research, the mechanical properties and morphological characteristics of alkaline (NaOH)-treated hemp, flax, noil hemp, and noil flax fiber-reinforced ecopoxy biocomposites were investigated. The samples were fabricated by employing the hand layup technique followed by the compression molding process. A total of two sets of composites with various weight fractions were fabricated. The samples were tested for mechanical properties such as flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength, moisture absorption, and contact angle measurement. The treated fibers were analyzed by using an optical microscope and Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR). The morphological characteristics, such as porosity and fracture mechanisms, were investigated by using scanning electron microscopy and SEM-EDX spectroscopy. The results revealed that the flexural properties of hybrid composites vary from 22.62 MPa to 30.04 MPa for hemp and flax fibers and 21.86 MPa to 24.70 MPa for noil fibers, whereas in individual fiber composites, the strength varies from 17.11 MPa to 21.54 MPa for hemp and flax fibers and 15.83 MPa to 18.79 MPa for noil fibers. A similar trend was observed in interlaminar shear properties in both cases. From moisture analysis, the rate of absorption is increased with time up to 144 h and remains constant in both cases. The moisture gain was observed more in individual composites than hybrid composites in both cases. Hence, the impact of hybridization was observed clearly in both cases. Also, hybrid composites showed improved properties compared to individual fiber composites.

High-content Al-T6/pineapple fiber/brass mesh reinforcements on nanosilica-toughened epoxy hybrid natural fiber metal laminate composite for aircraft applications

High-content Al-T6/pineapple fiber/brass mesh reinforcements on nanosilica-toughened epoxy hybrid natural fiber metal laminate composite for aircraft applications

Physical and Mechanical Properties of Randomly Oriented Natural Fiber Hybrid Composites for Exterior Applications

Researchers are envisaging in the replacement of the metal and its alloys with natural materials for its superior availability and inferior cost. Although the natural fibers are available in abundant, the issue is their strength and thermal property which are considerably lower than conventional materials. This inferior property lieu put aside of using it for many applications. In order to overcome that the natural materials are hybridized to obtain the combined properties of individual materials. In the current work, natural fibers like hemp, banana and bamboo fibers were reinforced in epoxy resin and their mechanical and water absorption properties were evaluated. Main application considered now are in external casing for many devices like motors, generators and so on wherein the material should capable to work with the moisture along with mechanical strength. The material is developed specifically for this external application with relevant test like absorption of moisture and mechanical tests. It could be noted from the results that a tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and inter-laminar shear strength of 35.51 MPa, 96.99 MPa, 4.86 J and 3.6 MPa respectively has been obtained for sample with 30 % hemp fibers. Alongside, minimum voids and water absorption were obtained for the same composite configuration. These test reveals that these variants could effectively replaces the external metal casing in harsh environment

Fabrication and Investigation on Basalt Fiber and Jute Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composites

Composite materials are created by carefully combining two or more components to get a beneficial result. a system of materials made up of two or more physically distinct phases that, when combined, create aggregate properties that are distinct from those of their individual components. The fibre’s function is to give the product strength, bind the filaments together into a matrix, and shield the fibres from the elements. On a weight-to-weight ratio, composites are a class of materials that are stronger and more rigid than any other traditional engineering material. We employ in daily life. Other extremely intriguing options for further weight reduction include altering the volume proportion of fibre and resin in the component and aligning the orientation of the fibre along the direction of load. To create the hybrid natural fibre composites, the current experimental investigation intends to. Samples of a variety of jute, basalt, and polyester hybrid natural fibres will be created utilising the hand layup process, where the weight fraction of the fibre matrix is at various percentages and the stacking of the plies is alternated. Composites' void content rises as both the fibre loading and the fibre length increase. Composites with a 25wt% fibre loading demonstrate a better hardness value as far as the influence of fibre loading is concerned. Tensile strength diminishes after 25%, hence tensile modulus is appropriate for average weight percentage of fibre loading, or 25wt%.

ANALYSIS OF DRILLED HOLE QUALITY AND CIRCULARITY ERROR WHILE DRILLING JUTE-FLAX HYBRID COMPOSITES

This work is conducted typically to understand and analyse the quality of the drilled hole and the circularity errors associated with it, while the drilling is performed on the hybrid natural fibre reinforced epoxy composites prepared by simple hand layup technique. Materials used for the composite preparation includes jute-flax fibres along with the epoxy base. Experiments were conducted by considering the design of experiments using taguchi technique and the holes were drilled accordingly with varying parametric conditions and different drill sizes. The holes were analysed under a microscope and the quality of holes were studied which showed the comparison of delamination at the entry as well as the exit for different drilling conditions. The circularity error measurement for the drilled holes is conducted using coordinate measuring machine (CMM) which follows the minimum zone evaluation method. The observations are made on to which combination of drill parameters yield lesser circularity error and the effect of the combination of parameters are studied, followed by the optimization of process parameters done by RSM.

Influence of rice husk fillers on mechanical properties of banana/epoxy natural fiber hybrid composites

Increasing environmental pollution, climate change, and the use of non-biodegradable or renewable resources have become major concerns for researchers in the modern industrialized world. It isbelievedthat if we are to build a sustainable future, we must address these issues while also protecting the capabilities of theforthcoming generations to achieve their own requirements. Compared to synthetic reinforcing fiber natural fiber has different advantages such as harmlessness, low densities, lower processing costs, and similar comparable strength. In this experiment banana fiber reinforced with the epoxy and rice husk bio filler hybrid composites were made and the Mechanical properties of for these hybrid composites were characterized. Different volume fractions of fiber with various composite samples were made by using the traditional hand layup method and pressure applied at moderate temperature. All the hybrid samples were tested under tensile, flexural, and impact loading, the interfaces of fiber matrix were evaluated and the fractured surface structures were analyzed using a Scanning electron microscope (SEM). From the results, it was observed that the composite samples with 30 % banana fibers and 10 % rice husk exhibited better mechanical properties when compared with the other composite compositions.

Fatigue behavior of hybrid eco-composites: A review

Multifunctionality of composites has gained popularity, primarily through the hybridization of polymer composites for augmented performance. In this case, hybridization is ensured by adding fibrous reinforcement of different materials. There are a multitude of characteristics which can be enhanced due to hybridization. The synthetic reinforcements respond to uncontrolled carbon footprints, so we cannot claim them as sustainable. Hence, scientists have been discovering new solutions in sustainable eco-composites (with natural reinforcements) to tackle the environmental challenge. It is reported that albeit the natural fibres are eco-friendly, but they often lack in desired properties and hence find difficulty to enter the market. To achieve desired properties, several limitations of natural fibre, such as hydrophilic qualities, can be addressed by different surface alterations and chemical treatment procedures. Post the fourth industrial revolution, the rising concern about environmental issues has led an increased interest in natural fibre hybrid composites (also called as hybrid eco-composites). Such composites are composed of eco-friendly fibres or a combination of synthetic and natural fibres as a reinforcing material which makes it capable for multifunctional applications. Natural fiber reinforced composites have a great potential of cost per unit weight reduction and renewability over applications such as door panel, seat backs, dashboard, noise insulation panel, railing, bridge, and roof tiles. The prior art reveals that these composites have low fatigue strength which limits itself in structural application in comparison to its competitors, the synthetic composites. This means hybridization could result in synergy of advantages of each of the constituents leading to high fatigue strength, better load carrying, eco-friendly, and a low-cost structure. This review provides an overall insight on various hybrid eco-composites including their mechanical properties, fatigue behavior and its applications.

Long-Term Water Absorption of Hybrid Flax Fibre-Reinforced Epoxy Composites with Graphene and Its Influence on Mechanical Properties.

Interest in the use of natural fibres as an alternative for artificial fibres in polymer composite manufacturing is increasing for various engineering applications. Their suitability for use in outdoor environments should be demonstrated due to their perceived hydrophilic behaviour. This study investigated the water absorption behaviour of hybrid flax fibre-reinforced epoxy composites with 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% graphene by weight that were immersed in water for 1000, 2000, and 3000 h. The flexural and interlaminar shear strength before and after immersion in water was then evaluated. The results showed that graphene nanoparticles improved the mechanical properties of the composites. The moisture absorption process of hybrid natural fibre composites followed the Fickian law, whereas the addition of graphene significantly reduced the moisture absorption and moisture diffusion, especially for hybrid composites with 1.5% graphene. However, the flexural and ILSS properties of the composites with and without graphene decreased with the increase in the exposure duration. The flexural strength of hybrid composites with 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% graphene decreased by 32%, 11%, 17.5% and 13.4%, respectively, after exposure for 3000 h. For inter-laminar shear strength at the same conditioning of 3000 h, hybrid composites with 0.5%, 1% and 1.5% graphene also decreased by 13.2%, 21% and 17.5%, respectively, compared to the dry composite’s strength. The specimens with 0.5% graphene showed the lowest reduction in strength for both the flexural and interlaminar tests, due to good filler dispersion in the matrix, but all of them were still higher than that of flax fibre composites. Scanning electron microscope observations showed a reduction in voids in the composite matrix after the introduction of graphene, resulting in reduced moisture absorption and moisture diffusion.

Experimental investigation on jute/snake grass/kenaf fiber reinforced novel hybrid composites with annona reticulata seed filler addition

Natural fiber composites are hybridized nowadays to explore the synergetic effect of more fibers used in the properties of the composites. The natural fiber hybrid composite made with filler material has excellent wear resistance characteristics. This research work examined the mechanical properties, namely tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear strength, impact strengths, and hardness of the natural fiber reinforced hybrid composite that uses jute, snake grass, and kenaf fibers as reinforcement with various fiber volumes. Further, the wear behavior of the hybrid composites was enhanced by using Annona reticulata (custard apple) seed powder as a filler material. This study revealed that the sample has an equal proportion (12.5% of each) of snake grass and kenaf fiber (without filler) has excellent mechanical strengths. The wear behavior of the sample with 5 wt% filler shows a lower wear rate than other samples.

Multi-objective optimization and modeling of a natural fiber hybrid reinforced composite (PxGyEz) for wind turbine blade development using grey relational analysis and regression analysis

Due to the increasing demand for clean and sustainable energy, wind turbine technology has also witnessed significant developments in terms of its output capacity which is proportional to its size (length of wind turbine blades). The only limitation to this scaling is the availability of applicable materials with expected strength and low weight which can support a longer span wind turbine blade. Although studies have been carried out on alternate materials for the development of wind turbine blades, the use of Grey Relational Analysis for the optimization of natural fiber-reinforced composites for this application is rare. Also, pineapple leaf fiber, having considerable mechanical properties and low density has not been optimally considered as reinforcement in this regard. This is a robust study concerned with developing more eco-friendly materials for application in the manufacture of wind turbine blades. In this study, a material PxGyEz, a natural fiber/synthetic fiber polymer composite was developed and optimized based on the major criteria for selecting materials for wind turbine blades which are high tensile strength, high flexural strength, and low density. Grey relational analysis coupled with the Taguchi robust optimization technique was used for the optimization process and statistical analysis was employed to know the percentage contribution of each of the variable parameters (PALF volume percentage, glass fiber volume percentage, and fiber length) to the grey relational grades. The material P10G20E15 was the optimum having a grey relational grade of 0.7977 at experimentation and tensile strength of 95.3144 MPa, a flexural strength of 92.818 MPa, and a density of 1.3274 g/cm3. SEM analysis showed microstructural formations that explained the mechanical and physical behavior of the optimized hybrid composite. Simulation of an NREL 5 MW wind turbine blade developed with the optimized material P10G20E15 proved reliable for service with a 64% reduction in weight.