Investigations on mechanical and thermal properties of sisal abaca natural fiber reinforced composites

Abstract

The use of composite materials in a range of engineering sectors is increasing due to the benefits that these materials offer, which include a higher strength-to-weight ratio, enhanced stiffness and corrosion resistance, among others. It is possible to modify the properties of fiber-reinforced polymers to meet the requirements of a particular application. In the manufacturing of polymer-based composites, synthetic fibres such as Kevlar, Carbon Fiber and Glass Fiber are commonly employed as reinforcements. However, mounting environmental concerns have compelled to seek equally effective natural alternatives to synthetic fibres. Many researchers have shown that natural fibre composites could successfully replace synthetic fibre composites in certain applications. Sisal, bamboo, jute, coconut and abaca fibres are examples of naturally occurring fibres with advantageous mechanical properties. However, compared to synthetic fibres, natural fibres have much inferior mechanical properties. The vast majority of natural fibres are hydrophilic, which means that they prefer to absorb moisture from their surroundings as opposed to releasing it. However the drawbacks of natural fibers can be reduced by suitable hybridization between two different fibers used as reinforcement in polymer matrix. In this experiment, epoxy resin was used to assist the fabrication of hybrid fibre reinforced composites, with sisal and abaca fibre serving as reinforcements, respectively.