Mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of hybrid kevlar/natural fiber composites

Abstract

The current experiment aimed to identify the characteristics of composite materials enhanced with aloe vera, bamboo, palm, and kevlar fibres. Three different types of combinational fabrication—Type I (a blend of aloe vera and bamboo), Type II (a combination of bamboo and palm), and Type III—were carried out from all the other them (blend of palm and aloe vera). Analysis was done on the mechanical and dynamic-mechanical evaluation of biocomposites made spontaneously. Natural fibres used to produce hybrid composites were alkaline and treated in a 2.5 ml NaOH solution for 6 h at room temperature to get acceptable characteristics, then dried to remove the wax and oils on the natural fibre’s exterior surface. The effect of different stacking sequences on the mechanical and dynamic properties of manufactured composites has been investigated experimentally through ASTM standards. Impact, inter-delamination and double-shear tests are used to evaluate the mechanical properties; the failure mechanisms of the fabricated hybrid composites with various stacking sequences and testing conditions were investigated through the fractographs of SEM analysis. Type I S1 samples were found to display significant impact energy (10 Joules) as compared to other samples, and the break load of composite specimens was higher at 4.5 KN in S2 samples of type-III as compared to type-I and II, revealed Type-I samples with significant peak area of 0.492 delivered at 102.01 °C as compared to two types, Type-3 (Palmyra Palm + Aloe Vera) composite gave the best mechanical, dynamic properties.

Keywords

• kevlar fibre
• hybrid composites
• dynamic mechanical analysis
• mechanical p roperties