Effect of Orientation of Basalt Fiber Skin on Damping Performance of PALF/Epoxy Hybrid Composites

Abstract

The objective of the present study is to develop a low-cost hybrid composite using pineapple leaf fiber obtained from agro-waste as core and high modulus basalt fiber produced from volcanic rock as skin to analyze the impact of basalt fiber orientation (skin) on the tensile, flexural, and damping properties of the composite. Different composite samples were fabricated with PALF at 0º (aligned with the longitudinal direction) and with different basalt fiber orientations using the hand layup method. The findings showed that the laminate with PALF and basalt aligned in the longitudinal direction had the best flexural properties and storage modulus, while the sample with the basalt fiber oriented at 90° had the best tan delta (damping). The maximum variation in glass transition temperature due to change in fiber angle was noticed as ~3°C.

Keywords

• basalt
• palf
• damping
• fiber orientation
• hybrid composites