Hasan Md Mahadi, Islam Md Ashraful, Hassan Tareq
Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Khulna University of Engineering & Technology, Khulna 9203, Bangladesh.
Heliyon. 2024 Dec 4;10(24):e40924. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40924. eCollection 2024 Dec 30.
This study investigated a composite material combining epoxy with hybrid jute (J) and glass (G) fibers. A straightforward and effective fabrication method was employed, utilizing five layers with various reinforcement materials. To identify the optimal combination, a comprehensive series of tests were conducted using a range of characterization instruments, including Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Universal Testing Machine (UTM), pendulum impact tester, density measurement, specific gravity evaluation, water absorption, and swelling thickness tests. The composite's physical, mechanical, microstructural, and fracture properties were thoroughly analyzed. The findings revealed that Type C exhibited the highest impact strength of 378 kJ/m, a Young's modulus of 10.567 GPa, and a flexural modulus of 13.872 GPa. Conversely, Type F demonstrated superior performance in terms of minimal water absorption (5.676 %) and swelling thickness (3.1 %). These results suggest that incorporating glass fibers in the outer layers and using woven jute fibers significantly enhanced mechanical properties while reducing water absorption and swelling. However, the inclusion of short jute fibers led to a decrease in mechanical performance. Microstructural analysis supported these findings, indicating a semi-brittle behavior with increased strength at the outer layers containing glass fibers. The fibers displayed greater strength than the matrix, resulting in matrix phase cracking before the fibers themselves. Overall, the fabricated composites show promising potential for various applications, offering a viable alternative to wood, plastic, or metal materials due to their lightweight nature and improved durability.
本研究调查了一种将环氧树脂与混合黄麻（J）和玻璃（G）纤维相结合的复合材料。采用了一种直接有效的制造方法，使用了五层不同的增强材料。为了确定最佳组合，使用一系列表征仪器进行了全面的测试，包括扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、万能试验机（UTM）、摆锤冲击试验机、密度测量、比重评估、吸水率和膨胀厚度测试。对复合材料的物理、机械、微观结构和断裂性能进行了全面分析。结果表明，C型复合材料的冲击强度最高，为378 kJ/m，杨氏模量为10.567 GPa，弯曲模量为13.872 GPa。相反，F型复合材料在最小吸水率（5.676%）和膨胀厚度（3.1%）方面表现出优异的性能。这些结果表明，在外层加入玻璃纤维并使用编织黄麻纤维可显著提高机械性能，同时降低吸水率和膨胀率。然而，加入短黄麻纤维会导致机械性能下降。微观结构分析支持了这些发现，表明在含有玻璃纤维的外层具有半脆性行为且强度增加。纤维显示出比基体更高的强度，导致基体相在纤维本身之前开裂。总体而言，所制备的复合材料在各种应用中显示出有前景的潜力，由于其轻质特性和提高的耐久性，为木材、塑料或金属材料提供了一种可行的替代方案。
