Mechanical Characterization and Structural Attributes of Biohybrid Composites Derived Using Hemp, Bamboo, and Jute Fibres: an Alternative Approach in the Application of Natural Fibres in Automobile Parts

Abstract

In the present work, three natural fibres, namely jute, hemp and bamboo have been hybridized with seashell powder and polypropylene resin as biohybrid composites. Nine samples are considered for this study with various weight propositions of bamboo, hemp, and jute. The mechanical characteristics, such as the flexural, impact, and tensile strength of nine samples, are compared, and the Sample 9 shows very good results; the obtained flexural, tensile strength and impact energy of Sample 9 are 239.36 MPa, 47.84 MPa, and 18.33 J, respectively. The main reason for this is the presence of jute material and layering pattern; Sample 9 contains 60 % Jute, 20 % hemp, and 20 % bamboo; the percentage of jute is high compared to the other eight samples. Furthermore, morphological analysis and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) have been carried out with Sample 9. While comparing the properties of with the existing dashboard material properties, they show more desirable values and thus, the compositions of Sample 9 material can be used for various vehicle parts. When the experimental results are compared with the finite element analysis (FEA) results, the experimental results match with the FEA results, and few variations are noticed.