Mechanical Performance of Short Banana/Sisal Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

Abstract

Short randomly oriented banana and sisal hybrid fiber reinforced polyester composites, banana/polyester composites and sisal/polyester composites were fabricated at different fiber loading say, 0.20 to 0.50 Vf. Composites were prepared by varying the relative volume fraction of the two fibers at each fiber loading. When the fiber loading was increased; tensile, flexural, and impact properties increased. Better performance was shown by composites having volume fraction, 0.40 Vf. Tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, and flexural modulus showed a positive hybrid effect when the volume ratio of the fiber was varied in the hybrid composites at each fiber loading. Maximum tensile strength was observed in composites having volume ratio of banana and sisal 3:1. When the volume ratio of sisal was increased, the impact strength of the composite increased. Different layering patterns were tried at 0.40 Vf, keeping the volume ratio of fibers 1:1. Tensile properties were slightly greater in the trilayer composite with banana as the skin material. Bilayer composites showed higher flexural and impact property. SEM studies were carried out to evaluate fiber/matrix interactions. Experimental results were compared with theoretical predictions.