The aim of the present work was to study the effect of fiber surface treatment on the structural, thermal and mechanical properties of luffa fiber and its composites. Fibers were treated with alkali (5% conc.), benzoyl chloride, and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) (0.05%) at room temperature. The untreated and treated fibers were characterized and morphologically analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The effect of fiber surface modification on the mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, ILSS, and impact strength of the composites were investigated. It is observed that chemically treated Luffa cylindrica-reinforced epoxy composites significantly improved the mechanical properties of the composite. The maximum strength properties were found with benzoyl chloride-treated fiber-reinforced composite.

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The present work aims to study the moisture uptake and thickness swelling behaviour and its effect on tensile and flexural properties of Luffa cylindrica epoxy composite. Characterizations of the luffa fibre surface were carried out by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Composites were casted with single, double and triple layer of Luffa cylindrica fibre reinforced with epoxy resin by general hand-layup technique. Moisture uptake tests of composites were conducted by subjecting the composite samples in three different environments such as distilled water, saltwater (5% NaCl solution) and sub-zero temperature (–25°C). The diffusivity constant, thickness swelling rate parameter (KSR) and equilibrium moisture content were found out. The result indicates that moisture absorption pattern follows the Fickian diffusion behaviour for composites in all three environments. As the fibre layer increases, the percentage of moisture uptake increased due to high cellulose content. The mechanical properties of the composites were decreased with moisture absorption. Scanning electron microscope study was carried out to study the fracture behaviour of tested samples.

In this present work, the effect of stacking sequence on mechanical properties of untreated luffa cylindrica and glass fibre reinforced epoxy hybrid composites has been investigated experimentally. Composite laminates were fabricated by hand lay-up technique. All the composites were made with a total of 4 plies, by varying the number and position of glass layers so as to obtain six different stacking sequences. One group of neat epoxy samples was also fabricated for comparison purpose. Samples were analysed for their mechanical and flexural properties to establish the effect of various stacking sequence. It is found that the optimum properties (tensile and flexural strength) are achieved from hybrid laminate (S5) i.e. by placing two luffa cylindrica fibre mats at the middle when supported by two glass fibre mats on either side.

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