No abstract

This paper presents the study of the tensile, compressive, flexural, impact energy and water absorption characteristics of the luffa fiber reinforced expoxy polymer composites. Luffa fiber reinforced epoxy resin matrix composites have been developed by hand lay-up technique with varying process parameters such as fiber condition (treated and untreated), chopped randomly oriented and different volume fraction (30%, 40% and 50%). Tensile strength varies from 9 MPa to 20 MPa, compressive strength varies from 75 MPa to 105 MPa, flexural strength varies from 15 MPa to 140 MPa and impact energy varies from 0.25 Joules to 1.45 Joules, as a function of fiber volume fraction. The optimum mechanical properties were obtained at 40% of fiber volume fraction of treated fiber composites. Fracture surface of the composite shows that pull out and de-bonding of fiber is occurred.

The need for eco-friendly materials and non-polluting processing techniques has made natural fibre reinforced polymer composites as potential candidates to replace GFRPS and CFRPS in semi structural applications. Ground nut shell and luffa fibre are easily available in the market at low cost. Polymer composites consisting of 30%, and 40% volume fractions of a hybrid reinforcement containing groundnut shell and luffa fibre in epoxy resin were fabricated by hand lay-up technique with varying process parameters, the variation in the mechanical properties such as tensile, compressive, flexure and impact strength are studied. The optimum mechanical properties were obtained in 40% of fiber volume fraction of treated fiber composites the machinability study was performed by drilling experiments using a drilling machine with drill tool dynamometer. Two input parameters, cutting speed and feed rate and the one output parameter, thrust force, were used for the drilling process. TiAlN coated solid carbide and hss drills were employed in the drilling experiments and a comparative study was made based on the output parameters. Solid carbide resulted in lower thrust force values and feed rate proved to be the most influential parameter on thrust force.