<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Vehicle occupant protection remains a critical concern in the field of
crashworthiness technology. When integrated into polymer nanocomposites, natural
fibres like sisal offer a high strength-to-weight ratio that can contribute to
effective energy absorption during collisions. However, these fibers present
challenges, such as poor hydrophilicity and moisture retention. This study
employs compression molding techniques to create hybrid composites of sisal
fibers, epoxy, and titanium oxide nano fillers. We particularly investigate how
fiber orientation and the concentration of nano fillers can optimize mechanical
and thermal properties, thereby enhancing occupant protection features. Our
findings demonstrate that the orientation of sisal fibers and the incorporation
of titanium oxide nano fillers in the epoxy matrix significantly influence the
composite's mechanical and thermal characteristics. Composites reinforced with
continuous sisal fibers exhibited an 11%-18% increase in impact strength
compared to those with randomized fibers. Additionally, a 3% improvement in
hardness was recorded for the same comparison. In the context of nano fillers, 8
wt.% of titanium oxide added to woven sisal fibers resulted in a peak tensile
strength of 81.25 MPa. When 6 wt.% was added to woven sisal fibers, the
composite reached an impact strength of 31.58 J and showed enhanced hardness
properties. These improvements in mechanical properties are particularly crucial
for energy absorption and dispersion, key factors in occupant protection during
vehicular crashes. Interestingly, the density of composites was notably lower
with 2 wt% TiO<sub>2</sub> compared to those with 4 wt% TiO<sub>2</sub>, a
factor attributed to the high-density nature of the nanoparticles.</div></div>
