Effect of ultraviolet radiation and water spraying on the mechanical properties of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes reinforced natural fiber and hybrid composites

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of aging by ultraviolet radiation and water spray on the mechanical properties of natural fiber and hybrid composites. Pure jute, hybrid jute/glass, and glass fiber‐reinforced composites were fabricated. All these types of composites were further modified with 0.6 wt% of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and their mechanical behavior was compared to the unmodified specimens. Tensile and flexural tests were used to measure the mechanical properties of unaged (control) and aged specimens. A scanning electron microscopy analysis was used to examine the fracture surfaces of the specimens tested. It was found that the aging process affected the mechanical properties of the composites studied in different ways. For jute and jute + MWCNT composites the properties decreased with increased exposure time. The hybrid jute/glass composites (unmodified and MWCNT modified) were less affected by aging and showed an insignificant change in tensile strength. The hybrid + MWCNT composites, showed an increase of approx. 7% in Young's modulus (1000 h) and 9% (500 h) and 17%, (1000 h) in flexural modulus when compared to the unexposed specimens. The MWCNTs had a positive effect on the mechanical properties of the glass + MWCNT aged samples.

Effect of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Curauá Natural-Fiber-Reinforced Composites

“…116%. The literature demonstrates that integrating fillers into the matrix effectively mitigates void formation between the fiber-matrix interface, thereby enhancing the load transfer efficiency between the reinforcement and the matrix [11]. The presence of nanoparticles delays the onset of cracking in a polymer in addition to increasing a composite's flexural strength [36].…”

“…Due to their remarkable attributes, including a high specific surface area, strong chemical compatibility with the hydrophobic matrix, and the ability to arrest cracks, they have a synergistic relationship with natural-fiber-reinforced composites (NFRCs) [9]. However, to prevent undesirable filler agglomeration, it is imperative to meticulously assess the fabrication process and the homogenization technique employed for the matrix/filler combination [10,11].…”

“…Several authors have explored the effect of MWCNTs on the mechanical and thermal properties of composites [11,12,[15][16][17][18]. Zhao et al [16] investigated the influence of MWCNTs when mixed into the matrix and fiber of carbon-fiber-reinforced composites.…”

“…Neto et al [11] conducted a comprehensive study investigating the impact of MWC-NTs on the UV-and water-spray-aging process of natural fiber and hybrid composites. The hybrid composites were composed of plain weave bidirectional fabrics made from a combination of jute and glass fibers embedded in an epoxy resin matrix.…”

Current Development and Future Perspective on Natural Jute Fibers and Their Biocomposites

“…Some nanofiller (carbon nanotube, graphene,) incorporation in the jute composite can increase performance which will create a new area of research [ 83 , 84 ]. Hybrid jute composites with a mixture of two matrixes such as reinforced polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) were also prepared by compression molding.…”