Experimental Investigation on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Glass/Jute Hybrid Laminates

Abstract

Natural fibres have been partly substituting synthetic fibres in polymer composites due to their renewable character and many other advantages, and sometimes, they can be hybridized into a single composite for a better combination of properties. This work aims to study the effect of hybridization and stacking sequence on the mechanical and physical properties of the glass/jute laminates. For that, pure jute, pure glass and glass/jute hybrids were manufactured by vacuum infusion process using orthophthalic polyester resin. The composites were characterized via C-scan analysis, density, volume fraction of constituents and optical microscopy analyses. Mechanical properties were obtained from tensile, compression and shear tests. The longitudinal properties were higher than transverse properties for all laminates. The hybrids presented intermediate density and mechanical properties compared to pure glass and pure jute laminates. The hybrids produced similar density and tensile modulus, but with small differences in tensile strength and compressive strength which were justified based on variations in resin and void content due to the influence of the stacking sequence (glass/jute interlayer regions). In addition, the pure glass and the hybrid laminates displayed acceptable failure morphology in the in-plane shear test, but not the pure jute laminate.

Fire Behavior of Wood–Glass and Jute–Glass Hybrid Laminates Manufactured by Vacuum Infusion

“…Conversely, laminates containing glass exhibit longer burn times, particularly on their faces, due to the inorganic nature of glass. Composed of 70-75% silica (SiO 2 ), sodium carbonate, and calcium carbonate, glass offers greater resistance to fire exposure [12]. The similarity between the reference polyester and G5 can be explained by the high permeability of glass mats during infusion, which can facilitate the flow of resin through fiberglass mats.…”

“…Recently, Acosta et al [13] proposed the use of balsa wood veneers as an alternative material that has a higher-volume production and lower cost (depending on the region) compared to other fibers (e.g., jute, sisal, ramie, etc. ), and in a later study [14] the same authors proposed, due to the excellent physical and mechanical properties found in the previous work, the hybridization of pine wood veneers with glass mats and jute fabrics, as an even more economically viable alternative to other types of plant fibers, producing laminates with a physical and mechanical performance notoriously superior even to other types of hybrid laminates using natural fibers [10,12]. Although this is nothing completely new in the literature, these laminates using glass have already been well explored from the point of view of mechanical and physical properties.…”

“…In fact, the use of lignocellulosic materials to manufacture hybrid laminates has emerged over the last few years in the structural composites segment [11]. Dias et al [12], for example, investigated the influence of hybridization with jute and glass fabrics on the physical and mechanical properties of laminates manufactured by the vacuum infusion process (VIP). Recently, Acosta et al [13] proposed the use of balsa wood veneers as an alternative material that has a higher-volume production and lower cost (depending on the region) compared to other fibers (e.g., jute, sisal, ramie, etc.…”

Wood-Poly(furfuryl Alcohol) Prepreg: A Novel, Ecofriendly Laminate Composite

“…The SEM images also showed the heterogeneous fiber architecture commonly found in natural fibers (red circle in Figure 5 ), which hinders resin flow through fiber fabric, leading to the formation of voids filled with entrapped air [ 34 ]. Acosta et al [ 22 ], who manufactured wood–jute laminates using the vacuum infusion process, also ascribed the high void content to the presence of jute fabrics.…”

Experimental Characterization of Grewia Ferruginea Fiber Reinforced Polyester Matrix Composite Materials

“…Both in terms of research and application, interest in advanced materials is growing quickly. They are used in the manufacturing of bicycles, sports equipment, machinery, devices, engineering solutions, and biological wastewater treatment technologies, among other industries[6] [7]. This study's goal is to increase the need for mitigating the negative environmental effects of synthetic bers and polymers, encourage the use of natural materials, and focus research efforts on the creation of biodegradable systems [8].…”