Physico-Mechanical Property Evaluation and Morphology Study of Moisture-Treated Hemp–Banana Natural-Fiber-Reinforced Green Composites

Abstract

The development of many engineered product applications for automobiles and aircraft parts has initiated the search for novel materials as alternatives to metal matrix composites (MMCs). Natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites offer distinct advantages such as biodegradability, eco-friendliness, flexibility, low density, and higher specific strengths, etc. This study focuses on natural-fiber (hemp and banana)-fabric-reinforced polymer composites suitable for exterior-engineered parts. The hand lay-up process is used to fabricate these hybrid composites. Exterior-engineered products are highly susceptible to moisture, which can deteriorate their mechanical performances, including their tensile and flexural strength, thereby affecting the durability of the hybrid composites. Therefore, the hybrid composites are subjected to water absorption tests, where samples are immersed in distilled water for week-long intervals. After each interval, the water-absorbed specimens are tested for their tensile and flexural characteristics as per ASTM D-3039 and ASTM D-790, respectively. The moisture treatment had a notable impact on the composite materials, causing a slight decrease in the tensile strength by 2% due to the diminished lateral strength in the interlaminar fibers. Contrary to expectations, the flexural strength of the composites improved by 2.7% after the moisture treatment, highlighting the potential of the moisture treatment process to enhance the elastic properties of such composites. The dimensions of the specimens changed after the water immersion test, resulting in increased longitudinal and decreased lateral dimensions. The surface morphologies of the composite failure samples showed fiber delamination, fiber breakage, voids, and matrix fractures.

Comparing the Aging Processes of PLA and PE: The Impact of UV Irradiation and Water

“…SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics 26) was used for statistical analysis. ANOVA was applied for the test of significant differences in data, and statistical significance was determined as statistically (* p < 0.05) and highly (** p < 0.01) significant, respectively [28].…”

Effect of Hydrothermal Aging on Damping Properties in Sisal Mat-Reinforced Polyester Composites

“…At the same time, fiber swelling caused by moisture leads to significant changes in the dimensional stability of the composite, inducing cracking in the matrix and damage to the fiber/matrix interface, thereby increasing the energy dissipation of the composites [ 8 ]. In contrast, Venkataravanappa et al reported negligible alterations in dimensional stability after water absorption in hybrid specimens of hemp and banana fibers combined with polyester resin [ 11 ]. Their study revealed minimal variation in hybrid composites, whereas significant effects were observed in specimens containing hemp or banana fibers.…”

On-Machine Measurement as a Factor Affecting the Sustainability of the Machining Process

“…Therefore, optimized processes that minimize the negative impact on the environment are becoming increasingly important in modern manufacturing [23]. Trends include, among others, the search for new materials, such as ecological composites [24]. The authors of [25] describes a case study that allows for the evaluation of a manufacturing process in terms of environmental friendliness.…”