Studies on mechanical properties of typha angustata vetiver banana fiber reinforced vinyl ester hybrid composites

Abstract

Recent years have seen a rise in pollution-related health and environmental problems, while scientists and engineers have been striving together to find alternatives to toxic synthetic fibers to be used as reinforcement in polymer matrices. Natural fibers are renewable, eco-friendly, and biodegradable and in this context, they also offer superior features such as low density, lower cost, acceptable particular properties, and minimum health dangers. Thus, the natural fiber composite materials are made for a wide range of uses and they are appropriately classified as engineering materials. Natural fiber composites can be made stronger by the application of chemical treatments to the fibers, the incorporation of fillers with matrix, and the hybridization of natural and synthetic fibers. Although the strength of these composites is inferior to that of synthetic composites, their qualities can be enhanced by weaving in mats of natural fibers. This thesis work focuses on enhancing the mechanical properties of three types of fibers such as typha angustata, banana and vetiver fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites by means of converting the individual into woven mat using weaving machine. Different combinations of composite plates such as Vetiver Fiber Mat Single Layer (VFMSL), Banana Fiber Mat Single Layer (BFMSL), Vetiver Fiber Mat Double Layer (VFMDL), Banana Fiber Mat Double Layer (BFMDL), Hybrid Vetiver and Banana Fiber Mat Double Layer (HVBMDL), Typha Angustata Fiber Mat Single Layer (TAFSL), Typha Angustata Fiber Mat Double Layer (TAFDL), Hybrid Typha Angustata and Vetiver Fiber Mat (HTAVFM) and Hybrid Typha Angustata and Banana Fiber Mat (HTABFM) reinforced vinyl ester composites plates have been fabricated. newline