Fabrication and Characterization of MWCNT Filled Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites

ABSTRACT

Hybrid composites are fabricated by the combination of two or more fibers using a single matrix. It can be fabricated either with all of its constituents as natural fibers or with one or more constituents belonging to artificial fiber. The stacking sequence of the fibers in a hybrid composite can be altered resulting in a varying mechanical properties. In the present study the MWCNT filled banana-jute-flax fiber reinforced composites are investigated for its mechanical behavior by varying the stacking sequence of the fiber layers and weight % of Multi-Walled Carbon Nano Tube (MWCNT). A Modified resin was prepared by adding MWCNT in the epoxy resin using ultrasonic probe sonicator and a hybrid composite is fabricated with it by using compression moulding processes. The mechanical properties are evaluated as per the ASTM standards. The incorporating of MWCNT and the stacking sequence of fiber layers shows the greater impact on the mechanical properties. The composites of jute fibers at the extremities (JBFBFBFJ) exhibiting the enhancement of tensile, compressive and hardness properties than the flax fiber at the extremities (FBJBJBJF) and it could be used in various automobile applications. Microstructure of the samples are investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS). The results indicate that increasing the weight % of MWCNT and varying the stacking sequence of fibers improves the mechanical properties of hybrid natural fiber composites.

混合复合材料是使用单一基质将两种或更多种纤维进行结合而制造的。它既可以用其作为天然纤维的所有成分来制造，也可以用属于人造纤维的一种或多种成分来制造。混合复合材料中纤维的堆叠顺序可以改变，这也会导致不同的机械性能。在本研究中，通过改变纤维层的堆叠顺序和多壁碳纳米管（MWCNT）的重量百分比，考察用MWCNT填充的香蕉-黄麻-亚麻纤维增强型复合材料的机械行为。在研究中，用超声波探针超声定位仪将MWCNT加入到环氧树脂中制备改性树脂，并用压塑法制备其混合复合材料。机械性能按照ASTM标准进行评价。结果表明，MWCNT的掺入和纤维层的堆叠顺序对机械性能有更大影响。在复合材料中，末端的黄麻纤维（JBFBFBFJ）比末端的亚麻纤维（FBJBJBJF）表现出更强的拉伸、压缩和硬度性能，可用于各种汽车应用。此外，还通过能量色散X射线（EDS）和扫描电子显微镜（SEM）研究了样品的微结构。研究结果表明，增加MWCNT的重量百分比和改变纤维的堆叠顺序可改善混合天然纤维复合材料的机械性能。

KEYWORDS:

• mechanical properties
• Multi-Walled Carbon Nano Tubes (MWCNT)
• natural fibers
• Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
• stacking sequence

关键词:

• 机械性能
• 多壁碳纳米管
• 天然纤维
• 扫描电子显微镜
• 堆叠序列