FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF VINYL ESTER RESIN BASED HYBRID COMPOSITES

Abstract

Jute is most widely used natural fiber in combination of various polymer because of easy availability, low environment impact, low density, low production cost, satisfactory mechanical properties and usage in wide range of applications. Mechanical properties of fibers are depending upon various factors such as fiber length, fiber orientation, fiber contact etc. In the present study, composite of Jute (J) and Glass fiber (G) have been fabricated using hand lay up technique. The jute-glass-vinyl ester resin based composites specimen consists of 4 layers based on stacking sequence of jute and glass fiber as reinforcement and vinyl ester resin as matrix. Four composites i.e. JJJJ (100:0), JGJG (50:50), JGGJ (50:50), GJJG (50:50) as per weight percentage ratio were fabricated and evaluated for tensile strength, hardness, water absorption test, specific gravity test and impact analysis. Overall results of composiotes indicated that GJJG hybrid composite exhibited the superior balance of properties over others. These new low cost components may find applications in agricultural equipment, automotive sheet molding compounds, civil and rail infrastructures, marine applications, housing and construction industry.