Fabrication and mechanical characterization of alkali-treated Grewia serrulata and Prosopis juliflora fiber reinforced epoxy bio-composites.
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| Title: | Fabrication and mechanical characterization of alkali-treated Grewia serrulata and Prosopis juliflora fiber reinforced epoxy bio-composites. |
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| Authors: | Nagarajan, A.1 (AUTHOR) nagarajan@astiacademy.ac.ae, Khan, Adam2 (AUTHOR) adam.khan@nmims.edu |
| Source: | Interactions (30050731). 7/21/2026, Vol. 247 Issue 1, p1-20. 20p. |
| Abstract: | This study presents a novel investigation into hybrid bio-composite laminates fabricated from alkali-treated Grewia serrulata and Prosopis juliflora natural fibers embedded in an LY-556 epoxy matrix (hardener HY-951, resin-to-hardener ratio 10:1 by weight). To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported work on a hybrid composite system combining these two under-explored fiber species within a single epoxy matrix. Fiber weight fractions of 10, 20, and 30 wt% (expressed as fiber mass divided by total composite mass, including resin and hardener) were investigated, with both fiber types incorporated in equal proportion (1:1 ratio) across four plies produced via the hand lay-up technique. Both fiber types were subjected to 5 wt% NaOH surface treatment for 3 h, with subsequent neutralization, washing to a final pH of 7, and oven-drying at 60 °C for 24 h to a residual moisture content below 2%. Single-filament tensile characterization yielded a mean maximum force of 23.79 N (CV = 40.75%) for Grewia serrulata and 22.32 N (CV = 35.71%) for Prosopis juliflora, with fiber densities of 1.31 g/cc and 1.28 g/cc respectively. Composite tensile testing (ASTM D3039, straight-sided rectangular coupons with end tabs) demonstrated that the 30 wt% hybrid formulation achieved an ultimate tensile strength of approximately 48 MPa, representing a 35% improvement over the neat epoxy baseline. Wear resistance also improved progressively with fiber content. Alkali treatment effectiveness is inferred from mechanical trends; FTIR, SEM, and XRD verification is recommended. These findings suggest potential for non-structural and semi-structural applications; qualification for structural service requires additional flexural, impact, fatigue, thermal, and moisture-absorption characterization. The alkali treatment markedly enhanced fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion by removing surface wax, reducing hydrophilicity, and increasing surface roughness. Compared with analogous single-fiber jute/epoxy or sisal/epoxy composites that typically achieve tensile strengths of 35–45 MPa at 30 wt%, the present hybrid system reaches approximately 48 MPa, suggesting a measurable synergistic benefit from hybridization (7, 10, 21). The findings confirm that these hybrid bio-composites offer reduced bulk density (approximately 1.18–1.29 g/cc), lower material cost, and competitive tensile performance relative to glass-fiber-reinforced benchmarks at equivalent fiber loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Engineering Source |
| Abstract: | This study presents a novel investigation into hybrid bio-composite laminates fabricated from alkali-treated Grewia serrulata and Prosopis juliflora natural fibers embedded in an LY-556 epoxy matrix (hardener HY-951, resin-to-hardener ratio 10:1 by weight). To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported work on a hybrid composite system combining these two under-explored fiber species within a single epoxy matrix. Fiber weight fractions of 10, 20, and 30 wt% (expressed as fiber mass divided by total composite mass, including resin and hardener) were investigated, with both fiber types incorporated in equal proportion (1:1 ratio) across four plies produced via the hand lay-up technique. Both fiber types were subjected to 5 wt% NaOH surface treatment for 3 h, with subsequent neutralization, washing to a final pH of 7, and oven-drying at 60 °C for 24 h to a residual moisture content below 2%. Single-filament tensile characterization yielded a mean maximum force of 23.79 N (CV = 40.75%) for Grewia serrulata and 22.32 N (CV = 35.71%) for Prosopis juliflora, with fiber densities of 1.31 g/cc and 1.28 g/cc respectively. Composite tensile testing (ASTM D3039, straight-sided rectangular coupons with end tabs) demonstrated that the 30 wt% hybrid formulation achieved an ultimate tensile strength of approximately 48 MPa, representing a 35% improvement over the neat epoxy baseline. Wear resistance also improved progressively with fiber content. Alkali treatment effectiveness is inferred from mechanical trends; FTIR, SEM, and XRD verification is recommended. These findings suggest potential for non-structural and semi-structural applications; qualification for structural service requires additional flexural, impact, fatigue, thermal, and moisture-absorption characterization. The alkali treatment markedly enhanced fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion by removing surface wax, reducing hydrophilicity, and increasing surface roughness. Compared with analogous single-fiber jute/epoxy or sisal/epoxy composites that typically achieve tensile strengths of 35–45 MPa at 30 wt%, the present hybrid system reaches approximately 48 MPa, suggesting a measurable synergistic benefit from hybridization (7, 10, 21). The findings confirm that these hybrid bio-composites offer reduced bulk density (approximately 1.18–1.29 g/cc), lower material cost, and competitive tensile performance relative to glass-fiber-reinforced benchmarks at equivalent fiber loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 30050731 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10751-026-02674-9 |
