A Study on Mechanical Properties and Water Absorption Behaviour of Jute Composites

Abstract

Elimination of huge waste produced by mankind has become a sensitive issue in the present scenario. To preserve our earth and to make it pollution free, it becomes necessary to reduce the garbage causing pollution. Plants fibers are the best and abundant source of natural reinforcement readily available.  These fibers can be used for fabrication of composites which can reducethe problem of pollution (garbage). In this study composites of jute is fabricated by hand layup and compression molding using reinforcement material of jute and matrix material as epoxy resin ofdifferent areal densities (4, 5, 5.5 and 7.5 kg/m²) or layers and produced jute epoxy composites are tested for physical, mechanical and water absorption behaviour to meet the demands of the fiber based jute composites. It was observed that the different mechanical properties of the fiber based jute epoxy composites are significantly influenced by the areal density and number of layersIt was obtained that there is an increase in mechanical properties like tensile and flexural strengthof jute-epoxy composite with areal density up to 5.5 kg/m²and further these properties decrease with increase in areal density. On the other hand, the impact strength and water absorptivity increases with increase in areal density and number of layers of composite.