A Project Report On FABRICATION OF COMPOSITE NATURAL FIBER Submitted to Amity University Uttar Pradesh

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical and Automation Engineering Dhawal Shikhar Joshi Aditya Gupta Tirth Chauhan Arun Kumar Under the guidance of Mr. Shubham Sharma DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL & AUTOMATION ENGINEERING AMITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY AMITY UNIVERSITY UTTAR PRADESH NOIDA (U.P.)
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Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables Declaration Certificate Acknowledgement Abstract Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Definition of a Composite 2. Classification of composites 2.1 According to the type of reinforcing material 2.2 According to type of matrix material 2.3 Hybrid Composites 2.4 Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites 3. Literature Review 4. Materials and Methods 4.1 Raw Materials 4.2 Fabrication of Composite Fiber 4.3 Testing 5. Result and Discussion 5.1 Tensile Test 5.2 Impact Test 5.3 Bending Load 5.4 Comparison 6. Conclusion and Future Prospects References 3 3 4 5 6 7

8-9

9-11

12-15 16-24

25-27

28 29-30

LIST OF FIGURES Fig No.

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Description
Performance of a composite fiber as compared to glass fiber when used as a bonnet. Coir Fiber Bagasse Fiber Saccharum Munja Casting Procedure Cutting of Laminates Tensile Testing Flexural Testing

Page No. 15
17 18 18 21 22 23 23

2 3 4 5 6 7 8

LIST OF TABLES
Table Number 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Description
Tensile Test Tensile Strength Impact Test Bending Load Impact Test Comparison Bending point Comparison Heat Resistance Test

Page Number
25 25 25 26 26 26 27

DECLARATION

We, Dhawa l S hikhar Joshi, Adit ya Gupt a, Tirt h Chauhan and Arun Kumar , student(s) of B.Tech (MAE) hereby declare that the project titled Fabrication of Composite Natural Fiber which is submitted by us to Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, in partial fulfillment of requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical and Automation Engineering , has not been previously formed the basis for the award of any degree, diploma or other similar title or recognition.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
It is with a feeling of great pleasure that we would like to express our most sincere heartfelt gratitude to our mentor Mr. Shubham Sharma, Dept. of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University, Noida for his support and guidance throughout the course of our project. We are thankful to Prof. Vivek Kumar for his valuable suggestions. We would also like to thank all the lab assistants of the MAE Department for their help in fabrication work. Last but not the least, We would like to thank Narang metallurgical and spectro services for helping us with the testing work.

CERTIFICATE
On the basis of declaration submitted by Dhawal S hikhar Jo shi, Adit ya Gupt a, T irt h Chauhan and Ar un Kumar , students of B.Tech (MAE), I hereby certify that the project titled Fabrication of Composite Natural Fiber which is submitted to Department of

Mechanical & Automation Engineering, Amity School of Engineering and Technology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Noida, in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the degree of Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical & Automation Engineering, is an original contribution with existing knowledge and faithful record of work carried out by them under my guidance and supervision. To the best of my knowledge this work has not been submitted in part or full for any Degree or Diploma to this University or elsewhere. Noida Date 04/03/2013 Shubham Sharma Department of Mechanical & Automation Engineering Amity School of Engineering and Technology Amity University Uttar Pradesh

ABSTRACT

The experimental study conducted aims at studying the mechanical properties and behavior of composite natural fiber Made up of Coir (Coconut fiber) and Bagasse (Sugarcane fiber) and compare it with other composite fibers and woods. Samples of Coir-Bagasse-Epoxy & Saccharum munja-BagasseEpoxy hybrids were fabricated using hand layup method where the stacking of plies was alternate and according to a specific pattern. Specimens were cut from the fabricated laminate according to the ASTM standards for different experiments. 3 tests were conducted on the specimens namely Bending point test, breaking load test and impact test and the results were compared with that of tests conducted on samples of wood and other composite fiber. The tensile strength & impact strength of the coir-bagasse fiber was also calculated. Results pointed out the advantages of applying the natural composite fiber composites in place of wood in varied uses.

1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Definition of a Composite

A composite is combination of two materials in which one of the materials, called the reinforcing phase, is in the form of fibers, sheets, or particles, and is embedded in the other materials called the matrix phase. The reinforcing material and the matrix material can be metal, ceramic, or polymer. Composites typically have a fiber or particle phase that is stiffer and stronger than the continuous matrix phase and serve as the principal load carrying members. The matrix acts as a load transfer medium between fibers, and in less ideal cases where the loads are complex, the matrix may even have to bear loads transverse to the fiber axis. The matrix is more ductile than the fibers and thus acts as a source of composite toughness. The matrix also serves to protect the fibers from environmental damage before, during and after composite processing. When designed properly, the new combined material exhibits better strength than would each individual material. Composites are used not only for their structural properties, but also for electrical, thermal, tribological, and environmental applications.

The following are some of the reasons why composites are selected for certain applications: High strength to weight ratio (low density high tensile strength) High creep resistance High tensile strength at elevated temperatures High toughness Low price Sustainability

2. CLASSIFICATION OF COMPOSITES
2.1 According to the type of reinforcing material composites can be classified as: (1)Fibrous Composite:
A fiber is characterized by its length being much greater compared to its cross-sectional dimensions. The dimensions of the reinforcement determine its capability of contributing its properties to the composite. Fibers are very effective in improving the fracture resistance of the matrix since a reinforcement having a long dimension discourages the growth of incipient cracks normal to the reinforcement that might otherwise lead to failure, particularly with brittle matrices. Man-made filaments or fibers of non polymeric materials exhibit much higher strength along their length since large flaws, which may be present in the bulk material, are minimized because of the small cross-sectional dimensions of the fiber. In the case of polymeric materials, orientation of the molecular structure is responsible for high strength and stiffness.

(2)Particulate Composites:
In particulate composites the reinforcement is of particle nature. It may be spherical, cubic, tetragonal, a platelet, or of other regular or irregular shape. In general, particles are not very effective in improving fracture resistance but they enhance the stiffness of the composite to a limited extent. Particle fillers are widely used to improve the properties of matrix materials such as to modify the thermal and electrical conductivities, improve performance at elevated temperatures, reduce friction, increase wear and abrasion resistance, improve machinability, increase surface hardness and reduce shrinkage.

2.2 According to type of matrix material they are classified as (1)Metal Matrix Composites:
Higher strength, fracture toughness and stiffness are offered by metal matrices. Metal matrix can withstand elevated temperature in corrosive environment than polymer composites. Titanium, aluminium and magnesium are the popular matrix metals currently in vogue, which are particularly useful for aircraft applications. Because of these attributes metal matrix composites are under consideration for wide range of applications viz. combustion chamber nozzle (in rocket, space shuttle), housings, tubing, cables, heat exchangers, structural members etc.
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(2)Ceramic matrix Composites:

One of the main objectives in producing ceramic matrix composites is to increase the toughness. Naturally it is hoped and indeed often found that there is a concomitant improvement in strength and stiffness of ceramic matrix composites.

(3)Polymer Matrix Composites:

Most commonly used matrix materials are polymeric. In general the mechanical properties of polymers are inadequate for many structural purposes. In particular their strength and stiffness are low compared to metals and ceramics. These difficulties are overcome by reinforcing other materials with polymers. Secondly the processing of polymer matrix composites need not involve high pressure and doesnt require high

temperature. Also equipments required for manufacturing polymer matrix composites are simpler. For this reason polymer matrix composites developed rapidly and soon became popular for structural applications. Two types of polymer composites are:

(a)Fiber reinforced polymer

Common fiber reinforced composites are composed of fibers and a matrix. Fibers are the reinforcement and the main source of strength while matrix glues all the fibers together in shape and transfers stresses between the reinforcing fibers. Sometimes, filler might be added to smooth the manufacturing process, impact special properties to the composites, and / or reduce the product cost

(b)Particle Reinforced Polymer:

Particles used for reinforcing include ceramics and glasses such as small mineral particles, metal particles such as aluminium and amorphous materials, including polymers and carbon black. Particles are used to increase the modules of the matrix and to decrease the ductility of the matrix.

2.3 Hybrid Composite

Hybrid composites are more advanced composites as compared to conventional FRP composites. Hybrids can have more than one reinforcing phase and a single matrix phase or single reinforcing phase with multiple matrix phases or multiple reinforcing and multiple matrix phases. They have better flexibility as compared to other fiber reinforced composites. Normally it contains a high modulus fiber with low modulus fiber. The high-modulus fiber provides the stiffness and load bearing qualities, whereas the low-modulus fiber makes the composite more damage tolerant and keeps the material cost

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low. The mechanical properties of a hybrid composite can be varied by changing volume ratio and stacking sequence of different plies.

2.4 Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites

The interest in natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite materials is rapidly growing both in terms of their industrial applications and fundamental research. They are renewable, cheap, completely or partially recyclable, and biodegradable. Plants, such as flax, cotton, hemp, jute, sisal, kenaf, pineapple, ramie, bamboo, banana, etc., as well as wood, used from time immemorial as a source of lignocellulosic fibers, are more and more often applied as the reinforcement of composites. Their availability, renewability, low density, and price as well as satisfactory mechanical properties make them an attractive ecological alternative to glass, carbon and man-made fibers used for the manufacturing of composites. The natural fiber containing composites are more environmentally friendly, and are used in transportation (automobiles, railway coaches, aerospace), military applications, building and construction industries (ceiling paneling, partition boards), packaging, consumer products, etc.

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3. LITERATURE REVIEW
A composite is a material made by combining two or more dissimilar materials in such a way that the resultant material is endowed with properties superior to any of its parental ones. Fiber-reinforced composites, owing to their superior properties, are usually applied in different fields like defense, aerospace, engineering applications, sports goods, etc. Nowadays, natural fiber composites have gained increasing interest due to their eco-friendly properties. A lot of work has been done by researchers based on these natural fibers. Natural fibers such as jute, sisal, silk and coir are inexpensive, abundant and renewable, lightweight, with low density, high toughness, and biodegradable. Natural Fibers such as jute have the potential to be used as a replacement for traditional reinforcement materials in composites for applications which requires high strength to weight ratio and further weight reduction. Bagasse fiber has lowest density so able to reduce the weight of the composite upto a considerable amount. So by using these fibers (coir, bagasse, and munja) the composite developed is cost effective and perfect utilization of waste product. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites have raised great attentions and interests among materials scientists and engineers in recent years due to the considerations of developing an environmental friendly material and partly replacing currently used glass or carbon fibers in fiber reinforced composites. They are high specific strength and modulus materials, low prices, recyclable, easy available in some countries, etc. . Joshi et al. [1] compared life cycle environmental performance of natural fiber composites with glass fiber reinforced composites and found that natural fiber composites are environmentally superior in the specific applications studied. Natural fiber composites are likely to be environmentally superior to glass fiber composites in most cases for the following reasons: (1) Natural fiber production has lower environmental impacts compared to glass fiber production; (2) Natural fiber composites have higher fiber content for equivalent performance, reducing more polluting base polymer content; (3) The light-weight natural fiber composites improve fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in the use phase of the component, especially in auto applications; and (4) End of life incineration of natural fibers results in recovered energy and carbon credits.

Rana et al. [2] in their work showed that the use of compatibilizer in jute fibers increases its mechanical properties. At 60% by weight of fiber loading, the use of the compatibilizer improved the flexural strength as high as 100%, tensile strength to 120%, and impact strength by 175%. The following conclusions may be drawn from this paper: 1. The sharp increase in mechanical properties and decrease in water absorption values after addition of the compatibilizer. 2. All these results justify that the role of jute fiber was not as a filler fiber but as a reinforcing fiber in a properly compatibilized system. 3. This system produced a new range of low-energy, low-cost composites having interesting properties and should be given priority over costly and high-energy synthesis reinforcing fiber wherever possible.
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Shah and Lakkad [3] try to compare the mechanical properties of jute-reinforces and glass-reinforced and the results shows that the jute fibers, when introduced into the resin matrix as reinforcement, considerably improve the mechanical properties, but the improvement is much lower than that obtained by introduction of glass and other high performance fibers. Hence, the jute fibers can be used as reinforcement where modest strength and modulus are required. Another potential use for the jute fibers is that, it can be used as a filler fiber, replacing the glass as well as the resin in a filament wound component. The main problem of the present work has been that it is difficult to introduce a large quantity of jute fibers into the JRP laminates because the jute fibers, unlike glass fibers, soak up large amount of resin. This problem is partly overcome when hybridizing with glass fibers is carried out. Ray et al. [4] in their work, Jute fibers were subjected to alkali treatment with 5% NaOH solution for 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 h at 300C. It was found that improvement in properties both for fibers and reinforced composites. The fibers after treatment were finer, having less hemicellulose content, increased crystallinity, reduced amount of defects resulting in superior bonding with the vinylester resin. As fibers, the improvements in properties were predominant around 6 8 h treatment whereas as composites. It was maximum when reinforced with 4 h-treated fibers at 35% fiber loadings. The modulus of the jute Fibers improved by 12, 68 and 79% after 4, 6 and 8 h of treatment, respectively. The tenacity of the fibers improved by 46% after 6 and 8 h treatment and the% breaking strain was reduced by 23% after 8 h treatment. For 35% composites with 4 h-treated fibers, the flexural strength improved from 199.1 to 238.9 MPa by 20%, modulus improved from 11.89 to 14.69 GPa by 23% and laminar shear strength increased from 0.238 to 0.283 MPa by 19%. On plotting different values of slopes obtained from the rates of improvement of flexural strength and modulus, against NaOH treatment time, two different failure modes were apparent before and after 4 h of NaOH treatment.

Saha et al. [5] in their paper, jute fibers were treated with alkali(NAOH) solution and physic-chemical properties of jute fibers was investigated. The treatments were applied under ambient and elevated temperatures and high pressure steaming conditions. The results indicated that the uniaxial tensile strength increased by up to 65% for alkali-steam treatment. The treatments without steaming were not as effective. Physico-chemical characterization of fibers showed that the increase in tensile strength was due to the removal of non-cellulosic matters like lignin, pectin and hemicellulose. Gassan and Bledzki [6] used the coupling methods to improve the properties of composites. Composites have high level of moisture absorption, poor wettability, and insufficient adhesion between untreated fibers and the polymer matrix leads to debonding with age. To improve the properties of the composites, the natural reinforcing fibers can be modified coupling methods. The coupling agents have chemical groups which can react with fiber or polymer and thus improve the interfacial adhesion. This paper concerns with the use of MAH-PP copolymers as coupling agents in jute-propylene composites. It is found that the flexural strength was increased by 40% and flexural modulus by 90%. SEM investigation showed the improved fiber-matrix adhesion which was due to the chemical bonds between fiber and matrix provided by the coupling agent.

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Monteiro SN. Rodriquez et al. [7] tried to use the sugar cane bagasse waste as reinforcement to polymeric resins for fabrication of low cost composites. They reported that composites with homogeneous microstructures could be fabricated and mechanical properties similar to wooden agglomerates can be achieved. Hassan et al. [8, 9] have converted the bagasse into a thermo formable material through esterification of the fiber matrix. The dimensional stability and mechanical properties of the composites prepared from the esterified fibers were reported in this work. BC Ray [10] used 3-point flexural test to qualitatively assess such effects for 55, 60 and 65 weight percentages of E-glass fibers reinforced epoxy composites during cryogenic and after thawing conditions. The specimens were tested at a range of 0.5 mm/min to 500 mm/min crosshead speed to evaluate the sensitivity of mechanical response during loading at ambient and sub-ambient (- 80C temperature). These shear strength values are compared with the testing data of as-cured samples. After reviewing the existing literature available on natural fiber composites, particularly natural fibers (jute and bagasse) composites put efforts to understand the basic needs of the growing composite industry. The conclusions drawn from this is that, the success of combining vegetable natural fibers with polymer matrices results in the improvement of mechanical properties of the composites compared with the matrix materials. These composite fibers are cheap and nontoxic, can be obtained from renewable sources, and are easily recyclable. Moreover, despite their low strength, they can lead to composites with high specific strengths because of their low density.

Case Study
C alves et al [11] carried out a research named Ecodesign of automotive components making use of natural jute fiber composites C. Alves a,*, P.M.C. Ferrao a, A.J. Silva a, L.G. Reis a, M. Freitas a, L.B. Rodrigues b, D.E. Alves c a Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon, Portugal b Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia,Itapetinga, Brazil c Instituto de Artes Visuais, Lisbon, Portugal The goal of this study was to assess the environmental impact of using jute fiber composites and their necessary technical treatments for automotive design applications to manufacture the enclosures of a buggy vehicle. Thus, compare them with the impacts raised by current enclosures made of glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) composites over the entire life cycle of the buggy. Most of the environmental impacts of a vehicle are related to its use phase due to the fuel consumption. In this sense, the bonnets made of glass and jute fibers were added with about 64.36 kg and 58.81 kg of petrol, respectively, taking into account the density of the petrol at 0.72 kg/L. The higher mass of petrol assigned to the glass bonnet is due to its higher weight that implies directly an increase of the fuel consumption of the vehicle. The main core of this buggy case study was to analyze the environmental impacts related to the replacement of the composite reinforcements to produce buggys enclosures. Nevertheless, in the development processes of products there are other important requirements to ensure their success. In this sense, qualitative and quantitative results will be presented to show how important are jute fibers in the whole aspects of the buggys project. In regards to the social requirements, jute fiber plays an important role from the cultivation of the plant to the production of the bonnet. In its cultivation phase jute means income source to the local farmer
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communities contributing to the sustainability of the region, avoiding the rural exodus hence its social problem in industrial cities. In the production phase, jute fiber causes fewer health risks and skin irritation than glass fibers for the employees that are directly involved in the production of the components. Related to the economical advantages, for Ancel Reinforced Plastics, jute fibers cost about seven times less than glass fibers, while production costs are almost the same, since it is possible to produce either jute or glass composites with almost the same setup and production processes. Using jute fibers also implies lower fuel consumption, so it means an economical advantage for owners of the buggy. Still, the potential global market for natural fibers in the automobile industry is expected to increase. Nowadays in the USA more than 1.5 million vehicles are the substrate of choice of bio fibers such as kenaf, jute, flax, hemp and sisal and thermoplastic polymers such as polypropylene and polyester. Regarding to the technical parameters, all of bonnets were produced and tested under ASTM standards (D-3039/D-790/D-256). The results show that the superficial treatments of the jute fibers improved the mechanical properties of their proving the improvement of the interface polyester/jute. These results are closer of glass composites which become jute composites treated bonnets increased about 250% while their maximum strain decrease about 70%, before. Finally, we see a semi-quantitative overview comparison of the all aspects of the bonnets based on sustainable design procedure and on the triple bottom line approach added to the technical aspects, since the eco design of materials needs to reach technical requirements. The better results were assumed as100% while other values are the fraction them. Related to the technical parameters, the elastic modulus of the jute composites are 40% of the glass composites, then it was assigned as 60%. Social parameters is a qualitative aspect, it was based on the social effects of the fibers reinforcement in all of phases, jute fibers present better aspects in all of them, which glass fibers just present some advantages in raise industrial employment. Environmental aspects, was presented by LCA that jute fiber implies an increase of about 15% of the performance of the composites, while the economical aspects, jute fibers cost about seven times less than glass fibers. In this sense, it is possible to note that jute fibers have many advantages in the replacement of glass fibers to reinforce composite materials. It is possible to observe that jute composites related to the four aspects, present the better overview performance than glass composites. The overall performance of this jute fiber bonnet can be observed in the diagram below. (fig 1)

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4. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The following section will elaborate in detail the experimental procedure carried out during the course of our project work. The steps involved are:

1. Fabrication of Coir-Bagasse fiber and Saccharum munja-Bagasse fiber. By Hand Lay-Up method. Cutting of Laminates into samples of desired dimensions. 2. Impact Test 3. Bending point test 4. Breaking load test 5. Calculation of tensile strength of fabricated material

4.1 Raw Materials

Raw materials used in this experimental work are:

(i) Natural fiber Coir Bagasse

Saccharum munja
(ii) Epoxy resin (iii)Hardener

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4.1.1 Coir Fiber

Coir is a natural fiber extracted from the husk of coconut and used in products such as floor mats, doormats, brushes, mattresses, etc. Technically, coir is the fibrous material found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. Coir fiber is found between the hard, internal shell and the outer coat of a coconut. The individual fiber cells are narrow and hollow, with thick walls made of cellulose. They are pale when immature, but later become hardened and yellowed as a layer of lignin is deposited on their walls. Each cell is about 1 mm (0.04 in) long and 10 to 20 m (0.0004 to 0.0008 in) in diameter. Fibers are typically 10 to 30 centimeters (4 to 12 in) long. The two varieties of coir are brown and white. Brown coir harvested from fully ripened coconuts is thick, strong and has high abrasion resistance. It is typically used in mats, brushes and sacking. Mature brown coir fiber contains more lignin and less cellulose than fiber such as flax and cotton, so are stronger but less flexible. White coir fiber harvested from coconuts before they are ripe are white or light brown in color and are smoother and finer, but also weaker. They are generally spun to make yarn used in mats or rope. The coir fiber is relatively waterproof, and is one of the few natural fibers resistant to damage by saltwater. Fresh water is used to process brown coir, while seawater and fresh water are both used in the production of white coir.

Coir Fiber (Figure 2)

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4.1.2 Bagasse Fiber

The sugar cane bagasse is a residue widely generated in high proportions in the agro-industry. It is a fibrous residue of cane stalks left over after the crushing and extraction of juice from the sugar cane. Bagasse is generally gray-yellow to pale green in color. It is bulky and quite non uniform in particle size. The sugar cane residue bagasse is underutilized, renewable agricultural material that consists of two distinct cellular constituents. The main chemical constituents of bagasse are cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Hemicellulose and cellulose are present in the form of hollow cellulose in bagasse which contributes to about 70 % of the total chemical constituents present in bagasse. Another important chemical constituent present in bagasse is lignin. Lignin acts as a binder for the cellulose fibers and also behaves as an energy storage system.

Bagasse Fiber (Figure 3)

4.1.3 Saccharum munja Fiber

Saccharum munja, known as munja is a grass found in arid areas and along river banks in India. it belongs to the family Gramineae. It grows up to 2 meters (7 feet) in height. Its white flowers are of ornamental value. It is used as a raw material for thatching roofs. It is used for making baskets. Plant has medicinal value also. Its Fiber is used for making ropes. Saccharum munja, - a perennial wild grass, is one of the ecologically successful native colonizer of the variour abandoned mine. It forms pure patches on rocky habitats with skeletal soils. it forms extensive root network that binds the soil/pebbles and forms tall thick clumps with high biomass tufts. It is

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used by low income locals for making ropes, hand fans, baskets, brooms, mat, hut and shields for crop protection.

Saccharum munja (Figure 4)

4.1.4 Polymer Epoxy Resin

Epoxy resin (Araldite LY 556) made by CIBA GUGYE Limited, having the following outstanding properties has been used. i. Excellent adhesion to different materials ii. Great strength, toughness resistance iii. Excellent resistance to chemical attack and to moisture iv. Excellent mechanical and electrical properties. v. Odorless, tasteless and completely nontoxic. vi. Negligible shrinkage.

4.1.5 Hardener
In the present work Hardener (araldite) HY 951 is used. This has a viscosity of 10-20 poise at 25 Degree Celsius.

4.2 Fabrication of Composite fiber

The composite Fiber is prepared by hand lay-up technique:
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4.2.1 Hand lay-up technique

The fiber piles were cut to size at first. The appropriate numbers of fiber piles were taken: two for each. Then the fibers were weighed and accordingly the resin and hardeners were weighed. Epoxy and hardener were mixed by using glass rod in a bowl. Care was taken to avoid formation of bubbles. Because the air bubbles were trapped in matrix may result failure in the material. The subsequent fabrication process consisted of first putting a releasing film on the mould surface. Next a polymer coating was applied on the sheets. Then fiber pile of one kind was put and proper rolling was done. Then resin was again applied, next to it fiber ply of another kind was put and rolled. Rolling was done using cylindrical mild steel rod. This procedure was repeated until eight alternating fibers have been laid. On the top of the last ply a polymer coating is done which serves to ensure a god surface finish. Finally a releasing sheet was put on the top; a light rolling was carried out. Then a 20 kgf weight was applied on the composite. It was left for 72 hrs to allow sufficient time for curing and subsequent hardening.

4.2.2 General Overview

The composites sheets were fabricated from bagasse, with coir / saccharum munja and resin matrix. The resin used was epoxy resin. The weight fraction of composites was maintained at 40% fiber and 60% resin. Two natural hybrid composites are made i.e. Coir-Bagasse & Saccharum munja - Bagasse. After the hybrid composites fabrication cutting of the specimen is done in the desired shape to test the mechanical properties of the natural hybrid composite fiber. The Bending Point Test and Breaking Load Test of the samples were done by UTM (universal testing machine) and apart from this, impact test was done. Finally, the tensile strength of the material was calculated.

4.2.3 Fiber preparation

Raw Bagasse and coconut coir are brought and cleaned with water and dried for several days. Then the aggregations are gently dispersed with hand sitting patiently. Then its outer shell is removed by the knife and the fiber is rolled by a wooden roller to straighten the fibers. Then it is cut into required dimension.

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4.2.4 Polymer-Hardener Mixture Preparation

For the making of good composite the measurement of the samples should be accurate and the mixture should be very uniform. We take same amounts of both the hardener and epoxy resin. Then this mixture is stirred thoroughly till it is completely mixed. A bit extra amount of hardener is taken for the wastage in the process. This should be done carefully because little extra amount of hardener can spoil the composite

4.2.5 Casting
First of all the mould is covered with a layer of plastic and the first layer of epoxy-hardener mixture is spread uniformly with a soft roller. The thickness of this layer is kept 2mm. After that, we place one layer of coir fibers spreading them uniformly covering the entire surface area. Above that we pour the hardener-epoxy mixture. Now we lay a layer of sugarcane bagasse followed by a layer of epoxy resin and hardener. This process is repeated 3 times. This sample is then left for 72 hours. The composite gets dried up in 72 hours in which the silk fiber and the polymers adheres itself tightly in the presence of hardener. After a day we put out the weights. Then carefully the nailed bits are removed from the wooden board. Now we have the composite attached with the glass. The hardener has so strong effect that it attachs the glass with the composite. This attachment is slowly and gently hammered on the boundary of its attachment when the glass and the composite separate.

Figure 5

4.2.6 Multiple Samples

Along with the mentioned material, fabrication of some other samples using other natural fibers and various adhesives was done. The objective of this step was to be able to compare the

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statistics of the main sample with those of the the others. The fabrication was done in similar ways as the sugarcane bagasse and coir fiber. The samples which were tested were: Coir fiber with sugarcane bagasse using epoxy resin and hardener. Saccharin munja with sugarcane bagasse using epoxy resin and hardener. Coir fiber with sugarcane bagasse using Gypsum Plaster. Wood

Furthermore, by laying multiple layers of fiber on top of one another, with each layer oriented in various preferred directions

4.3 Testing
The following tests were conducted to study the properties and behavior of the composite fiber. 1. Impact Test 2. Breaking Load test (with bending load) 3. Calculation of Tensile Strength

Cutting of Laminates into samples of desired dimensions:

Fig 6 A WIRE HACKSAW blade was used to cut each laminate into smaller pieces, for various experiments:

TENSILE TEST- Sample was cut into flat shape (300x30x10) mm. FLEXURAL TEST- Sample was cut into flat shape (300x30x10) mm.
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4.3.1 Tensile Test

The tensile strength of a material is the maximum amount of tensile stress that it can take before failure. The commonly used specimen for tensile test is the foot long plank. During the test a uniaxial load is applied through both the ends of the specimen. The dimension of specimen is (150x10x5)mm. Typical points of interest when testing a material include: ultimate tensile strength (UTS) or peak stress; offset yield strength (OYS) which represents a point just beyond the onset of permanent deformation; and the rupture (R) or fracture point where the specimen separates into pieces. The tensile test is performed in the universal testing machine (UTM)

(Sample in the loaded Condition on the UTM for Tensile Testing) Figure 7

4.3.2 Flexural Test

Flexural strength is defined as a materials ability to resist deformation under load. The short beam shear (SBS) tests are performed on the composites samples to evaluate the value of interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). It is a 3-point bend test, which generally promotes failure by interlaminar shear. This test is conducted as per ASTM standard using UTM. The loading arrangement is shown in figure. The dimension of the specimen is (20x150x5) mm. It is

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measured by loading desired shape specimen (6x6-inch) with a span length at least three times the depth. The flexural strength is expressed as modulus of rupture (MR).

(Sample in the loaded Condition for Flexural Testing) Figure 8

4.3.2 Impact Test

The Charpy impact test, also known as the Charpy V-notch test, is a standardized high strain-rate test which determines the amount of energy absorbed by a material during fracture .This absorbed energy is a measure of a given material's notch toughness and acts as a tool to study temperature-dependent ductile-brittle transition. It is widely applied in industry, since it is easy to prepare and conduct and results can be obtained quickly and cheaply. A disadvantage is that some results are only comparative.

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5. RESULT AND DISCUSSION

5.1 Tensile Test
Tensile test was also carried out on UTM machine in accordance with ASTM standard. All the specimens were of the same dimensions (150x10x5) mm. The results are tabulated in table 1.

Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s wood

Length (mm) 300 300 300

Breadth (mm) 30 30 60 Table 1

Thickness (mm) 10 10 7

Maximum Load (KN) 21.36 11.5 7.26

The maximum load given by this test was then used to calculate the tensile strength of the material by using the dimensions of the fiber under experiment. The dimensions of the wood (cross sec) were 6cm x 0.7cm.

Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s Wood

Maximum Load (KN) 11.5 7.26 21.36 Table 2

Tensile Strength (MPa) 38.3 24.2 50.8

5.2 Impact Test

Charpys Impact Test was carried out to see the fibers reaction to sudden impact of considerable magnitude. Three samples of same dimensions are cut out by machining and are tested for impact strength. Surface area for calculation is (5.7x1) cm. Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s Wood Reading (Joules) 130 90 48 Table 3
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Impact Strength (J / Cm Sq) 22.8 15.78 8.42

5.3 Bending Load

Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s Wood Bending Load (KN) 3.3 2.3 1.5 Table 4

5.4 Comparison
Tensile Strength - Data in MPa (Tensile strength of materials)

1. c-b-c 38.3 2. Douglas fir wood 50 3. Pine wood 40 4. Marble 15 5. Polypropylene 40 6. Polystyrene 40 7. Glass 33 8. Rubber 15 Impact test Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s Wood Impact Strength 2.70 X 1.87 X X Table 5

Bending Point Sample Name c-b-c s-b-s wood Bending Point 2.2 X 1.5 X X Table - 6
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Test for water resistance The fiber was submerged in water for 4 hours with weight kept on it and the fiber came out of water unaffected, and dried up pretty quickly. Compared to plywood, its better at resisting water attack as the plywood gets soaky and stays wet for long. Prolonged submerging of ply in water leads to ruining the material. Test for heat resistance The fiber was tested for heat and water resistance by keeping the fiber sample in hot water and recording the behavior according to the temperature.

Temperature 50 deg C 100 deg C

Behavior NORMAL SLIGHTLY DAMP but regains original form within 5 minutes. Table - 7

The results show that the c-b-c fiber has better material properties than the other two samples used for comparison. Weather resistant material Great impact strength Great load bearing capacity Variety of textures Resistance to temperature Stiffness and toughness

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6. CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

Renewable fibers are often considered only for markets that require low costs and high production rates and can accept low performance. However, these fibers have many properties that would be an advantage in other markets, such as light non-abrasive and low energy requirements for processing. Their potential for use in molded articles not needing high strength for acceptable performance has been tried in equipment housings, roofing for low-cost housing, and in large diameter piping. Moreover, automotive and packaging industries are demanding a shift of their design from oil-derived polymers and mineral reinforcement materials to natural materials focusing the recyclability or biodegradability of green products at the end of life. Such commendable properties shown by a product made out of material usually thrown away as waste can be used to regulate the trees being cut and save trees, our most important resource.

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References
[1] S.V. Joshi, L.T. Drzal, A.K. Mohanty, S. Arora The mechanical properties of vinylester resin matrix composites reinforced with alkali-treated jute Fibers Part A 32 (2001) 119127. [2] A. K. RANA, A. MANDAL, B.C. MITRA, R. JACOBSON, R. ROWELL, A. N.

BANERJEE Short Jute Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites: Effect of Compatibilizer Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Vol. 69, 329-338 (1998). [3] A. N. Shah and S. C. Lakkad, Mechanical Properties Of Jute-Reinforced Plastics, Fiber Science and Technology 15 (1981) 41 46. [4] D. Ray, B.K. Sarkara, A.K. Rana, N.R. Bose The mechanical properties of vinylester resin matrix composites reinforced with alkali-treated jute Fibers Part A 32 (2001) 119127 [5] Prosenjit Saha, Suvendu Manna, Sougata Roy Chowdhury, Ramkrishna Sen, Debasis Roy, Basudam Adhikari Enhancement of tensile strength of lig nocellulosic jute fibers by alkali-steam treatment 101 (2010) 31823187 [6] Jochen Gassan, Andrzej K. Bledzki, Possibilities for improving the mechanical properties of jute/epoxy composites by alkali treatment of Fibers, Composites Science and Technology 59 (1999) 1303-1309. [7] Monteiro S.N.; Rodriquez R.J.S.; De Souza M.V., D'Almeida J.R.M., Sugar Cane Bagasse Waste as Reinforcement in Low Cost Composites, Advanced performance Material, Volume 5, No.3, (December 1998): p. 183-191. [8] Hassan M.L., Rowell R.M., Fadl N.A., Yacoub S.F. and Chrisainsen A.W. Thermo plasticization of Bagasse. I. Preparation and Characterization of Esterified Bagasse Fibers. Journal of applied polymer science, Volume 76, (2000): p. 561- 574. [9] Hassan M.L., Rowell R.M., Fadl N.A., Yacoub S.F. and Chrisainsen A.W. Thermo plasticization of Bagasse. II. Dimensional Stability and Mechanical Properties of Esterified Bagasse Composite. Journal of applied polymer science, Volume 76, (2000): p. 575-586.
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[10] BC Ray Loading Rate Sensitivity of Glass Fiber-epoxy Composite at Ambient and Subambient Temperatures Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela.

[11] Ecodesign of automotive components making use of natural jute fiber composites C. Alves a,*, P.M.C. Ferrao a, A.J. Silva a, L.G. Reis a, M. Freitas a, L.B. Rodrigues b, D.E. Alves c a Instituto Superior Tecnico, Rovisco Pais Av., 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal b Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Praa da Primavera, 40, 45700-000 Itapetinga, Brazil c Instituto de Artes Visuais, Design e Marketing, D. Carlos I Av., 4, 1200-649 Lisbon, Portugal

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