Effect of Braiding of Jute and Flax Fibres on Mechanical, Water Absorption and Morphological Properties of Epoxy Composite

Modern society requires materials that are strong, lightweight, and inexpensive, but they must also be biodegradable, eco-friendly, and non-toxic to humans. Natural fibres may meet the aforementioned requirements. In this study, six different samples were considered: one was pure epoxy, two were braided fibres (100% jute and 100% flax), and three were blended braided fibre combinations (75:25 jute/flax, 50:50 jute/flax, and 25:75 jute/flax), which were fabricated using hand lay-up technique. Mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, and impact) of the fabricated composites were examined, and the results revealed that the 25:75 jute/flax fibre blend braided composites performed better than other composites. With the use of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), the OH, C-C, and C-H chemical groups were detected in the fabricated composites. The aforementioned composites were examined using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) to confirm bonding, examine surface morphology, and to identify the kind of fibre failure. Water absorption was also examined to find out how stable the composite was under different environmental conditions. This work is novel since braided fibres have not received as much scientific attention as natural and hybrid fibres.