Water-soaking effect and influence of nanoclay on mechanical properties of bamboo/glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites

Abstract

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) experience exposure to diverse environments throughout their intended design life. Investigating the aging process of FRPs immersed in water is crucial for enhancing the material’s durability. In this study, glass fiber, bamboo fiber, nanoclay and epoxy composites are produced using the hand lay-up process. Tensile and flexural tests are performed in adherence to ASTM standards. The water uptake percentage of soaked specimens is computed, and a comparison is drawn between the results of dry and water-immersed composite specimens. Water-soaking condition negatively affects all the composites. Water-soaked specimens exhibit lesser tensile and flexural strengths than dry specimens by 7.4–14.8% and 7–13.6%, respectively. The addition of nanoclay further improves the tensile and flexural strengths of epoxy and all composites by 6–11%. Water uptake (%) and water-soaking effects on the strength of composites decline when nanoclay is added. The addition of nanoclay declines the percentage of reduction of tensile strength from 8.6–14.8% to 7.4–12%. Similarly, the percentage of flexural strength reduction declines from 8–13.6% to 7–11%. The dry and water-soaked specimens’ fracture surfaces (Scanning Electron Microscope [SEM] images) show significant variations.

Keywords:

• Fiber-matrix composites
• nanoclay
• hybridization
• water-soaking
• SEM analysis

Reviewing Editor:

• Ian Phillip, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

SUBJECTS:

• Materials Science
• Composites
• Polymers & Plastics
• Materials Science

Author contributions

Syed Mansoor Ahmad: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, investigation, methodology, visualization, writing – original draft preparation, and editing. Gowrishankar M C: conceptualization, review, editing, and supervision. Manjunath Shettar: conceptualization, methodology, visualization, writing – original draft preparation, review, and editing. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

The data supporting this study’s findings are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Syed Mansoor Ahmad

Syed Mansoor Ahmad is a Research Scholar in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher, Manipal, India. He is pursuing his doctoral degree in the area of hybrid polymer composites. He has published his research papers in reputed international journals and conferences. His research interests include polymers and polymer composites.

Gowrishankar M. C.

Gowrishankar M. C. is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India. His research interests include Machining of Materials, Heat Treatment of Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Materials. He has published more than 100 papers in reputed journals and conference proceedings.

Manjunath Shettar

Manjunath Shettar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, at Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India. His research interests include Polymer Nanocomposites, Hybrid Composites, and Aging Behaviour of Polymer Nanocomposite. He has published more than 75 papers in reputed journals and conference proceedings.