A Study on Mechanical Properties of Hybrid FiberReinforced Polymer Composites

These daysalmost all structures are being replaced with composite materials due to their high strength to weight ratio along with good mechanical properties. Thecomposite properties will change based on the factors like size, shape, length, weight, nature and resin used. In current scenario to achieve the particular properties almost all industries are using the hybrid composites. In present work, four types of woven fabrics are taken i.e., Carbon, E-Glass, Flax and Bamboo. From these four types, a total of 4 composites (Carbon, E-Glass, Flax & Bamboo) and total of 6 hybrid composites (Flax + E-Glass, Bamboo + E-Glass, Flax + Carbon, Bamboo + Carbon, Bamboo + Flax and Carbon + E-Glass) are fabricated with ASTM D3039 and tested under tensile machine. The effect of hybrid composite models on the density, young’s modulus and yield strength are calculated. The best hybrid composite material is selected based upon the low density, high tensile strength and high young’s modulus.


I. Introduction
Composite material is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical properties, which are combined to produce a material with characteristics which are stronger and more durable than the previous components. The previous individual components will form a bond which indeed increases the desirable characteristics. The latest material can be preferred for many reasons for it's usage like stronger, harder, lighter, less expensive when compared to traditional materials.Composite material is generally classified into two differenttypes, the first type of classification is usually made with respect to the matrix constituent and the second type of classification refers to the reinforcement. S. Prabhakaran [1] et al analysed in detail the damping and sound absorption characteristics of flax and glass fiber reinforced composites and found that flax fiber reinforced composite has 21.42% and 25% higher sound absorption coefficient and at low frequencies it has 51.03% higher vibration damping than the glass fibre reinforced composite and the weight ,flexural strength and flexural modulus of flax fiber are IOP Publishing doi: 10.1088/1757-899X/1185/1/012037 2 between than glass fiber reinforced composites without sacrificing stiffness-to-weight ratios. Dakai Chen [2] et al analysed in detail the effect of ammonium polyphosphate and plasticizer poly (Butylene adipate-co-terephtlate) on the sound absorption property of ramie fibre, and found out composite with short ramie fiber reinforced PLLA composite. The SEM reveal micro-phase separation and porosity between single fibre bundles to short fibre makes more better acoustical absorptive. Y.Hong et al [3] analyzed in detail the damping characterizes of several advanced fiber reinforced composite Finite Element analysis is carried out based on modal strain energy method to find out modal shapes, modal frequencies and modal loss factor. By using different layer angels and layup sequences, the composite structure were optimized. They observed increase of frequency trend with carbon/glass fiber composite in bending made with layup sequence 0,90 and reverse trend with layup sequence of 30,45,60. Jean Marie Berthelot [4] et al done experiments on unidirectional glass and Kevlarfiber composite materials by using a cantilever beam for damping values and compared these results with literature models such as Adams-bacon analysis, Ni -Adama analysis and complex stiffness model. A deviation of 10 to 35 of fibre orientation is seen in Kevlarfiber composites he obtained better results in modelling than experimental due to the specimen difference in both. In ritz method the specimen is rectangular so width is considered while AB analysis doesn't consider this width the inplane shear damping of shear energy to energy dissipated which is different for each analysis. Jean Marie Berthelot [5] et al carried out experiments viz., orthotropic composites with viscoelastic layers on a rectangular laminates using ritz method. Natural frequencies and along with modes are obtained, the transverse shear energies can be obtained in each layer and damping is evaluated for different energies and different angles of laminate. The strains in each viscoelastic layers are observed. If we take multiple damping layers, laminates and complex structures the damping modelling can be used by finite element procedure. Ahmed Alb-El-hamid hamada [6] et al carried out experiments on a composite with different cores (steel and aluminium) as well as composite material with different fiber orientation, aligned longitudinally, transversely making 45 0 with each other and randomly oriented on which FFT is carried out and found that coatedlaminated beams have high damping ability than isotropic metal beams. Lamina coated has better than normal structure that too without change in natural frequency of structure.C.Kyriazoglou et al [7] carried out experiments of hybrid method which is applied to homogeneous material for damping by FEA and damping testing equipment. These both have good coordination while testing the specimen GFRP and CFRP which is done at 0 0 and 90 0 continuous GFRP lamina,woven (0 0 ,90 0 ),GFRP 8HSW, woven (0 0 ,90 0 ) and (+-45 0 )5HSWFRP lamina are found.The objective of the problem is to study the mechanical properties of Plane Composites (carbon Epoxy, E-Glass Epoxy, Bamboo Epoxy and Flax Epoxy) and hybrid composites (Flax + E-Glass Epoxy, Bamboo + E-Glass Epoxy, Flax + Carbon Epoxy, Bamboo + Carbon Epoxy, Bamboo + Flax Epoxy and Carbon + E-Glass Epoxy).

ASTM D3039
The specimen dimensions recommended by the ASTM D3039 for tensile test is shown in Figure 1.

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP)
Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), or carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) is an very strong and light weight fiber reinforced plastic which contains carbon fibers. In CFRPs the reinforcement is the carbon fiber along with the matrix is usually a polymer resin. The material properties depends on those very two elements.
The main applications are guitar picks, laptop cases and audio Components such as loud speakers. The advantages are high tensile strength, low thermal expansion, light weight, corrosion resistant and electrical conductivity. The disadvantages are expensive in cost, Cracks propagation and holes are created while machining.
Two directional carbon woven fabricsare gathered from the market in the form of sheets of length 1.5 meters. The required length for the carbon lamina is 260 mm in length and 27 mm width and thickness of the sheet is 0.3 mm. The carbon woven sheet is shown in the below Figure 2. The disadvantages of the epoxy resin are harmful to health and do not perform well in colder temperatures. Epoxy resin LY556 is used as the matrix for binding purpose to the carbon lamina which is shown in the below figure.Hardener HY951 is used for the epoxy resin as it is mixed with the 1:10 ratio of the epoxy resin which is shown in the below Figure  3.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP):
The reinforced polymers consisting of glass fibers are known as glass fiber reinforced polymers. Glass fibers have been around us for centuries,these are produced in bulk in strand form is done from 1932 when Games slayter a researcher accidentally discovered them at owens-illinois directed a jet of compressed air at a stream of molten glass and produced fibers.
The physical properties of GFRP are high corrosion resistance, low dielectric constant, higher electrical resistivity and high tensile strength. The applications of GFRP are automobile parts, home furniture, boats.
The advantages of GFRP are low modulus of elasticity, self abrasiveness, relatively low fatigue resistance, higher density compared to carbon fibers and organic fibers, high tensile strength and good insulation. The disadvantages are brittle and weak abrasive resistance.

Flax Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Flax fiber reinforced polymer is a natural polymer comes from the flowering plant which is of best family. It is comparatively has high strength than many natural fibers. The advantages of the FFRP are lower pollution level during production, CO2 Neutral, low cost, low Density, renewable resource and recyclable material.
The disadvantages of the FFRP composite are Stress -Strain response is nonlinear, highly inhomogeneous, degradation of properties and properties depend on growing and processing conditions. Two directional flax woven fabrics are gathered from the market in the form of sheets of length 3 meters. The required length for the flax lamina is 260 mm in length and 27 mm width. The flax woven sheet is shown in the below Figure 6.

Bamboo Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Bamboo fiber is cellulose fiber plant in grasses family which is produced from natural bamboo plant which is grown within 6 to 8 months of tall 40 m. Now days, bamboo fibers are using frequently in the market due to their own properties. There are around 1000 species of bamboo recognized worldwide. Its fiber has many advantages over cotton fiber. Applications: Textile industries, used for making fabric as meso, antibacterial property, moisture

Testing and Results
Tensile test on the specimens is performed by the universal tensile machine which uses the standards of ASTM D3039 and the calculated results and the density of the plane composites are shown in Figure 18.

Conclusions
From the experimental results for the mechanical properties of the plane composites, carbon epoxy posse's higher young's modulus and higher tensile strength. Bamboo epoxy having less young's modulus and less yield strength values. From the hybrid composite test results, carbon + E Glass epoxy hybrid composite posses higher young's modulus and higher yield strength compared to other materials. So, it is recommended to use Carbon + E-Glass Epoxy hybrid composite for higher load applications.