Carbon fiber reinforced areca/sisal hybrid composites for railway interior applications: Mechanical and morphological properties

The present experimental investigation focuses on the development of Areca/Sisal/Carbon reinforced epoxy hybrid composites under various stacking sequences and involves the assessment of their mechanical and morphological properties to evaluate their use in some railway interior applications. Nine different combinations of laminates were prepared by using the manual hand layup technique. Mechanical experiments such as tensile, flexural, impact, inter-laminar shear strength and hardness tests were performed and the results envied the positive values which suggest the use of composites prepared in the study to be employed in some railway interior parts. The morphology of the composites was scrutinized using scanning electron microscopy and exposed the proper agglomeration of fibers in the matrix which in turn has influenced better mechanical properties. The experimental results convey that the hybridization of natural and synthetic fibers in polymer matrix would be an exciting prospect to be utilized in some railway interior applications.

Automated summary

The study focused on developing Areca/Sisal/Carbon reinforced epoxy hybrid composites with various stacking sequences for railway interior applications, and evaluated their mechanical and morphological properties. The positive results of mechanical tests suggest the potential use of the composites in some railway interior parts. The proper agglomeration of fibers in the matrix influenced better mechanical properties, indicating the promising prospect of natural and synthetic fiber hybridization in polymer matrix for railway interior applications.