Surface Modification Effects on the Mechanical Properties of Woven Jute Fabric Reinforced Laminated Composites

During recent years, crude material costs and increasing environmental concerns have led to the search for new reinforcement materials for composites. Consequently, interest on natural fiber reinforced polymer composites has increased significantly owing to their easy availability, light weight, and low price. In this study, surface modification effects were investigated on the mechanical properties of woven jute fabric reinforced laminated composite plates, experimentally. The woven jute fabrics were retained at the rates of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% NaOH solution for 15 days at room temperature for surface modification process. Then, woven jute/epoxy (WJE), woven jute/polyester (WJP), and woven jute/vinylester (WJV) laminated composite plates having six layers were produced using modified woven jute fabric. The mechanical properties of woven jute reinforced laminated composites, such as tensile, compression, and shear properties, were determined at room temperature. The experimental results were analyzed statistically with Weibull distribution having 85% reliability level. The statistical results showed that the surface modification process and type of matrix material have dramatically affected the mechanical properties of woven jute fabric reinforced laminated composites.