Fabrication and Mechanical Characterization of Jute Fabrics: Reinforced Polyvinyl Chloride/Polypropylene Hybrid Composites

Jute fabrics such as reinforced polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), and a mixture of PVC and PP matrices-based composites (50wt% fiber) were prepared by compression molding. Tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), tensile modulus (TM), and vbending modulus (BM) of jute fabrics' reinforced PVC composite (50wt% fiber) were found to be 45MPa, 52MPa, 0.8GPa, and 1.1GPa, respectively. The effect of incorporation of PP on the mechanical properties of jute fabrics' reinforced PVC composites was studied. It was found that the mixture of 60% PP and 40% PVC matrices based composite showed the best performance. TS, BS, TM, and BM for this composite were found to be 65MPa, 70MPa, 1.42GPa, and 1.8GPa, respectively. Degradation tests of the composites for up to six months were performed in a soil medium. Thermo-mechanical properties of the composites were also studied.