Experimental Analysis of Synthetic-Natural Polymer Composite Fiber for Automotive Applications

Modern-day industries have focused their research on building biodegradable materials due to waste accumulation and problems regarding the recyclability and reusability of end-of-life products. This study aims to find a suitable replacement for existing materials with long life cycles and natural components that can degrade in the environment over time and solve the issue of biodegradability. From an extensive literature study, three fibers, namely carbon, Kevlar and jute, were considered to find a hybrid between natural and synthetic fibers with excellent properties. Jute plays the role of natural fiber and, being cost-effective and eco-friendly, reduces the production cost and makes the final specimen semi-biodegradable. Three specimens with the above materials were made: carbon–jute/epoxy, Kevlar–jute/epoxy and jute/epoxy. The specimen was made using the hand-layup method of fabrication of composites. The impact and flexural strength were maximum for the carbon–jute/epoxy composite, showing that the material can bend to the maximum extent and has good impact strength on collision or sudden force. The findings demonstrated that the carbon jute/epoxy hybrid composite's good mechanical qualities and material's good sustainability allow it to replace materials used in the automotive, aerospace and civil engineering industries.