Effect of sisal/kevlar inter-ply stacking and silane-treatment on mechanical, wear, fracture toughness, drop load impact, and hydrophobicity behavior of cellulose toughened polyester composite

This study examined the inter-ply alternatively stacked kevlar/sisal fiber’s mechanical, wear, fracture toughness, drop load impact, and hydrophobicity behavior along with cellulose addition. This study also gives an insight to how effectively a biomass-derived fiber is used as potential replacement for synthetic man-made hazardous fibers. The composite laminates were made by room temperature hand layup process and hot cured at 120 °C for 2 h. The laminated composites are then subjected to testing in accordance to respective ASTM standards. The result finding reveals that the composite designation “C3” possessed highest improvement in mechanical properties. Similarly, in wear, the composite designation “C4” records a lowest sp. wear rate and COF of 0.011 mm 3 /Nm and 0.34. Moreover, in fracture toughness, the composite designation “C3” scored a maximum fracture toughness of 24.74 (K 1 c) MPa. m and energy release rate of 0.55 (G 1 c) MJ/m 2 . This is about 339.43% and 223.52% of improvement compared to the plain resin. Similarly, in drop load impact toughness, the addition of cellulose and fiber stacking order influenced higher penetration resistance. Moreover, there is a strong matrix-fiber adhesion which causes finely fragmented fibers, which are visible through SEM fractography. Finally, the water-absorption behavior proves that composite materials’ hydrophobicity has been maintained not less than 70° despite the addition of cellulose and fiber. These composites, with improved load bearing effect with novel stacking order, could be benefited in manufacturing of building materials, automotive parts, aircraft bodies, and defense gadgets.