Effect of fibre hybridization and stacking sequence on the low velocity impact response of flax/basalt/aluminum composite-metal joints

•Low Velocity Impact analysis of Basalt/Flax/Aluminium bio-hybrid composite-metal joints was done using drop weight impact testing machine.•Three different stacking configurations i.e. sandwich, symmetric and asymmetric, were selected to investigate the effect of stacking sequence on the impact performance.•Asymmetric configuration has highest stiffness for initial failure.•The highest force withstood was by Asymmetric configuration hence it experienced least indentation and damage.•Symmetric configuration had the least resistance to impact at all energies used. A lot of composite materials with better impact resistance and better strength and stiffness can be manufactured these days. Many researchers have been using different materials to form new composites to understand their impact performance. This paper discusses such an attempt to make new composites by utilizing the concept of hybridization and then proposes which among them has better strength and performance under low-velocity impact (LVI) loading. In this work, circular patches of composites made up of a combination of basalt and flax fibers were used while being bonded with aluminum plate Al 2024-T3 of 3 mm thickness. The three different configurations which include asymmetric, symmetric, and sandwich were prepared using vacuum assisted bagging process and their impact performances were investigated using the Drop Weight Impact test. The results obtained were analyzed and they concluded that the asymmetric configuration of basalt/flax composite has better impact resistance, and strength and is better to use in structural components of automobiles, and the defense industry as compared to the other two.