Evaluation of tensile properties of natural silk and coir fibers

This paper evaluates the tensile properties of naturally available BM silkworm silk and coir fibers. Tensile experiments are conducted to evaluate the tensile properties of the fibers over a variation of lengths ranging from 10 to 30 mm, wherein the effect of machine compliance is also taken into account. The gauge length does not seem to affect the Young’s modulus of fibers. The tensile strength and modulus of silk fiber is 6 and 2 times, respectively, higher than that of coir fiber. The failure strain of both the fibers is comparable having high value in the range of 15–20%. The results are promising for application of silk and coir fibers as reinforcements in hybrid composites. © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2017.