Effect of Fiber Composition on the Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Behavior of Jute and Human Hair-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Polymer composites reinforced with jute fiber have been widely used in window and door frames, biogas cylinders, furniture, suitcases, helmets, automobile and railway coach interiors, boats, etc. Human hair is a versatile material that has been identified as having significant potential for use as a reinforcement in composites because of its excellent material properties. This article deals with the reinforcement of jute and human hair in epoxy matrix-based composites. Composites fabricated with constant volume fractions but with five different fiber ratios of jute and human hair were studied. Analysis of physical, mechanical, and thermal properties was made on the fabricated Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (NFRPC5). The results showed an increase in the mechanical properties with an increase in human hair content in the composite. The tensile, flexural, and double shear strength of the composite with 25 % human hair obtained was 23.45, 80.83, and 44.25 MPa, respectively, whereas 25 % jute fiber-reinforced composite shows 13.69, 61.63, and 28.25 MPa, respectively. The properties of jute fiber composites were increased when adding the human hair with jute fiber in the ratio of 18.75:6.25,12.5:12.5, and 6.25:18.75 percentage of jute fiber and human hair, respectively. From moisture analysis of the composites, it was observed that increasing the human hair content with matrix caused a decrease in the absorptivity of the composite. From thermogravi metric analysis (TGA), composite with 25 % jute fiber showed the final degradation temperature at 480.12 degrees C, whereas for 25 % human hair, composite obtained at 450.12 degrees C. TGA showed a proportionate increase in thermal stability with increase in jute fiber content of the composites.