Experimental of Flexural and Hardness Property of Palm-Sisal Reinforced Epoxy Resin Hybrid Composite Materials

Hybrid Natural fiber composite material is made from two or more natural fibers to achieve better mechanical properties than single fiber composites. In Ethiopian large amount of unused natural fibers resources including palm, sisal and others are available. These can replace synthetic fiber composite materials. Carry out research to change the natural fibers in to use full engineering products is essential for industrial development. Experimental methodology of research was conducted to develop palm and sisal fibers reinforcements with epoxy resin matrix hybrid composite for the purpose of determining the flexural and hardness property that is required in vehicle internal body parts. In the production of hybrid composite specimens for flexural and hardness tests, various parameters including sequence of fiber layers effect (palm-sisal-sisal-palm (PSSP), palm-sisal-palm-sisal (SPSP), and sisal-palm-palm-sisal (SPPS)), angle orientation of fibers(0o-45o -0o -45o, 0o -0o -0o -0o, 0o -90o -0o -90o), weight concentration of fibers (weight ratio) and also different alkali (NaOH 6% and 10%)concentration treated fiber effect were considered. Flexural strength test was conducted on three point sampling size universal testing machine and hardness testing was conducted using Rockwell scale “A†hardness tester. From test results, the 6% NaOH treated chopped composites showed higher flexural strength (66MPa.) with weight concentration of 5%palm-20%sisal- and 75% epoxy. The hardness number of 6% NaOH alkali-treated fiber with weight concentration of 5%palm, 20%sisal and 75% epoxy chopped fiber number was110.344 and was the highest hardness comparing to hardness of other specimens. From the research results it is possible to conclude that using palm-sisal hybrid fibers as reinforcement in polymer matrix could successfully develop a composite material with high strength to weight ratio and rigidity for automobile interior parts applications and the naturally obtained fibers may play a great role in economic development.