Enhanced morphological and thermal properties of epoxy composites reinforced with Palm and Prosopis Juliflora fibers

Abstract This study investigates the fabrication and characterization of a hybrid epoxy matrix composite reinforced with Palm and Prosopis Juliflora fibers fabricated using the hand layup technique. Three composite samples were prepared with varying weight percentages of palm and Prosopis Juliflora fiber reinforcements: 5% (Sample A), 10% (Sample B), and 15% (Sample C). Sample B having 10 weight percentage each of Palm fiber and Prosopis Juliflora fiber and 80 weight percentage of Epoxy matrix, exhibited superior performance with a tensile strength of 45.5 MPa and a hardness of 86.5 Shore D. Thermal analysis revealed Sample B’s exceptional thermal stability, with distinct decomposition stages observed through Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA). Void content analysis indicated Sample C had the lowest void content at 4.5%. Energy Dispersive x-ray (EDX) Analysis confirmed homogeneous fiber distribution and strong fiber-matrix adhesion, supported by carbon and oxygen peaks. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra showed interactions between functional groups, including alcohols, carboxylic acids, and carbonyl compounds. These findings underscore the composite’s potential for high strength, toughness, and thermal stability applications.