Study of moisture absorption, mechanical properties and morphology of jute/sisal hybrid cellulose composites

In the current research work, an attempt has been made to fabricate hybrid cellulose-reinforced composites as a step towards the development of sustainable and ecofriendly materials. Cellulose is extracted from sisal and jute fibers using water pre hydrolysis synthesis. Hybrid cellulose composites are fabricated using different wt% combinations of sisal and jute celluloses and epoxy resin by hand layup technique. These composites are exposed to different environmental conditions that is, saltwater, tap water, and kerosene to explore the impact of moisture absorption on tensile, flexural and impact properties. It was observed that samples immersed in tap water absorbed maximum moisture content when compared with samples in saline water and kerosene. Exposure to various moisture conditions deteriorated mechanical characteristics that is, tensile, flexural, and impact properties in all compositions. Dry hybrid cellulose composite with 10S + 5J composition exhibited the maximum tensile strength (i.e. 25.04 MPa) and flexural strength (i.e. 74.24 MPa). In contrast, 5S + 10J dry composites exhibited better impact strength (1.6733 kJ/m 2 ). SEM micrographs of tensile fracture surfaces confirmed that pull out of fibers, presence of micro voids and delamination are the significant causes for the failure of composites. Further, SEM micrographs correlated with moisture absorption effects to probe mechanical behavior and durability of the composites under different environmental effects. The study demonstrates that hybrid cellulose composites are ideal for low-load automotive applications, enhancing sustainability and biodegradability.