Effect of Silicon Carbide Nanoparticles on the Mechanical and Thermal Enhancement of Bamboo and Ramie Fiber Reinforced Composites

The mechanical, thermal, and morphological aspects of bamboo and ramie fiber hybrid composites reinforced with silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles are investigated in this work. Compression moulding came after manual lay-up fabrication of the composites. SiC nanoparticles of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5<sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">%</sup>, 2% reinforced in the hybrid composite are used in this work. The mechanical testing showed that the inclusion of SiC nanoparticles greatly improved the impact strengths of the composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed enhanced thermal stability, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) study revealed a change in glass transition temperature (Tg). At the best nanoparticle concentration, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis showed a uniform distribution of SiC nanoparticles, improved bonding between fibers and matrix, and effective toughening processes. The study indicates that SiC-reinforced bamboo and ramie fiber hybrid composites possess enhanced properties suitable for high-performance applications in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, sports equipment, and construction. A 1.5% SiC concentration was identified as offering the best overall performance. Future research should focus on refining the manufacturing process, exploring different types of nanoparticles, and assessing long-term performance under various environmental conditions.