Synthesis and mechanical behaviour of corn husk and sisal fibre reinforced hybrid polymer composites

Abstract This paper presents the synthesis and mechanical characterization of hybrid polymer composites reinforced with sisal and corn husk fibres using vacuum bag moulding. The selection of these natural fibres was guided by their availability, low cost, and biodegradability. Composite specimens were fabricated with fibre weight fractions of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%, employing epoxy resin as the matrix material. Mechanical tests including tensile, flexural, impact, and wear evaluations were conducted. The tensile strength increased from 32 MPa to 45 MPa, while the tensile modulus rose from 2.5 GPa to 3.5 GPa with increasing fibre content. Similarly, flexural strength improved from 60 MPa to 85 MPa, and the flexural modulus from 3.0 GPa to 4.0 GPa. Wear rate decreased from 0.8 mm 3 /Nm to 0.3 mm 3 /Nm, and both impact resistance and energy absorption capacity increased from 15 J to 35 J. SEM analysis revealed uniform fibre dispersion and strong interfacial bonding between the fibres and the matrix. These enhancements in mechanical performance indicate that the developed composites are environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional synthetic composites, with potential applications in construction, automotive panels, and sports equipment.