Experimental study on the effect of fiber length and weight ratio of sugarcane bagasse on the mechanical properties of sugarcane bagasse-glass fiber reinforced polyester composites

Sugarcane bagasse, a renewable and abundant natural fiber, shows great potential as a reinforcement in composite materials. While fiber length and weight ratio are key factors influencing the mechanical properties of composites, their impact on sugarcane bagasse-based composites remains unexplored. This gap highlights the need for research to determine how these factors affect the performance of such composites. Thus, the present work investigates the effect of fiber length and weight ratio on the mechanical properties of sugarcane bagasse-glass fiber reinforced polyester matrix composites. The fiber length and weight ratio of sugarcane bagasse are varied to assess their influence on the mechanical properties of the composites. The fiber length of sugarcane bagasse is varied in three different levels: short (0.5-1.7 mm), medium (1.7-4 mm), and long (greater than 4 mm). Additionally, the weight ratio of sugarcane bagasse fibers is adjusted at three levels (10, 20, and 30 wt%) with 5 wt% glass fibers mixed in unsaturated polyester resin. The composites are prepared by a hand lay-up method, and ASTM standards are followed in preparing the samples. Experimental results indicate that longer sugarcane bagasse fibers and 30 wt% contribute to improved tensile strength. Based on the results, increasing the SCB fiber length and weight percentage consistently enhanced the mechanical properties of the composite. Tensile strength increased from 27 MPa (short fibers) to 35.8 MPa (long fibers) and from 22.2 MPa (0% fiber) to 39 MPa (30% fiber); flexural strength improved from 73.2 MPa (short fibers) to 84.75 MPa (long fibers) and from 63.3 MPa (0% fiber) to 84.75 MPa (30% fiber); while compression strength rose from 110.44 MPa (short fibers) to 115.152 MPa (long fibers) and from 108.5 MPa (0% fiber) to 118.2 MPa (30% fiber). Moreover, the incorporation of sugarcane bagasse improves compression strength, flexural strength, and impact strength of the composites. The findings give valuable insights for optimizing sugarcane bagasse-glass fiber reinforced polyester composites for different application areas.