Preparation and Characterisation of Camel's Foot (Piliostigma Thonningii) and Doum Palm (Hyphanea Thebaica) Hybrid Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Resin Composites

The polyester resin / Camel's Foot and Doum Palm hybrid fibre composites were fabricated using a hand layup method at a fibre ratio of 5/0, 0.5/4.5, 1.0/4.0, 1.5/3.5, 2.0/3.0, 2.5/2.5.wt%. Physical properties such as density, water absorption and mechanical properties such as flexural strength, impact strength, tensile strength, and also morphological test (SEM) of the different composition of the prepared sample were investigated. Tensile strength was recorded to be maximum for 4.0/1.0 fibre ratio at 30.17 MPa and the minimum to be 20.55 MPa at 0.5/4.5 fibre ratio, the decrease could be due to the weak interfacial adhesion between the hybrid fibres and the epoxy resin matrix. The water absorption was 2.83 % as maximum, and increased as the filler loading increases until it became saturated. The density of the hybrid composites obtained was 1.27 g/cm3 as maximum for 4.5/0.5 filler ratio. SEM micrograph of the composite showed little interfacial interaction, few voids and little micro-pores were revealed, this could be due to air trap during the composite fabrication.