Effect of sand particle filler materials on the improvement of mechanical properties of jute fiber composite

This study aims to investigate the influence of fiber content and sand fillers on the mechanical and physical performance of jute fiber composites. With the increase of fiber percentage, improvements in tensile & flexural strength, impact energy and hardness have been observed. Furthermore, the incorporation of sand fillers led to further enhancement of these properties by limiting crack propagation and reducing internal voids. The composite with 40 % jute fiber with sand fillers exhibited the highest tensile strength (27.1 MPa), flexural strength (47.52 MPa), impact energy (3.33 J) and hardness (76.33). On the other hand, the 20 % jute fiber composite without fillers showed the lowest values. Water absorption and thickness swelling increased with higher fiber percentage but were greatly reduced by the presence of sand fillers. The 20 % fiber composite with fillers absorbed the least amount of water in both distilled and saline environments. Overall, the findings indicate that sand-filled jute fiber composites offer enhanced structural performance and exhibit properties comparable to some hybrid composites, which enables them to be used as automotive interior components, building panels, furniture and protective gear like helmets & pads.