Development And Characterization Of ENSET Fiber Interchange Double Cloth Reinforced With Unsaturated Polyester Resin Composite

The growing global emphasis on sustainability has created a strong demand for composite materials. Natural fibers provide advantages such as low cost, low density, and biodegradability. ENSET fiber, extracted from the false banana plant widely grown in East Africa, is one such material that remains largely unexplored despite its availability and promising physical characteristics. Addressing this gap is important as woven architectures, especially double-cloth structures, offer better dimensional stability and load distribution than non-woven or randomly oriented fibers. This study focuses on the development and mechanical evaluation of unsaturated polyester composites reinforced with ENSET double-cloth fabrics prepared in plain and basket weaves. Two fiber bundle sizes were used during fabric formation to study the influence of fiber volume on composite behavior. The composites were produced through the hand lay-up method, and a series of tests were performed to assess compressive strength, impact resistance, density, water absorption, and void content. The results clearly show double-cloth composite with higher fiber volume fraction exhibited superior mechanical performance. The findings indicate that ENSET double-cloth reinforced composites have considerable potential as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional synthetic fiber composites for applications such as lightweight structural materials.