Effect of fiber orientation on the mechanical properties of natural fiber epoxy reinforced composites of Flax, Hemp, and Kenaf

Natural fiber-reinforced composites (NFRC) have elicited great attention from investigators because of their numerous advantages: lightweight, economical production, abundant availability in nature, biodegradability, and consequential environmental safety. Composites with natural fiber-reinforcement consist of reinforcing material and a matrix. The former has a higher density, whereas the latter has ductility and toughness, so that the composite combines both qualities. In this context, it is intuitively logical to investigate the mechanical properties of natural fibers. For this research, it has been the objective to analyze the effect of fiber orientation on the characteristics of flax, hemp, and kenaf. The composite specimens were fabricated through the combination of the hand layup process and cold compression. The tensile test, hardness test, and impact test have been carried out as per American society for testing materials (ASTM) standards for fiber orientations of 0°, 15°, 30°, and 45°. It has been found that fiber orientation (0°) shows maximum tensile strength for all three composites. The results of experiments indicate that the orientation of fiber influences the characteristics of all three composites. It is worth noting that at 450 fiber orientation, flax shows the least elongation at break in comparison with the other two composites. Furthermore, for 00 fiber orientation, the flax fiber has the highest hardness value, and in the impact test, the kenaf fiber shows the highest value.