Mechanical and tribological behavior of carbon-sisal fiber reinforced sandwich composites

This research concerns the strength and robustness of sandwich composites from carbon and sisal fibers. These composites fulfill the need of the advanced manufacturing industry for strong materials as well as being robustly designed for comfort. Alkaline treatment was applied to sisal fibers to facilitate their bonding with the epoxy matrix. This improved the performance of this composite. The hybrid composites had superior mechanical properties compared with those from carbon fiber only. They were tested, and it was found that the maximum tensile strength was 193 MPa and impact absorption was 5.45 J. Tribological tests showed that the sliding friction coefficient ranged from 0.525 to 0.71, which means that the surface is better where wear is lower. It was optimized and fine-tuned some key processing parameters using a Taguchi L8 orthogonal array. The four- to six-layer composites consisted of a 50%–60% epoxy matrix and a 6.5 mm-thick composition. Characterization methods, including differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, supported the fibers to be dispersed well and bonded strongly in-between surfaces and formulated to be stable at high temperatures. These eco-friendly hybrid composites are highly strong and work well in the military, aerospace, and automotive environments.