“Sustainable hybrid composites: The role of stacking arrangement in abrasive wear resistance and mechanical properties of Jute-Carbon-Glass systems”

Abstract

Hybrid composites can replace traditional materials due to their lightweight nature, high strength, and impressive performance. This paper investigates the hybrid J-C-G composite’s mechanical and abrasive wear performance. Hybrid and non-hybrid composites were manufactured using woven jute, unidirectional carbon, and glass fabric via the hand layup. The stacking sequencing and hybridization results were tested on Tensile, Flexural, and wear. The stacking sequence and hybridization of materials have been noted to exert a substantial influence on the mechanical and tribological properties. The effect of three-factors, load, sliding velocity, and distance on wear and coefficient friction were investigated. The reinforced composite specimen was tested under applied loads of 20 N and 150 N, sliding velocities of 2 m/s and 8 m/s, and varying sliding distances of 1000 m and 1500 m, respectively, as per ASTM G99 standard. The results indicated that wear loss increased with higher sliding velocities and loads. The results show that Jute-Carbon-Glass (JCG) composites have a tensile strength of 300 MPa, comparable to synthetic composites. This suggests that up to two layers, or 33%, of synthetic fibres, can be replaced with natural fibres without reducing tensile strength. The tensile strength differs significantly between JCG and GJC composites. The tensile strength of JCG composite is 300 MPa, whereas the GJC composite has a tensile strength of just 28.40 MPa—representing a 956.34% increase from GJC to JCG. GJCs and JCGs with identical weight fractions of their materials show different wear values, 54.80 µm and 42.26 µm, respectively This study aims to assess the novel impact of stacking sequences on the mechanical and wear performance of hybrid Jute-Carbon-Glass (J-C-G) composites, with a focus on stacking sequence, hybridization, and test conditions (load, sliding velocity, and distance), to promote lightweight and cost-effective solutions.