A comparative study on the mechanical properties of African teff and snake grass fiber-reinforced hybrid composites: effect of bio castor seed shell/glass/SiC fillers

The environmental awareness and sustainable nature of plant-based fibers have forced material researchers and automakers to use natural fibers instead of petroleum-based fibers for various industrial applications. The need for environmentally and biodegradable fibers has created a demand in the transportation industry. In this study, bio castor seed shell (C), glass fiber (G), and SiC (SC) fillers in a constant weight fraction (10 %) were reinforced separately with varying weight fractions (5-25 %) of African teff and snake grass fibers to improve the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites. Both African teff and snake grass fibers were subjected to alkaline treatment to remove amorphous elements such as hemicellulose, lignin, and wax, resulting in high surface roughness. The hybrid composites were fabricated by the compression molding technique and their mechanical properties were characterized as per ASTM standards. The fractured surface of the treated fiber was examined by scanning electron microscopy. From the results, it was found that SC10SG20AT showed maximum mechanical properties compared to C10SG20AT and G10SG20AT due to higher load-bearing capacity of SiC filler. Therefore, SC10SG20AT can be recommended for lightweight applications.