Mechanical Properties of Abaca-Glass Fiber Composites Fabricated by Vacuum-Assisted Resin Transfer Method

The application of natural fiber-reinforced composites is gaining interest in the automotive, aerospace, construction, and marine fields due to its advantages of being environmentally friendly and lightweight, having a low cost, and having a lower energy consumption during production. The incorporation of natural fibers with glass fiber hybrid composites may lead to some engineering and industrial applications. In this study, abaca/glass fiber composites were prepared using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer method (VARTM). The effect of different lamination stacking sequences of abaca-glass fibers on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties was evaluated. The morphological failure behavior of the fractured-tensile property was evaluated by 3D X-ray Computed Tomography and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results of mechanical properties were mainly dependent on the volume fraction of abaca fibers, glass fibers, and the arrangement of stacking sequences in the laminates. The higher volume fraction of abaca fiber resulted in a decrease in mechanical properties causing fiber fracture, resin cracking, and fiber pullout due to poor bonding between the fibers and the matrix. The addition of glass woven roving in the composites increased the mechanical properties despite the occurrence of severe delamination between the abaca-strand mat glass fiber.