Mechanical Behavior of 3D Orthogonal Woven Jute-polyester Hybrid Composites

3D composites have some advantages such as higher resistance to delamination over 2D composites. Jute fiber-reinforced composites have received a lot of attention in recent years due to their lightness, biodegradability, and low price. These composites, on the other hand, have relatively low mechanical properties and in many cases brittle behavior. In this research hybridizing jute with high tenacity polyester fibers was considered as a solution for these problems. Six types of 3D orthogonal hybrid woven fabrics from jute and high tenacity polyester yarns with various hybridization ratios were produced and then converted to 3D composites by vacuum infusion process (VIP) using unsaturated polyester resin. The effect of hybridization on tensile, flexural, and impact properties of 3D orthogonal woven jute-polyester hybrid composites with unsaturated polyester matrices is investigated. The results showed that increasing the percentage of polyester fibers (25 %), tensile strength (30.5 %), impact resistance (24 %), and flexural modulus (25 %) increased, but flexural strength (13 %) and tensile modulus (43 %) decreased. Moreover, higher flexibility and strain rate of polyester fibers prevent sudden fracture of the hybrid composites. Placement of polyester fibers in the outer layers of hybrid composite samples has a better effect on the flexural strength and impact resistance of composites than placement in the middle layers. Comparing the mechanical properties of 3D orthogonal woven jute-polyester hybrid composites samples, it was observed that the sample contained 70 % jute and 30 % polyester (P3JF) had the highest flexural strength and impact resistance which were 25 % and 48 % higher than the sample containing 100 % jute (J), respectively. Moreover, the samples that contain 50 % jute and 50 % polyester (PJJP and JPPJ) had the highest tensile strength among the samples. The sample that contains 80 % jute and 20 % polyester (P3J7) has the highest flexural modulus, which is 50 % higher than the J sample. The fracture surfaces of the composites were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the fiber-matrix adhesion was analyzed.