Fabrication and characterization of glass fiber and aluminium wire mesh reinforced epoxy composites filled with micro-sized bamboo dust particles

Despite of the extensive research on fiber reinforced and particulate filled polymers, the combined effect of bamboo dust in glass fiber and aluminum wire mesh reinforced multi-fiber hybrid composites has not been studied yet. In view this, the present introduces a novel multi-fiber polymer composite using micro-sized bamboo dust particles as filler. Sets of composites are prepared with varied filler content (0, 10, 20 wt.%) in epoxy matrix reinforced with alternate layers of glass fiber and aluminium wire mesh using the conventional hand layup technique. Physical, mechanical and microstructural characterization of these composites are carried out. A maximum tensile strength of about 122 MPa, flexural strength of about 220 MPa and impact strength of about 32 J/cm ² are recorded for the unfilled composite. It is noted that the inclusion of bamboo dust affects the mechanical properties in general but significantly improves the micro-hardness and inter laminar shear strength of these multi-fiber composites. Scanning electron microscopy is done on the surfaces and on the fractured sections to get an insight to the failure mechanisms in the composites under tensile and bending loads. With fairly good strength properties, these composites are likely to find applications in light structural elements.