Influence of Fibre Weight Fraction on the Mechanical Characteristics of the Caryota Urens Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composite

The present study aims to assess the tensile properties of Caryota urens fibre reinforced polyester composites. Composites were fabricated with different fiber weight fractions starting from 5% to 35% with 5% increment. The mechanical testing of composite material was conducted using ASTM standards. The results indicated that the tensile, impact, and flexural properties of composite material were increased up to 25% fiber weight fraction; after that, they have been reduced due to some factors, like fiber distribution, which may not be uniform, and adhesion between fiber and matrix may be reduced. The optimal weight fraction of caryota urens fiber found from this study is 25%. The maximum tensile, impact, and flexural strength obtained for the composites were 36.22 MPa, 62.21 MPa, and 0.224 N/m, respectively. Water absorption characteristics show the increase of water intake behavior of composites due to their hydrophobic nature.