Dynamic Mechanical Properties and Surface Morphology of Glass/Jute/Kevlar Fibres reinforced Hybrid Composite

Abstract

The strength and application of polymers can significantly be affected by their mechanical properties, which indicates that measures aimed at altering their mechanical properties will also affect their strength and possible applications The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamic mechanical properties of the glass/jute /Kevlar hybrid fibres reinforced polypropylene using dynamic mechanical analysis, (DMA) to establish the interfacial bond in relation to storage modulus, loss modulus and damping factor. The samples were prepared using Carver Press at a temperature of 190 oC and a pressure of 500 psi using 1 mm thin films of polypropylene. The results obtained showed that the hybrid composites have a poor interfacial bond which led to molecular motion as the temperature was increasing. The loss modulus was also high, likewise the damping factor. The Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrograms also supported these findings by showing the delamination on impacted samples. These make the hybrid composite a good material for rigid body armor application.