Coir-Glass Intermingled Fibre Hybrid Composites

Abstract

The aim of the investigation is to evaluate the enhancement in the proper ties of coir-polyester composites by incorporating glass as intimate mix with coir. Addi tion of relatively small volume fraction (0.05) of glass enhances the tensile strength by about 100%, flexural strength by more than 50 % and impact strength by more than 100 % . Coir-glass intermingled hybrid composites (CGP) absorb moisture 4 to 5 times less than that of coir-polyester composite (CRP) on immersing in boiling water for 2 hrs and the former thereby shows considerably better resistance to weathering. It has also been ob served that CGP core-GRP shell laminates possess better flexural and interlaminar shear strength compared to that of CRP core-GRP shell laminates containing equivalent volume fractions of the fibres as in the former.