Influence of Stacking Sequence on the Mechanical and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Cotton/Glass Fiber Reinforced Polyester Composites

TLDR

The study investigates using waste cotton fiber with unsaturated polyester to produce glass‑cotton hybrid laminates and assess their mechanical and dynamic mechanical performance. The authors examined several stacking sequences while keeping total fiber content constant to evaluate the resulting composites. Hybrid laminates displayed intermediate mechanical properties, with best performance when glass fibers were on the surfaces; certain configurations ([C/G/G¯], [G/C/C¯], [G/C/G¯]) achieved superior dynamic mechanical behavior, indicating that partial glass replacement by cotton can be optimized for either mechanical or dynamic properties.

Abstract

This study focuses on the use of waste cotton fiber from the textile industry to produce composites with unsaturated polyester and to evaluate the performance of glass (G) / cotton (C) fiber laminates, particularly their mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties. Distinct stacking sequences were studied but the overall fiber content was kept constant. In general, hybrid laminates exhibited intermediate mechanical properties compared to those of the pure laminates, and optimum performance was obtained when the glass fiber mats were placed on the surfaces of the composite. Furthermore, some hybrid laminates exhibited superior dynamic mechanical performance, even compared to the pure glass laminate. Lower tan delta peak height (related to better fiber-matrix interaction) values and higher Tg were reported for the [C/G/G¯]s and [G/C/C¯]s samples which, together with the [G/C/G¯]s sample, exhibited the best results for reinforcement effectiveness and loss modulus peak height. Therefore, it is found possible to partially replace the glass fiber by waste cotton fiber considering that the final product may be optimized for mechanical property, which requires glass fiber at the surface of the laminate, or for dynamic mechanical properties, that allows higher cotton fiber content.