Influence of fiber weight ratio on the mechanical and water absorption performance of borassus/epoxy composites

Abstract

Abstract The main objective of this experimental work was to evaluate the mechanical (tensile, flexural, impact, and microhardness) and water absorption behaviors of borassus/epoxy composites. The composites were fabricated by varying the weight percentages of borassus fruit fiber from 5 to 20 wt.-%. The surface morphology of the failed test specimens were also analyzed using FESEM. The composites reinforced with 15 wt.-% borassus fruit fiber were found to have superior mechanical properties when compared with other developed composites. The water absorption was higher for the composites having fiber weight percentage of 20.