Performance Evaluation of Treated—Untreated Jute—Carbon and Glass—Carbon Hybrid Composites of Bisphenol-C based Mixed Epoxy—Phenolic Resins

Abstract

Jute—carbon and glass—carbon hybrid composites of mixed matrix material [epoxy resin of bisphenol-C (EBC) and bisphenol-C-formaldehyde (BCF) of 50 wt% of the fibers] have been prepared by hand lay-up technique at 150°C under 7.6MPa pressure for 2h. Alkali-treated jute fibers have been acrylated to improve their physico-chemical properties. Tensile strength, flexural strength, electric strength, and volume resistivity of untreated (JCEBCF-50), treated (TJCEBCF-50) jute—carbon and glass—carbon (GCEBCF-50) composites are 10 MPa, 17 MPa, 1.60 kV/mm, and 5.9 × 1012 Ω-cm; 14.65 MPa, 19.33 MPa, 2.09 kV/mm, and 6.79 × 1012 Ω-cm; and 21.4 MPa, 24.53 MPa, 1.62 kV/mm, and 5.71 × 1012 Ω-cm, respectively. Alkali treatment and acrylation of jute fibers resulted in 46.50, 13.71, 24.40, and 15.15% improvement in tensile, flexural, electric strengths and volume resistivity, respectively. Water uptake tendency of jute—carbon composite is considerably reduced upon alkali treatment and acrylation of jute fiber. Observed equilibrium water content in all the three composites is HCl > H2O > NaCl. Observed reduction in water uptake in TJCEBCF-50 is due to esterification of hydrophilic OH groups. In boiling water saturation time is reduced 20 times for JCEBCF-50 and TJCEBCF-50, and 16 times for GCEBCF-50 without any damage. Hybrid composites may be useful for low load bearing application and also in marine field.