Sustainable engineering applications using jute-basalt fiber reinforced composites: A material characterization study

The increasing demand for sustainable and eco-friendly materials in engineering and construction industries has led to extensive research in the development of alternative fibers for composite materials. This study explores the potential of combining jute and basalt fibers to create a novel composite material with enhanced mechanical and environmental properties. The present investigation focused on developing a Jute/basalt hybrid composite by adding a Zirconium carbide filler using compression molding technique. The filler percentage was varied as 0 wt.%, 0.5 wt.%, 1 wt.%, 1.5 wt.% and 2 wt.% in an epoxy resin matrix. Mechanical tests were performed to determine the tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact resistance of the composite materials. The composites’ microstructure was studied using FESEM to understand fiber-matrix interactions. Preliminary results indicate that the combination of jute and basalt fibers in composite materials can yield a balance between strength and sustainability. The present work indicates promising developments in composite materials, with 1.5 wt.% demonstrating a significant 37.7% increase in tensile strength when compared to pure jute/basalt composite. In terms of flexural strength, the addition of 1.5 wt.% nanofiller resulted in a remarkable 112.4% enhancement in flexural strength compared to the absence of ZrC laminate. In addition, the presence of ZrC significantly enhances the impact strength. Specifically, the addition of 1 wt.% and 1.5 wt.% results in increased strengths of 98.2 J/m and 99.2 J/m, respectively.