Acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA) treated jute/manila hemp epoxy-based hybrid composites for enhanced structural performance

Abstract

The efficacy of a 3% ASA copolymer is examined in augmenting the mechanical properties of natural fiber composites. The batching process, which includes softening, lubricating, and conditioning, is applied in fibers, such as woven jute and non-woven manila hemp. This process is employed in the development of woven jute/epoxy, non-woven manila hemp/epoxy, and combined woven jute/non-woven manila hemp/epoxy composites to investigate their impact on their mechanical characteristics. Through various characterization methods, it was found that significant enhancements were observed in hybrid composites, particularly in the woven jute/non-woven manila hemp/epoxy composite. These enhancements include a maximum tensile strength of 52 MPa, a tensile modulus of 1.67 GPa, an impact strength of 9.6 kJ/m², and a flexural strength of 90 MPa. The observed improvements are attributed to the influence of a hard chain copolymer, with a glass transition temperature of 25.05 °C determined from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curves. Fiber surface treatment using a semi-continuous seeded emulsion polymerization method significantly impacts properties, enhancing fiber–matrix adhesion and mechanical performance, resulting in a 14% increase in both tensile and flexural modulus compared to untreated composites. Analytical techniques such as emulsion particle-size measurements using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and SEM further support these findings.

Graphical abstract