Abstract
The primary purpose of this study is to realize quantitative fiber loading effects on free vibration, damping behavior, fracture toughness, thermal conductivity, inter-laminar shear strength, and flammability of jute-banana fiber phenol-formaldehyde (PF) hybrid composites. These composites were manufactured with fiber weight percentages ranging from 30% to 60% using hot press technique. Hybrid composite with equal amount of fiber and resin (PJB-2) had a higher natural frequency in the range of 4.8%-59%, a higher inter-laminar shear strength varying from 30% to 54%, a higher fracture toughness with minimum of 19 to maximum of 44%, and a low damping factor in the range of 25%-59% to that of other composite having unequal amount of fiber and resin loading. In contrast to other composites, the composite containing 30 wt% fiber (PJB-4) has a high heat conductivity of about 10%-20%. However, the thermal conductivity of jute-banana fiber PF composites declined as the fiber content increased beyond 30 wt%, while the flame resistance was improved as the resin concentration increased. Additionally, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies clearly indicates the failure patterns of fiber matrix interface under Inter laminar shear strength and fracture toughness tests were supports to justify the experimental results.