Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385

www.elsevier.com/locate/compscitech

Studies on mechanical performance of biobre/glass reinforced

polyester hybrid composites
S. Mishraa, A.K. Mohantyb,*, L.T. Drzalb, M. Misrab, S. Parijac,
S.K. Nayakc, S.S. Tripathyc
a
Polymers and Composites Laboratory, Post Graduate Department of Chemistry, Ravenshaw College (Autonomous),
Cuttack-753003, Orissa, India
b
Composite Materials and Structures Center, Michigan State University, 2100 Engineering Building, East Lansing, MI 48824-1226, USA
c
Central Institute of Plastics Engineering & Technology, B-25, CNI Complex, Patia, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India

Received 10 June 2002; received in revised form 2 January 2003; accepted 8 January 2003

Abstract
The degree of mechanical reinforcement that could be obtained by the introduction of glass bres in biobre (pineapple leaf bre/
sisal bre) reinforced polyester composites has been assessed experimentally. Addition of relatively small amount of glass bre to
the pineapple leaf bre and sisal bre-reinforced polyester matrix enhanced the mechanical properties of the resulting hybrid com-
posites. Dierent chemically modied sisal bres have been used in addition to glass bers as reinforcements in polyester matrix to
enhance the mechanical properties of the resulting hybrid composites. The surface modication of sisal bres such as alkali treat-
ment produced optimum tensile and impact strengths, while cyanoethylation resulted in the maximum increase in exural strength
of the hybrid composites. It has been observed that water uptakes of hybrid composites are less than that of unhybridized compo-
sites. Scanning electron microscopic studies have been carried out to study the bre-matrix adhesion.
# 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Biobre; A. Glass bres; Polyester resin; Hybrid composites; B. Mechanical properties

1. Introduction are targeted to obtain much improved mechanical

Natural bre composites (bio-based composite mate-
rials) are mainly price-driven commodity composites
that have useable structural properties at relatively low
cost. The manufacture, use and removal of traditional
composite structures usually made of glass, carbon and
aramid bres are considered critically because of the
growing environmental consciousness [1,2]. Advantages
of natural bres over traditional reinforcing bres such
as glass and carbon are: low cost, low density, accep-
table specic properties, ease of separation, enhanced
energy recovery, CO2 sequesterization and biodegrad-
ability. There is a growing interest in the use of natural/
biobres as reinforcing components for thermoplastics
and thermosets. Although thermoplastics have the
added advantage of recycling possibilities; thermosets
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-517-353-5466; fax: +1-517-432-
1634.
E-mail address: mohantya@egr.msu.edu (A.K. Mohanty).
0266-3538/03/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/S0266-3538(03)00084-8
properties as compared to thermoplastics in the result-
ing bio-composites.
The use of reinforced thermoset composites [3] by
automakers has nearly doubled in the last decade, and is
expected to increase 47% during the next 5 years
through 2004. The majority of resins used in the com-
posite industry are thermosets. About 65% of all com-
posites produced currently for various applications; use
glass bre and polyester or vinyl ester resins. Unsatu-
rated polyester (USP) resins are widely used, thanks to a
relatively low price, ease of handling and a good balance
of mechanical, electrical and chemical properties. Nat-
ural bre reinforced polyester composites have received
much commercial success in the infrastructure area pri-
marily for low cost housing applications. The engine and
transmission covers of Mecedes-Benz transit buses now
contain polyester resin reinforced with natural bre [4].
The development of composite materials based on the
reinforcement of two or more bres in a single matrix
which leads to the development of hybrid composites
1378 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385
with a great diversity of material properties is still in its
infancy. Research revealed that the behavior of hybrid
composites appears to be simply a weighted sum of the
individual components in which there is a more favor-
able balance between the advantages and disadvantages
inherent in any composite material. It is generally
accepted that the properties of hybrid composite are
controlled by factors such as nature of matrix; nature,
length and relative composition of the reinforcements;
brematrix interface; and hybrid design etc.
Several advantages of natural bre incorporated
hybrid composites are reported earlier [5]. Sisal and
glass bres are good examples of hybrid composites [6
10] possessing very good combined properties. For sisal/
glass bre reinforced LDPE (low density polyethylene)
composites, the eects of bre orientation, composition
and bre surface treatment on the mechanical properties
have been studied. Due to superior properties of glass
bres, the mechanical properties of the hybrid compo-
sites increase with increasing volume fraction of glass
bres. Yang et al. [10] studied the mechanical and
interface properties of sisal/glass bre reinforced poly
(vinyl chloride), PVC hybrid composites before and
after immersion in water. It has been found that there
exists a positive hybrid eect for the exural modulus
and unnotched impact strength. They also suggested
that water might have a detrimental eect on the bre
matrix interface leading to reduced properties. The
mechanical properties of sisal-saw dust hybrid bre
composites with phenol-formaldehyde resin have been
studied by Thomas et al. [11] as a function of sisal bre
loading. It has been seen that mechanical properties
(tensile and exural) increase with sisal bre content.
This is due to the fact that the sisal bre possesses
moderately higher strength and modulus than saw dust.
Pineapple leaf bres (PALF) and sisal bres possess
moderately high specic strengths and stiness and can
be used as reinforcements in polymeric resin matrices to
make useful structural composite materials. Lack of
good interfacial adhesion between the bre and the
matrix and poor resistance to moisture absorption make
the use of biobre reinforced composite materials less
attractive. A review by Bledzki and Gassan [12] covers
the complexities involved with the compatibilization of
cellulose based bres and dierent polymeric matrix.
Recently our research group reported on the eect of
dierent chemical modications on physico-mechanical
properties of PALF-polyester [13] and, sisal-polyester
[14] biocomposites.
The present paper describes the changes in the tensile,
exural and impact properties of PALF/glass and sisal/
glass bre hybrid polyester composites as a function of
relative weight fractions of the two bres. In addition to
this, sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites of alkali
treated, cyanoethylated and acetylated sisal bre have
been fabricated and their mechanical properties have
been assessed. The eect of glass ber hybridization on
water absorption tendencies of the biobre-reinforced
polyester composites has also been studied.
2. Experimental
2.1. Materials
Pineapple leaf bres (PALF) are obtained from South
India Textile Research Association (SITRA), Coimba-
tore, India and sisal bres are collected from Keonjhar,
Orissa, India. Glass bres in the woven mat form are
supplied by CEAT, India. Chemicals and solvents are of
analar grade and are used without further purication.
General- purpose polyester resin (FB-333), methyl ethyl
ketone peroxide (catalyst) and cobalt naphthenate
(accelerator) are supplied by Ruia Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.,
Calcutta, India.
2.2. Method
2.2.1. Fibre treatment
The raw PALF and sisal bres are washed with 2%
detergent solution at 70
C for 1 h, then washed with
deionised water and nally dried in a vacuum oven at
70
C. The dried bres are designated as untreated
bres. The untreated sisal bres are subjected to various
surface treatments.
2.2.1.1. Alkali treatment. The bres are rst dewaxed by
soaking, batches of sisal bres in 1:2 mixture of ethanol
and benzene for 72 h at 50
C, followed by washing with
deionised water and then air dried. The dewaxed bres
are immersed in 5 and 10% NaOH solution for 1 h at
30
C, then washed thoroughly with deionised water
and air dried to get 5 and 10% alkali treated bres
respectively.
2.2.1.2. Cyanoethylation. The dewaxed sisal bres are
reuxed with acrylonitrile (AN), acetone and pyridine
(as catalyst) at a temperature of 60
C for 2 h, then
washed with acetic acid and acetone followed by wash-
ing with deionised water and nally vacuum dried to get
cyanoethylated bres.
2.2.1.3. Acetylation. The alkali treated sisal bres are
soaked in glacial acetic acid for 1 h at 30
C, decanted,
and then soaked in 50 ml of acetic anhydride containing
one drop of concentrated H2SO4 for 5 min. The bres
are then ltered, washed with conductivity water and
nally air-dried.
2.2.2. Fabrication of composites
Non-woven PALF mats (untreated) and sisal mats
from untreated and surface treated sisal bres are pre-
 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385 1379

pared in the laboratory and taken for composite fabri- 3. Results and discussion
cation along with the woven glass bre mats available
as such. Between the layers of glass bre mats, PALF/ 3.1. Tensile strength
sisal mats are placed and composites of varying weight
percent of glass bre and natural bre are prepared Important physical and mechanical properties of
with the polyester resin using a closed mold. First, the PALF, sisal, glass and polyester matrix are shown in
mold is polished and then a mold-releasing agent is Table 1. Fig. 1 shows the variation of tensile strength
applied on the surface. General-purpose polyester resin with glass bre loading in PALF/glass hybrid polyester
is mixed with 1 wt.% cobalt napthenate (accelerator) composite. The total bre (PALF and glass) loading of
and 1 wt.% methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (catalyst) and the composite is maintained at 25 wt.%. The glass bre
thoroughly mixed. The resin mixture is degassed in a addition varied from 0 to 12.9 wt.%. The gure clearly
vacuum desiccator and then poured on the mats placed indicates that the tensile strength of PALF-polyester
in the mold. When the mats are completely wet by the composite is signicantly improved by the incor-
resin, the mold is closed and placed on the lower poration of glass bre. Addition of glass bre by about
movable platen of the hydraulic press. The mold is then 8.6 wt.% increases the ultimate tensile strength of
pressed at 0.2 kg/cm2 and cured at room temperature hybrid composite by about 66%. However, further
for 24 h. increase in weight fraction of glass bre to 12.9%
decreases the tensile strength of PALF/glass hybrid
2.3. Characterization polyester composite by about 10%.
The hybrid eect of sisal bre and glass bre on the
Tensile testing of the composite specimens has been tensile strength of sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite
carried out using an UTM (Universal Testing Machine), having 30 wt.% bre loading is represented in Fig. 2.
LR-look, Lloyds Instrument Ltd., UK as per the
ASTM-D638 at a cross head speed of 100 mm/min and
Table 1
a gripping length of 150 mm. Flexural tests are per- Physical and mechanical properties of PALF, sisal, glass bres and
formed in the same instrument according to ASTM- polyester resin
D790 at a cross head speed of 2.8 mm/min and a gauge
Properties PALF Sisal Glass Polyester
length of 25 mm. Izod impact tests on notched speci-
mens are performed using an impactometer (Ceast 3
Density (g/cm ) 1.44 1.45 2.54 1.16
Italy) as per ASTM-D256. All the results are taken as Diameter (mm) 2080 50200 525
the average of 5 samples for each testing. Tensile strength (MPa) 4131627 468640 20003500 819
Youngs modulus (GPa) 34.582.51 9.422.0 70 0.58
SEM photographs of fractured surfaces of composite Elongation at break (%) 1.6 37 2.5 1.6
samples are taken in Jeol JSM-T330A scanning electron
microscope at the accelerating voltage of 10 kV. The
composite samples (553 mm3) being non-conducting
are gold coated by sputtering technique. The samples
are mounted on aluminum stubs so as to view dierent
surface areas and cross-sections.
Water absorption testing of hybrid composites has
been carried out by taking rectangular bars of length
76.2 mm and width 25.4 mm cut from the composite
sheets. Composite samples are rst dried by heating in
an oven at 70
C for about 24 h, weighed (W1) and then
soaked in a bath of deionised water at room tempera-
ture. After 24 h, the composite samples are removed
from water, dried by a cotton cloth and weighed again.
This is referred to as weight of the wet sample (W2). The
samples are reconditioned for another 24 h at 70
C in
dried condition and reimmersed again. After the test
period, the samples are taken out of water, dried and
reweighed. This is referred as reconditioned weight of
the sample (W3).

W 2  W3
% Water absorption  100 1 Fig. 1. Eect of glass bre loading on the tensile strength of PALF/
W3
glass hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=25 wt.%).
1380 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385
Fig. 2. Eect of glass bre loading on the tensile strength of sisal/glass
hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=30 wt.%).
Addition of glass bre increased the tensile strength of
the sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite as compared
to those of the sisal-polyester composite, which satu-
rated at 5.7 wt.% of glass bre loading. In a hybrid
composite, the properties of the composite are mainly
dependent on the modulus and percentage elongation at
break of the individual reinforcing bres. The modulus
of glass bre is comparatively higher than that of the
sisal bre, whereas the extensibility of glass is low com-
pared to the sisal bre. This results in early glass bre
failure which transfers high stress to the less strong sisal
bres and this leads to the failure of the bre resulting in
the failure of the composite. The improvement in tensile
strengths of the composites at low wt.% of glass bre
loadings will be due to the fact that at these particular
compositions, the sisal bre can eectively transfer the
load from the glass bre. Hence, comparatively less
weight percentage of glass bres along with the sisal
bre reinforcement results in composites of a more
enhanced performance than the 100% sisal bre rein-
forced composites. Between PALF and sisal; since the
latter showed improved mechanical properties over the
former in their respective polyester based composites,
eect of surface treatment of sisal on performance of
sisal/glass hybrid composites are investigated.
The eect of dierent types and degrees of surface
treatments i.e. alkali treatment (5 and 10%), cya-
noethylation and acetylation of sisal bres on tensile
strengths of sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites is
shown in Fig. 3. The weight percentages of sisal bre
and glass bre in sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites
are maintained at 24.3 and 5.7% respectively (optimum
bre contents as found from earlier experimental
resultsFig. 2). The detergent washed sisal/glass hybrid
Fig. 3. Eect of sisal bre treatment on the tensile strength of sisal/
glass hybrid polyester composite (glass=5.7 wt.%, total bre con-
tent=30 wt.%). (A) Control; (B) alkali treatment (5% alkali solution);
(C) alkali treatment (10% alkali solution); (D) cyanoethylation; (E)
acetylation.
polyester composite is taken as control for comparison.
Hybrid composite of alkali treated (5%) is found to
achieve better tensile strength as compared to detergent
washed, 10% alkali treated, cyanoethylated and acety-
lated sisal bre based composites. There occurs
enhancement of tensile strength by about 28% as com-
pared to control. The superior tensile properties may be
attributed to the fact that this alkali treatment results in
an improvement in the interfacial bonding by giving rise
to additional sites of mechanical interlocking, hence
promoting more resin-bre interpenetration at the
interface [15]. The alkali treatment improves the surface
adhesive characteristics by removing natural and arti-
cial impurities, thereby producing rough surface topo-
graphy. After certain optimum concentration or higher
percentage of alkali treatment, the tensile strength of the
composite decreases drastically. At high alkali concen-
tration, excess delignication of natural ber occurs
which makes the ber weaker or in other words ber
damage occurs at high alkali concentration. Thus in
case of 10% alkali treated ber composites, the lowering
of strength is observed. Similar trend of weakening of
strength we have observed for 10% alkali treated coir-
polyester composites [16]. Mwaikambo and Ansell [17]
have reported that the X-ray diraction shows a slight
initial improvement in the crystallinity index of the nat-
ural bers at low NaOH concentration; however the
high NaOH concentrations lower the ber crystallinity
index which leads to lowering of the mechanical prop-
erties. The cyanoethylated and acetylated sisal bre
based glass hybrid composites show better tensile
 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385 1381

strengths (112.91 and 117.34 MPa respectively) than the increased resistance to shearing. In a three-point exure
control (99.05 MPa). The superior performance of such test, failure occurs due to bending failure and shear
surface treated sisal ber based glass hybrid composites failure.
is attributed to better ber-matrix adhesions over the Fig. 6 shows the eect of surface treatment of sisal
control or untreated sisal/glass hybrid composite bres on the exural strength of sisal/glass hybrid
counterpart. polyester composite. The weight percentages of sisal
bre and glass bre are kept constant i.e. 24.3 and 5.7%
3.2. Flexural strength respectively. Among dierent types of surface treat-
ments, cyanoethylation of sisal bre leads to maximum
The eect of glass bre loading on the exural
strength of PALF/glass hybrid polyester composite is
shown in Fig. 4. The glass bre loading is varied from 0
to 12.9 wt.%. The exural strength of composite at 0
wt.% glass bre loading is found as 68.29 MPa. By the
addition of 4.3 wt.% glass bre, the exural strength of
composite increases by about 25.3%. It is observed that
with increase of glass bre content from 4.3 to 12.9
wt.%, the exural strength of hybrid composite increa-
ses steadily i.e. from 85.61 to 101.25 MPa.
Variation of exural strength upon hybidisation of
the glass and sisal bre is shown in Fig. 5. The glass
bre loading is varied from 0 to 8.5 wt.%. The exural
strength of sisal-polyester composite (at 0% glass bre
loading) is 99.67 MPa. With the incorporation of small
amount of glass bre (2.8 wt.%), the exural strength of
the sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite increases by
about 25%. Further addition of glass bre increases the
exural strength as compared to that of the sisal-polye-
ster composite, which saturates at 5.7 wt.% of glass
bre loading. In exural testing various mechanisms
such as tension, compression, shearing etc. take place Fig. 5. Eect of glass bre loading on the exural strength of sisal/
glass hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=30 wt.%).
simultaneously. As a result of the increased glass bre
content, the exural strength increases due to the

Fig. 6. Eect of sisal bre treatment on the exural strength of sisal/

glass hybrid polyester composite (glass=5.7 wt.%, total bre con-
Fig. 4. Eect of glass bre loading on the exural strength of PALF/ tent=30 wt.%). (A) Control; (B) alkali treatment (5%); (C) alkali
glass hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=25 wt.%). treatment (10%); (D) cyanoethylation; (E) acetylation.
1382 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385
exural strength (151.57 MPa) of hybrid composite,
which is about 10% more than that of the control. This
may be due to bonding of b-cyanoethyl group of the
bre with the polyester matrix there by improving the
bre-matrix interaction. Sisal/glass hybrid polyester
composites containing 5% alkali treated and acetylated
sisal bres also show improved exural strengths i.e.
about 8 and 6% respectively more than that of the
control.
3.3. Impact strength
Impact strength is dened as the ability of a material
to resist the fracture under stress applied at high speed.
The impact properties of composite materials are
directly related to its overall toughness. Composite
fracture toughness is aected by interlaminar and inter-
facial strength parameters. Fig. 7 shows the variation of
work of fracture (impact strength) of PALF/glass
hybrid polyester composite with glass bre loading. The
impact strength of PALF/glass hybrid polyester com-
posite with 0 wt.% of glass bre is 68.12 J/m. With
increase in glass bre loading from 0 to 8.6 wt.%, the
impact strength increases by about 87%. With further
increase in glass bre loading (12.9 wt.%), there is no
signicant increase in impact strength.
The eect of glass bre loading on impact strength of
sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite is depicted in
Fig. 8. The impact strength of sisal-polyester composite
(without glass bre) is found to be 110.25J/m. When the
glass bre is combined with the sisal bre, the work of
fracture is considerably improved. By the addition of
small amount of glass bre (8.5 wt.%), the impact per-
formance of the sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite
Fig. 7. Eect of glass bre loading on the impact strength of PALF/
glass hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=25 wt.%).
has increased by about 34%. The bres play an impor-
tant role in the impact resistance of the composites as
they interact with the crack formation in the matrix and
act as stress transferring medium. Many studies have
been reported on the impact behaviour and factors
aecting the impact strength of laminated composite
materials [1820].
The eect of various surface treatments of sisal bre
on the impact strength of sisal/glass hybrid polyester
composite containing 5.7 wt.% of glass bre is shown in
Fig. 9. The impact strength of untreated sisal bre based
composite is taken as control for comparison. Among
dierent treatments, composites of 5% alkali treated
and acetylated sisal bre show higher impact strengths.
The enhancement of impact strength of alkali treated/
acetylated ber composites as compared to raw/
untreated ber composite might be attributed to the
exibility of the interface molecular chain resulting in
comparatively greater energy absorption.
3.4. Fibrematrix interaction
Scanning electron micrographs of the tensile fractured
surfaces of the composites are taken to study the bre
matrix interaction and fracture behaviour. Fig. 10
shows the fractograph of the glass-reinforced polyester
composite. Here the bre pullout is clearly observed.
The PALF/glass hybrid polyester (Fig. 11) and sisal/
glass hybrid polyester (Fig. 12) composites without ber
surface treatments show the poor interfacial bonding
between bres and matrix that produces a relatively
clean surface over the pulled out bres due to greater
extent of delamination. But in the case of alkali treated
and acetylated sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites,
Fig. 8. Eect of glass bre loading on the impact strength of sisal/
glass hybrid polyester composite (total bre content=30 wt.%).
 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385 1383

Fig. 11. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fractured surface of

PALF/glass hybrid polyester composite (magnication 350).

Fig. 9. Eect of sisal bre treatment on the impact strength of sisal/

glass hybrid polyester composite (glass=5.7 wt.%, total bre con-
tent=30 wt.%). (A) Control; (B) alkali treatment (5%); (C) alkali
treatment (10%); (D) cyanoethylation; (E) acetylation.

Fig. 12. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fractured surface of

sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites (control, magnication 100).

Table 2
Water absorption property of composites

Fig. 10. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fractured surface of Composite samples Water absorption
glass bre-reinforced polyester composite (magnication 500). (%) (24 h)

PALF-polyester 12.5
the interfacial adhesion between the bres and matrix is PALF/glass hybrid polyester 7.6
comparatively stronger as indicated from Fig. 13a and Sisal-polyester 10.6
Sisal/glass hybrid polyester 7.2
b. The high degree of bre pull out as seen in the case of
Sisal/glass hybrid polyester (alkali treated sisal) 5.6
untreated sisal/glass hybrid polyester composite (Fig. 12) Sisal/glass hybrid polyester (cyanoethylated sisal) 5.8
gives a clear evidence for the shear failure in this com- Sisal/glass hybrid polyester (acetylated sisal) 5.2
posite. This is reduced to some extent on the alkali and
acetylation treatment of sisal bres as seen in Fig. 13a
and b. polyester (PALF=16.4 wt.%; glass=8.6 wt.%), sisal-
polyester (sisal=30 wt.%) and sisal/glass hybrid poly-
3.5. Water absorption property ester (sisal=24.3 wt.%; glass=5.7 wt.%) composites
with both treated untreated sisal bres. The data given
Table 2 depicts the extent of water absorption by are the average values of ve specimens of each type. As
PALF-polyester (PALF=25 wt.%), PALF/glass hybrid PALF and sisal bres are lignocellulosics and therefore
1384 S. Mishra et al. / Composites Science and Technology 63 (2003) 13771385
Fig. 13. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fractured surface of
sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites with (a) alkali treated sisal
bres (magnication 200); (b) acetylated sisal bres (magnication
75).
hydrophilic in nature, the composites made from these
bres showed higher water uptakeabout 13 and 11%
respectively.
The water absorption property of hybrid composites
(PALF/glass hybrid polyester and sisal/glass hybrid
polyester) was found to be (of the order of 7%) less than
that of the unhybridised composites. Fibres in these
composites are arranged in a close packed manner in
which the water-impermeable glass bres act as barriers
and prevent the contact between water and the hydro-
philic PALF and sisal bres, which explains the lower
water absorption properties of these composites.
Sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites with alkali
treated, cyanoethylated and acetylated sisal bres
showed lower water absorption (on average 5.5%) as
compared to that of the untreated sisal/glass hybrid
polyester composite. This can be attributed to the
greater adhesion between the bre and matrix, which
could be possible due to the surface treatments of bres.
4. Conclusions
In this paper, mechanical properties of PALF/glass
and sisal/glass bre reinforced polyester composites
have been described. The tensile, exural and impact
properties of PALF and sisal reinforced polyester com-
posites are observed to have improved by the incor-
poration of small amount of glass bres in these
composites, showing positive hybrid eect. Optimum
glass bre loadings for PALF/glass hybrid polyester and
sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites are 8.6 and 5.7
wt.% respectively under the present experimental con-
ditions adopted. Sisal/glass hybrid polyester composites
of dierent chemically modied sisal bres are fabri-
cated and tested. Among the dierent chemical modi-
cations of the sisal bres, 5% alkali treatment produced
optimum tensile and impact strengths while cyanoethy-
lation resulted in the maximum increase in exural
strength in the hybrid composites. The SEM micro-
graphs of tensile fractured specimens reveal that glass/
alkali-treated biober-polyester hybrid composites show
better ber-matrix adhesion over glass/untreated bio-
ber-polyester composites. It is also observed that water
absorption tendency of composites decreases by the
process of hybridization and surface treatments of bio-
bres. Thus PALF/glass and sisal/glass hybrid bre
reinforcements in polyester resin resulted in composites
having encouraging mechanical properties, which may
expand the applicability of these composites in auto-
motive and building products industries.
Acknowledgements
A.K. Mohanty is thankful to the Department of
Science and Technology, Government of India for
nancial support in the form of sanctioning a Research
Project to carry out the present investigation. S. Mishra
is thankful for the Junior Research Fellowship in the
said Research Project. Help rendered by CIPET, Bhu-
baneswar, India and Department of Geology, Lucknow
University, Lucknow, India is gratefully acknowledged.
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