Experimental Investigation on Mechanical Properties of Hemp and Sisal Hybrid Composite Material

This project focuses on the development and mechanical evaluation of hybrid composite materials reinforced with natural fibers, specifically Hemp and Sisal, using an Epoxy resin matrix (LY556) and Hardener (HY951). The composites were fabricated using the hand lay-up technique by varying the percentage of Hemp and Sisal fibers. Three distinct specimen compositions were fabricated: HS (15% Hemp, 15% Sisal), HSH (20% Hemp, 10% Sisal), and SHS (10% Hemp, 20% Sisal), all maintaining a 70% epoxy matrix. The mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, and water absorption, were tested according to ASTM standards. The present study investigates the composition of HS (15% Hemp, 15% Sisal) emerged as the most balanced material of offering the best properties of Flexural (136.33 MPa) and Impact (2.8 J). The SHS composition (10% Sisal, 10% Hemp, 10% Sisal) emerged as the most optimum material of offering the best Tensile strength (23.51 MPa) and Water absorption test (2.46%). The results indicated that the HS specimen, with equal proportions of hemp and sisal, exhibited the best overall performance due to the combined effect of the fibers. This study demonstrates that natural fiber hybrid composites are cost effective, eco-friendly, and sustainable alternatives to synthetic materials in various engineering applications.