Influence of fiber loading and orientation on properties of pineapple leaf fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Research on natural fiber-reinforced epoxy composites has become a potential option in the growing demand for lightweight and environmentally friendly materials. Pineapple leaf fiber (PALF), an agricultural by-product with high strength and toughness, is suitable as a reinforcing material in composite materials. This study evaluated the mechanical properties of pineapple fiber-reinforced epoxy composites by varying the fiber content from 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% and changing the arrangement of long pineapple fibers in unidirectional and bidirectional directions. The results showed that the composite with 20% unidirectional fibers achieved a tensile strength of 66 MPa, while the sample with 15% bidirectional fibers achieved the highest flexural strength of 135 MPa. The composite with 20% PLAF reinforced in both directions had an impact toughness of 0.18 J/mm 2 . The tribological properties were evaluated by the coefficient of friction and wear rate of the material when arranged in two different orientations, with the wear force direction parallel to and perpendicular to the fiber. In addition, the thermal stability of the materials was evaluated through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG). The morphological structure of the composite material following mechanical damage was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The study provides insight into creating high-durability products suitable for technical and household manufacturing applications.