Vol. 2 (2026)

Articles

Fabrication and Mechanical Performance of Banana Fiber–Glass Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites for Lightweight Applications

Published 2026-04-15

  • Ramu Inala
    • ,
  • Chandra S. Jowdula
    • ,
  • V.V. Manikanta Nimmala

Ramu Inala
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishnu Institute of Technology, Bhimavaram, A.P, India

Chandra S. Jowdula
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishnu Institute of Technology, Bhimavaram, A.P, India

V.V. Manikanta Nimmala
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vishnu Institute of Technology, Bhimavaram, A.P, India

Abstract

The need for sustainable, lightweight, and high-performance materials has encouraged researchers to explore hybrid composite materials composed of natural and synthetic fibers. The present study aims to explore the fabrication and characterization of banana fiber-reinforced epoxy composite materials, which are further enhanced by incorporating glass fibers. The composite materials were prepared using hand-lay-up techniques to ensure proper dispersion of materials in the composite materials' matrices. An epoxy resin composed of LY556 resin and HY951 hardener was used as the binding agent in the composite materials due to their adhesive properties and stability.

Mechanical characterization of the developed composite materials was performed by conducting standardized tests to evaluate their tensile, compressive, Rockwell hardness, and impact strength properties using Izod and Charpy impact machines. The study also aims to investigate the effect of fiber orientation on the overall performance of composite materials. The results of the experiments show that specimens with 90° orientation exhibit high tensile strength, hardness, and impact properties when compared to those with 45° orientation.

The results have proved that the banana fiber glass-reinforced hybrid epoxy composite materials have the potential to be used as sustainable, cost-effective, and lightweight composite materials in comparison with conventional synthetic composite materials. These composite materials have the potential to be used in the automobile industry, aerospace industry, and building industry.

Keywords

Hybrid Composite, Natural Fiber, Banana Fiber, Light weight structures, Epoxy Resin

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