Fabrication and mechanical performance of bark cloth/glass fiber reinforced hybrid polymer composites for automotive applications

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> This study investigates the mechanical properties of hybrid composites reinforced with bark cloth (<italic>Ficus natalensis</italic>) and glass fiber in a polyester resin matrix. Composites were fabricated using the hand layup technique with varying fiber weight fractions (15%, 20%, and 25%) and hybrid ratios (3:1, 2:2, 1:3). The influence of hybrid ratio and stacking sequence on flexural, tensile, compressive, and impact strengths was evaluated. Results indicated that composites with higher glass fiber content exhibited superior mechanical performance, with optimal flexural (140.94 MPa), tensile (43.24 MPa), compressive (26.47 MPa), and impact strengths (32.44 kJ/m²) at a 1:3 hybrid ratio. Hybridization improved the mechanical properties of the composites, particularly flexural strength, which was significantly affected by stacking sequence. These findings suggest that bark cloth/glass fiber hybrid composites have potential for applications in automotive and structural industries.