Mechanical characterization of animal fibre-based composites

Abstract

Horsehair-based composites have been prepared by reinforcing polylactic acid (PLA) using hot compression molding. The weight fraction of horsehair fibre in composites has been varied from 0% to 30 wt.% to investigate the effect of fibre loading on the mechanical properties and moisture absorption performance of the developed composites. The mechanical properties, such as strength and modulus (tensile and flexural), impact energy, and moisture absorption behaviour of the fabricated composites, are experimentally evaluated. The experimental results recommend that the composites reinforced with 20 wt.% horsehair exhibit superior mechanical properties as compared to other developed composites. The tensile strength and modulus, flexural strength and modulus, Charpy and Izod impact energy of the composites reinforced with 20 wt.% horsehair are improved by 9.52, 28.74, 7, 5.63, 398.11 and 379.31% as compared to, one-on-one, neat PLA. The findings also reveal that the percentage of moisture absorption of the developed composites increases with an increase in the fibre content in the developed composites.