Novel hybrid natural fibre composite material with enhanced strength

A new study using a facile optimization approach developed by a multidisciplinary international team of researchers, led by Professor Shukur Abu Hassan, offers new insights about how the load-uptake capacity in a novel hybrid fiber reinforced polymer composite materials can be enhanced. Professor Shukur is the Director of the Centre for Advanced Composite Materials at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Professor Shukur revealed that the hybrid composite material comprised both carbon fibers and ramie fibers (a natural material derived from agricultural waste) blended in epoxy. Professor Shukur pointed out that a systematic approach to designing the experiment to account for the effects of two key factors, namely fiber stacking and orientation, on the mechanical response of the carbon/ramie fiber epoxy composites, has resulted in a profound revelation on how the energy absorption mechanism of the composite plays an important in providing for resilience and fracture toughness at the different length scales.

The other researchers in the team comes from Mohan Babu University (Dr. J. S. Binoj), Newcastle University in Singapore/Newcastle University (Dr. Kheng Lim Goh), Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College (Dr. B. Brailson Mansingh), Sohar University (Dr. K. C. Varprasad), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (Professor Mohd Yazid Yahya, Dr. Faten Ermala Che Othman, Dr.  Usaid Ahmed), Universitas Negri Yogyakarta (Dr. Didik Nurhadiyanto, Dr. Mujiyono) and Universitas Padjadjaran and The Centre of Study for Natural Fiber and Bioresources (Dr. A. P. Wulandari). The findings have been reported in a paper published in Current Research in Green and Sustainable Chemistry (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crgsc.2022.100284). 

For further details, please contact Professor Shukur at [email protected], Dr. J. S. Binoj at [email protected] or Dr K L Goh at [email protected]