Mechanical Properties of Silk and Glass Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polypropylene Composites

In present research, mechanical properties of silk-glass fiber reinforced hybrid polypropylene composite were evaluated. Composites were prepared using hot press machine at three levels of fiber loading (5, 10 and 15 wt.%). Tensile, flexural, impact and hardness tests were conducted for the characterization of the composites. Tensile strength decreased, whereas flexural strength increased with fiber loading. On the other hand, Young's modulus, flexural modulus and hardness increased up to 10 wt.% fiber loading. Impact strength remained unchanged with fiber loading. Based on fiber loading, 10 wt.% fiber reinforced composites had the optimum set of mechanical properties. For 10 wt.% fiber loaded composite, silk and glass fiber ratio was also varied at 1:1, 3:1 and 1:3. On the basis of fiber loading and ratio, the composite containing 10 wt.% fiber at 1:1ratio of silk and glass showed the best set of mechanical properties.