Development of coir pith/nylon fabric/epoxy hybrid composites: Mechanical and ageing studies

• Coir pith/nylon/epoxy lay up composites were prepared.
• Effects of chemical treatment of coir pith on mechanical properties were studied.
• The chemical resistance of composites in different environment was analyzed.

The coir pith epoxy composites were hybridized with nylon fabric/epoxy resin by hand lay up technique followed by compression moulding. A set of composites of same composition having chemically treated coir pith was also prepared. Mechanical properties of composites such as tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and hardness were evaluated. Though coir pith acts as a good reinforcement in epoxy resin, the incorporation of nylon fabric and the chemical treatment of coir pith were found to enhance the properties of the composites further. Chemical resistance and flame resistance of composite systems were also found to be improved with hybrid composites. Since water uptake and retentions property of coir pith is a major drawback when it comes to its application in composites, the ageing of composite panels in moist environment was investigated. The results suggested that the presence of nylon fabric and chemically treated pith can contribute to longer durability of the panels in moist conditions.