EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF  COCONUT FIBER, HUMAN HAIR AND HYBRID FIBER REINFORCED EPOXY  COMPOSITES FOR LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURAL APPLICATIONS

Chandrakant Pawar; Onkar Thigale; Vinayak Arjun; Santosh Baad; Gaurav Bhise; Rameshwar Bhong

Authors

Chandrakant Pawar Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author
Onkar Thigale Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author
Vinayak Arjun UG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author
Santosh Baad UG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author
Gaurav Bhise UG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author
Rameshwar Bhong UG Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering SKN Sinhgad College of Engineering, Pandharpur, India. Author

Keywords:

Bio composites, Natural fiber composites, Human hair reinforcement, Hybridization, Epoxy matrix, Mechanical characterization, Waste valorisation.

Abstract

The demand for sustainable material alternatives has led to increased research into bio composites. This study investigates the mechanical performance of epoxy-based composites reinforced with coconut coir and human hair waste. Utilizing the hand lay-up technique, five distinct laminate configurations were fabricated and subjected to tensile, compression, and Izod impact characterization. Experimental results indicate that the hybridization of agricultural (coconut/ banana) and biological (human hair) fibers significantly enhances the structural integrity of the epoxy matrix. The hybrid "mixed" specimen demonstrated peak performance with a tensile strength of 6.33 MPa and an impact energy absorption of 80 kJ/m², representing a 111% and 100% improvement over pure epoxy, respectively. These findings confirm the viability of multi-phase waste-derived reinforcements for sustainable engineering applications.