Journal of Natural Fibers

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Experimental Investigation of Jute Fabric / Nano-

SiO2 Reinforced Epoxy Composite

Sagar Singh, Chitranjan Agarwal, N.L. Panwar & Vikas Upadhyay

To cite this article: Sagar Singh, Chitranjan Agarwal, N.L. Panwar & Vikas Upadhyay (2023)
Experimental Investigation of Jute Fabric / Nano-SiO2 Reinforced Epoxy Composite, Journal of
Natural Fibers, 20:1, 2181264, DOI: 10.1080/15440478.2023.2181264

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Published online: 04 Mar 2023.

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JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS
2023, VOL. 20, NO. 1, 2181264
[Link]

Experimental Investigation of Jute Fabric / Nano-SiO2 Reinforced

Epoxy Composite
a a b
Sagar Singh , Chitranjan Agarwal , N.L. Panwar , and Vikas Upadhyayc
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of
Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India; bDepartment of Renewable Energy Engineering, College of
Technology and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan, India;
c
Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, India

ABSTRACT KEYWORDS
The effect of Nano-SiO2 powder on the mechanical behavior of a jute fabric/ Jute-fabric; Nano-SiO2;
epoxy composite has been investigated experimentally. Due to qualities like epoxy; hand lay-up;
biodegradability, strength, light weight, and affordability, composites are mechanical; characterization;
composite; tensile; impact;
preferred for static and dynamic applications. Nano – SiO2 powder size of
wear; moisture absorption
15 nm was used as a filler material. Hand lay-up techniques were used to and TGA
develop the composites, which had filler contents of 2%, 3%, and 5% Nano –
SiO2 by weight of the epoxy resin. Tensile, Impact, Wear, Moisture 关键词
Absorption, and Thermo – Gravimetric Analysis were used to characterize 黄麻织物; 纳米SiO2; 环氧
the mechanical properties of the composites. The results reveal that the jute/ 树脂; 手动上篮; 机动的; 刻
epoxy composite is significantly improved by the hybridization process using 画; 混合成的; 张力的; 影
fillers. The maximum improvement in the composite’s tensile (44.09 MPa), 响; 影响; 吸湿性和TGA
impact (4 joules), wear, moisture absorption (0.5–4%), and thermos-
gravimetric (2.96%) properties is achieved when 2 wt.% of nano-SiO2 is
added.
摘要
实验研究了纳米SiO2粉末对黄麻织物/环氧树脂复合材料力学性能的影响.
由于生物降解性、强度、重量轻和可承受性等特性, 复合材料是静态和动
态应用的首选材料. 使用15 nm的纳米SiO2粉末作为填料. 采用手工叠层技
术制备复合材料, 其填料含量为环氧树脂重量的2%、3%和5%纳米SiO2. 拉
伸、冲击、磨损、吸湿和热重分析用于表征复合材料的机械财产. 结果表
明, 通过使用填料的杂交工艺, 黄麻/环氧树脂复合材料得到显著改善. 当添
加2 wt.%的纳米SiO2时, 复合材料的拉伸（44.09 MPa）、冲击（4焦耳）、
磨损、吸湿（0.5-4%）和热粒度（2.96%）财产得到最大改善.

Introduction
Natural fibers have gained allot of interest of researchers due to their biodegradable nature after usage,
which is essential in today’s polluted world due to increased demand in environmental issues. Natural
composites are considered as essential engineering materials due to their outstanding mechanical
properties, unique design flexibility and ease of fabrication. Jute fabric is considered as one of the most
promising natural fibers because of its extensive commercial availability in the required form at a low
price. To reduce the overall cost of the laminates while utilizing the cheaper jute, the effect of
hybridization was reviewed (El-Baky 2017). Choosing the proper combination of composite materials
presents an opportunity for the balancing of mechanical properties and environmental friendliness
(El-Baky et al. 2022).

CONTACT Sagar Singh Sagarsinghyadav201296@[Link] Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Technology

and Engineering, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur, Rajasthan 313001, India
© 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ([Link]
which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
2 S. SINGH ET AL.

One of the thermosets that is used the most frequently is epoxy resin. as a result of its benefits,
which include high stiffness, high strength, low shrinkage during cure, excellent chemical resistance,
high dimensional stability, and excellent adhesion with an excellent cost to performance ratio. Epoxy
resin has been suggested for use in a variety of industries, including the aerospace, marine, and
automotive sectors, due to these qualities (Megahed, Tobbala, and El‐baky 2021).
In general, fillers are used in composites to improve performance that would not be possible with
only reinforcement and resin ingredients. The mechanical properties and energy absorption capacity
of conventional composites are both significantly enhanced by silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanoparticles.
The current study investigates the impact of 2, 3, and 5 wt% of nano-SiO2 (Saber, El-Baky, and Attia
2021). Because of their nano size and relatively high surface area per unit volume, nano-fillers exhibit
remarkable properties. Since many essential chemical and physical interactions are controlled by
surfaces, such properties are the outcome of the phase interactions that occur between the polymer
matrix and the nanoparticles at the interfaces (Megahed, Tobbala, and El‐baky 2021).
Tensile tests on a pineapple fiber reinforced polymer matrix proved that the mechanical properties
varied depending on the concentration of the fiber in the matrix (Balakrishnan, Krishnaraj, and
Raajeshkrishna 2019). It is suitable for use in automobile, light-weight applications, due to its high
strength and stiffness. The compressive properties of nano powder/epoxy fiber composites based on
modified epoxy matrix were found to be improved (Hongwei et al. 2013). The impact strength of
a glass fiber/epoxy composite increased when nano Al2O3 particles were added (Manjunath,
Renukappa, and Suresha 2016). The tensile strength of composites diminished as the filler content
increased, while the composite’s tensile modulus also increased (Bhagyashekar and Rao 2010).
Moisture absorption increased as the fiber volume fraction increased, resulting in a decrease in
composite durability (Rao, Subramanian, and Chanda 1981). Untreated woven jute-fabric composites
based on isothalic polyester demonstrate that jute fiber has a 13% water absorption rate, a ductility
index of 0.512, and an impact strength of 31.872 kJ/m2 (Ahmed and Vijayarangan 2007). Impact
strength of jute (0.54 J), untreated jute (0.35 J), and NaOH-treated jute (0.49 J) is tested using epoxy
(Owen 2014). Untreated banana and jute fibers are combined with epoxy resin to determine impact
(4.56 J) and tensile strength (27.02 MPa) (Suresh, Jayakumar, and Devaraju 2021). When Jute fabric is
added to the polypropylene matrix, the wear resistance properties of pp-based composites improve by
up to 45% (Yallew, Kumar, and Singh 2014). At 450°C, detergent washed hessian cloth jute fabric was
used as a fabric with biopol yield (Mohanty, Khan, and Hinrichsen 2000).
Initially, normal fibers were utilized to create a variety of composite materials that simulated
continuous, randomly distributed fiberbased constructions based on short fibers. The coordinated
type of yarn/texture structures was used to plan the composites in attempt to optimize the mechanical
properties of the composites. It is consisting of fibers organized in a thread structure to provide
exceptional strength. Woven fabric cloths have recently gained popularity. Woven composites are
complicated structures with additional components such as interlinked gaps or holes, threading lines,
and a single layer. Standard woven textures have a limited number of variations. Short grain
unidirectional composites have poorer texture plane qualities than woven texture composites.
Normal jute fabric was chosen as a composite support in this study.
Nano-SiO2 was used in the research to demonstrate how jute/epoxy composites perform differently
when applied to nano-particles. Research in this paper examined the material’s mechanical properties,
tribological performance and thermal stability using tensile, impact, Pin on Disk, moisture, and
thermo-gravimetric testing.

Materials and method

Woven jute fabric of 130 cm × 100 cm (14 weft and 14 warp yarns per inch), an average thickness of
0.7–0.8 mm and a weight of 400 gm was used. Amazone India provided the jute fabric. Nanoparticles
of SiO2 with a diameter of 15 nm are used. The Sisco Research Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. company in India
provided the SiO2 nanoparticles. Table 1 shows the properties of silicon dioxide nanopowder.
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 3

Table 1. Physical and mechanical properties of the nano powder SiO2.

Property Silicon Dioxide Nano powder (Hydrophilic SiO2)
Appearance (Color, Form) White, Powder
Condensed-matter physics Amorphous
Purity (%) 99.50
Average particle size (nm) 15
Density (g/cm3) 0.15
Molecular weight 60.08
SSA 650 m2/g

A weight ratio of 10:1 was used with the hardener HY951 and the epoxy resin LY556. Herenba
Instruments & Engineers, India, supplied the hardener and epoxy resin. The characteristics of epoxy
resin and hardner are listed in Table 2.
A variety of composite products can be made using the open molding technique known as “Hand
Lay-up” in sizes ranging from very small to very large. Jute fabric, nano-SiO2, and epoxy composite
laminates are developed using this process. It is the simplest method of molding composites, with
inexpensive tools, straightforward processing, and a variety of part sizes. With a small investment in
tools and knowledgeable workers, excellent output rates and constant quality can be attained. Nine
layers of jute fabric are present in each sample. Following is a summary of the hand lay-up method in
use (Megahed, Tobbala, and El‐baky 2021):
-First, a mixture of epoxy and hardener was made using a 10:1 weight ratio. It was then given a five-
minute stir before being placed to be used. The filler was mechanically stirred with epoxy resin to
ensure equal dispersion. Based on the experimental criteria, resin was reinforced with silicon dioxide
nanopowder (SiO2), with an average particle size of 15 nm, to produce composites in a variety of
ratios.
-Second, to make it simple to extract the laminate after curing, a wax release agent was applied to
the mold’s surface. 250 mm × 150 mm resin-impregnated jute fabric layers were added one on top of
the other to the surface of the mold. A roller was used to ensure that the resin system was evenly
distributed across the layer’s entire surface area before drying. With 8 kg of weighted sheet metal
applied pressure for 24 h, each laminate was cured.
-All the fabricated laminates were cured at room temperature (25°C) for 24 h to provide optimum
hardness and shrinkage. The manufactured laminates were visually examined for any material flaws or
geometrical irregularities after curing.
The combined composite laminates were cut to the necessary dimensions in accordance with the
ASTM standards. A grinder and hydraulic surface grinder were used for fine sample finishing.
Laminates were used with a 50% weight fraction of total fiber in all composites made at a thickness
of 10 mm. As shown in Table 3, composites with five different compositions and varying epoxy, jute
fabric, and nano-SiO2 content are developed.
Tensile, Impact, Wear, Moisture Absorption, and Thermo-gravimetric Analysis were carried out to
characterize the mechanical properties of the composites in accordance with the standards indicated in
Table 4. The Charpy impact test was performed on a pendulum impact testing machine that was
provided by Banbros Engineering Pvt. Ltd. in India. The pendulum’s maximum striking energy is 300

Table 2. Characteristics of hardener and epoxy resin.

Property Epoxy resin & Hardener
Manufacturer Huntsman
Color Transparent
Epoxy content 5.3–5.45, 4.2–4.35 Eq/Kg
Viscosity at 25°C 10000–12000, 1350–2000 MPa s
Flash point >200°C, >160°C
Mixture Ratio 10:1
Solid content by weight, % 100
Curing conditions at 25°C Full hardness time: 24 Hours
4 S. SINGH ET AL.

Table 3. Impact energy absorption and Tensile Strength oftest samples.

Sample Absorbed Energy (J) UTS (MPa) Tensile strain (Extension) (mm/mm)
A 1.0 32.61 0.0046
B 3.7 37.79 0.0102
C 4.0 44.09 0.01149
D 3.8 38.28 0.00966
E 3.0 35.46 0.00944

Table 4. Wear rate and weight loss of composite sample on mild steel plate.
5N 10 N 20 N
Wear rate Weight loss Weight loss Wear rate Weight loss
Sample (mm3/Nm) (mg) Wear rate (mm3/Nm) (mg) (mm3/Nm) (mg)
A 44.68 1.7 134.5 4.9 118.9 17.2
B 40.37 0.5 27.71 1.6 7.41 3.8
C 74.65 0.6 59.92 1.1 49.54 1.2
D 28.46 0.5 51.26 1.7 34.93 2.4
E 19.43 0.3 14.93 1.6 82.74 2.1

Joule, and its maximum striking velocity is 5.182 m/sec. The Charpy impact strength (Is = U/A) of the
sample was calculated using the impact energy (U) and cross-sectional area (A) of the sample. For the
mean result, five samples were used. Figure 1 shows a sample orientation for the Charpy impact test
(El-Baky and Marwa 2018).
Tensile test was carried out using a servo controlled universal testing machine Instron-5967 with
a load range of 0–30 KN. The results were studied to determine the tensile strength of a composite
sample, which is used to provide design information on material strength so that materials can be

Figure 1. Sample orientation for the charpy impact test.

 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 5

specified. The tensile test is performed by continually raising the uniaxial tensile force and observing
the elongating samples at the same time.
A dry sliding wear test was performed using a pin-on-disc friction and wear testing machine.
A rotating disc made of stainless steel was used to make the counter face to pin. All wear tests were
carried out with a constant sliding distance of 707 m and a track radius of 30 mm. Wear experiments
were performed on each composition at sliding velocities of 2.35619 m/s with normal loads of N = 5 N,
10 N, and 20 N. The mass loss in the sample after each test was calculated by weighing the sample
before and after each test with a digital balance with an accuracy of ±0.001 mg.
The water-absorbing capabilities of various composites were measured by immersing them in
distilled water at room temperature for 10 days. Each sample was dried in an oven at 105°C for 2 [Link]
weight of the dry samples before immersion was recorded, before being immersed in distilled water.
After every 24 h, a sample is collected from the distilled water and weighed. The percentage values of
water absorption were determined using the formula of increase in weight percentage (Eq. 1).
wet conditioned weight Dry conditioned weight
Increase in weight percentageð%Þ ¼ X100 (1)
Dry conditioned weight
Thermo-gravimetric Analysis was performed on all composite samples using a Hitachi STA7300.
The samples for the matrix and composite have been made with smaller particle sizes. By using the
built-in weigh-in modes of the TGA machine, a range of 5.5 ± 0.5 mg was taken. It was primarily used
to define and measure weight loss as a function of temperature and time in a restricted area and
controlled atmosphere. Under dynamic circumstances, samples of TG (mass loss with temperature)
and DTG (temperature derivative of mass loss) curves were presented continuously as functions of
temperature.
Where, Heating rate = 10°C/min
Nitrogen flow rate = 50 ml/min
Temperature ranging = 30°C– 800°C

Result and discussions

The composite’s overall toughness is heavily influenced by the fiber-matrix interface, composite
construction, and geometry (Jawaid, Khalil, and Bakar 2010). Table 5 shows the impact strength
values of various composites and Figure 2 clearly shows the variation of impact strength with jute and
filler nano-SiO2. According to the impact test, the produced composite’s maximum impact strength is
related to its inclusion of 2 wt.% of SiO2 nanoparticles, as shown in Figure. A composite containing 2
wt.% SiO2 was reported to have improved impact strength by up to 40%. Due to the high surface area-
to-volume ratio of nano-SiO2, which creates an extreme interfacial area enclosing the nanoparticle and
strengthens the bond between fiber/nano filled matrix, the impact characteristics of filled composite
have been noticeably improved. SiO2 nanoparticles serve as crack stoppers and improve energy
absorption by creating winding paths for crack propagation, which increases impact strength
(Saber, El-Baky, and Attia 2021).
Table 5. Wear rate and weight loss of composite sample on stainless steel plate.
5N 10 N 20 N
Wear rate (mm3/ Weight loss Wear rate (mm3/ Weight loss Wear rate (mm3/ Weight loss
Sample Nm) (mg) Nm) (mg) Nm) (mg)
A 7.50 0.3 12.74 0.8 49.29 0.9
B 12.47 0.2 18.83 0.3 16.41 0.6
C 17.84 0.6 13.20 0.9 52.77 1.2
D 61.92 1.5 50.97 2.2 42.72 4.4
E 76.59 0.3 82.74 2.9 89.35 4.9
6 S. SINGH ET AL.

Figure 2. Energy absorbed by the specimen.

Due to brittle behavior and the difficulty of preparing composite materials, higher filler loadings in
composite materials are not recommended. When comparison to previous research work infusion of
jute fabric and nano-SiO2 powder with epoxy resin improves impact strength by 56%, 85%, 66% and
95% (Ahmed and Vijayarangan 2007; Owen 2014; Suresh, Jayakumar, and Devaraju 2021; Zhu et al.
2006).
The tensile properties of the composite sample are shown in Table 5. Figure 3 shows the material’s
linear behavior at low strain rates, indicating the start of matrix cracking and fiber failure. According
to the results, jute fabric provides greater resistance to crack propagation and tensile stress strain
behavior of composite material. The composite with a 2% nano-SiO2 infusion has the highest tensile
strength (44.09 MPa) of all the samples. It shows that the behavior is linear for all examined
composites up to a certain point. As can be seen, the sample of pure epoxy composite has the lowest
tensile strength (32.61 MPa). On the other hand, the composite with 2% nano-SiO2 infusion has the
highest tensile strength (44.09 MPa). The improved crack arrest mechanisms by the interior strong
layers are the result of better load transfer from the weak exterior layers (El-Baky et al. 2021).
According to previous research work improves tensile strength by 8%, 90%, 63% and 52% (Ahmed
and Vijayarangan 2007; Owen 2014; Suresh, Jayakumar, and Devaraju 2021; Zhu et al. 2006). The
combination of jute fabric and epoxy resin provides high tensile strength, which enhances in defining
the breaking limit of composite under stress, as per the comparison.
On the mild steel plate, the composite laminate has the best wear resistance behavior at highloads,
but it also has the lowest wear resistance at low loads. The experiment’s wear rate in mm3/Nm and
actual weight loss (mg) are summarized in Table 6. Figure 4 clearly shows composite wear rate and
actual weight loss as a function.
Composite materials become brittle when they are subjected to higher wear loads. The anti-wear
characteristics of sample B and C composites, which are more durable. Because mild steel plate is
ductile and has a low corrosion rate, epoxy is sticking to surface and has a higher wear rate. Actual
weight loss, as shown in Figure 4(b), shows that sample C outperforms the other composite sample in
terms of wear behavior on mild steel plate. Figure 5 clearly shows the actual wear rate graph by pin on
disk machine.
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 7

Figure 3. Tensile stress-strain graphs of composites.

On the stainless-steel plate, the composite laminate has the best wear resistance behavior at lower
loads, but it also has the high wear resistance at high loads. The experiment’s wear rate in mm3/Nm
and actual weight loss (mg) are summarized in Table 7. The effect of stacking sequence on weight loss
becomes more obvious as the applied load is increased. It has been noted that weight loss increases as
applied normal load and sliding time increase (Selmy, El-Baky, and Hegazy 2020). The specific wear
rate decreases with increasing sliding distance. Composite materials become brittle when they are
subjected to higher wear loads.
Epoxy has a lower wear rate because stainless-steel plate is highly resistant to corrosion. Because of
the aggregation of nano-particles cluster behavior, higher filler content is ineffective for improving the
tribological performance of composites (Zhang et al. 2002). Actual weight loss, as shown in

Table 6. Composite sample weight (gm) at various intervals in distilled water.

Hours Sample A (gm) Sample B (gm) Sample C (gm) Sample D (gm) Sample E (gm)
0 7.000 7.060 7.318 7.365 7.298
2 7.005 7.113 7.358 7.465 7.377
24 7.006 7.166 7.408 7.501 7.402
48 7.011 7.195 7.452 7.524 7.433
72 7.011 7.196 7.491 7.553 7.442
96 7.016 7.211 7.522 7.588 7.448
120 7.020 7.245 7.543 7.621 7.495
144 7.023 7.251 7.550 7.617 7.498
168 7.025 7.257 7.557 7.633 7.500
192 7.027 7.263 7.559 7.649 7.507
216 7.028 7.278 7.565 7.658 7.514
240 7.029 7.283 7.570 7.663 7.521
8 S. SINGH ET AL.

Figure 4. (a). Wear rate. (b). Actual weight loss analysis.

 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 9

Figure 5. (a). Composite sample at 5 N load on mild steel plate. (b). Composite sample at 10 N load on mild steel plate. (c). Composite
sample at 20 N load on mild steel plate.

Figure 6(b), shows that sample C has a denser behavior and outperforms the higher filler composite
sample in terms of wear behavior on stainless-steel plate, because of jute is highly resistant to abrasion
and stains. Figure 7 clearly shows the actual wear rate graph by pin on disk machine.
According to previous research work adding epoxy resin to jute fabric and nano-SiO2 reduces
weight loss by 10%, 68%, 45% and 50% (Ahmed et al. 2012; Suresh, Jayakumar, and Devaraju 2021;
Yallew, Kumar, and Singh 2014; Zhu et al. 2006). Low surface interaction and composite deformation
are achieved by using jute fabric and epoxy resin with nano-SiO2. There are two distinct trends in mild
steel and stainless-steel plate. Because mild steel has a low corrosion resistance, the composite material
sticks to the surface; however, epoxy has a higher wear rate. Moreover, epoxy performs well on
stainless steel plates with high corrosion resistance under the same load, but higher nano-SiO2
composite content becomes more brittle.
The moisture absorption test of composite demonstrates that jute fabric and hydrogen bonding
produce moisture build up in the cell wall, resulting in jute fabric moisture absorbing behavior.

Table 7. Pyrolysis characteristics of all sample.

Stage Stage I Stage II Stage III
Sample Tint Tr Tint Tm Tr Tint Tm Tr Fr
A 30–210 0–2 210–416 318 8.59 416–660 563 3.98 1.3
B 30–210 0–2 210–410 312, 340 7.21, 5.74 410–697 557 2.91 2.2
C 30–210 0–2 210–409 306, 338 7.23, 5.94 409–677 557 2.96 2.06
D 30–210 0–2 210–410 310, 342 7.11, 6.32 410–679 553 2.84 3.24
E 30–210 0–2 210–401 310, 340 7.42, 5.41 401–677 553 2.87 3.79
10 S. SINGH ET AL.

Figure 6. (a). Wear rate. (b). Actual weight loss analysis.

 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 11

Figure 7. (a). Composite sample at 5 N load on stainless steel plate. (b). Composite sample at 10 N load on stainless steel plate.
(c). Composite sample at 20 N load on stainless steel plate.

The mechanical properties of the composite will be reduced due to micro cracks in the matrix caused
by internal stress in jute fabric.
The weight and percentage of moisture absorption of jute fabric and nano-SiO2 composite exposed
in distilled water is shown in Table 8 and Figure 8. The hybridization of jute fabric/nano-SiO2
reinforced with epoxy resin increases the water absorption of the composite by 1% over the jute fabric
composite sample. Figure 8 depicts a similar trend in the percentage of water absorption of samples
B and E over a time of 480 h.
The moisture absorption characteristic of the jute/nano-SiO2/Epoxy composite decreased when the
results are compared. In comparison to previous research, the stronger bond between the matrix and
jute fibers slows the speed of the diffusing molecules. The epoxy-fiber network is improved by 50–70%

Table 8. Composite sample weight (gm) at various intervals in distilled water.

Hours Sample A (gm) Sample B (gm) Sample C (gm) Sample D (gm) Sample E (gm)
0 7.000 7.060 7.318 7.365 7.298
2 7.005 7.113 7.358 7.465 7.377
24 7.006 7.166 7.408 7.501 7.402
48 7.011 7.195 7.452 7.524 7.433
72 7.011 7.196 7.491 7.553 7.442
96 7.016 7.211 7.522 7.588 7.448
120 7.020 7.245 7.543 7.621 7.495
144 7.023 7.251 7.550 7.617 7.498
168 7.025 7.257 7.557 7.633 7.500
192 7.027 7.263 7.559 7.649 7.507
216 7.028 7.278 7.565 7.658 7.514
240 7.029 7.283 7.570 7.663 7.521
12 S. SINGH ET AL.

Figure 8. Water absorption of composite for 240 hours.

as a result of the tighter filling caused by the strong adhesion (Ahmed and Vijayarangan 2007;
Masoodi and Pillai 2012; Sanjay and Yogesha 2016). The resistance to absorbing water decreases
with increasing diffusion, sorption, and permeability coefficients (El-Baky and Marwa 2018).
Figure 9 presents the thermo-gravimetric test results for the TG and DTG curves of all composite
samples, and Table 9 summarizes some of the pyrolysis behavior results. Heat degradation of
composite processes occurred in three stages (Panwar et al. 2020). The first stage was dehydration,
which resulted in the release of weakly bonded molecules or moisture. Indicated by the first peak in
stage I at 30°C to 210°C. In the first stage, all samples dehydrate at the same rate of 0 to 2%/min of
decomposition.
The second stage is the breakdown stage hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin degrade at tempera­
tures ranging from 210°C to 420°C (Venkatarajan and Athijayamani 2021). Pure epoxy decomposes at
a faster rate than the other composite samples. In stage II, a second peak indicating that the jute fabric
is breaking down and the low temperature resistance of jute does not allow for an arbitrary choice of
thermoplastic as material. We can see from the stage II two different peaks and similar trend of all
hybrid’s composite sample that the addition of 2% nano-SiO2improves the thermal property of the
composite by a small amount. The epoxy sample has a single peak due to absence of jute fabric.
The third stage involves the breakdown of lignin and volatile matter at temperatures ranging from
420°C to 700°C. Lignin loss is generally slower and occurs over a wide temperature range of 180°C to
800°C (Bilbao et al. 1997). A lignin peak in stage III is clearly visible, but there is no significant
difference in all samples. The hybrid composite with 2% nano-SiO2 and jute fabric reinforcement has
a higher decomposition rate of 2.96%/min. The difference in temperature and decomposition rate is
due to an increase in cross linkage of epoxy resin caused by the catalytic effect of jute fabric and nano –
SiO2. If we consider the sample’s nearly total weight loss after completing all three stages.
It turns out that the composite sample with 2% nano-SiO2 and jute fabric reinforced with Epoxy
resin is more stable than the other composite sample. Overall, the results show that higher filler
loading leads to a higher char yield percentage. As a result, for greater thermal stability and less char
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 13

Figure 9. TG and DTG profile of composite.

Table 9. Pyrolysis characteristics of all sample.

Stage Stage I Stage II Stage III

Sample Tint Tr Tint Tm Tr Tint Tm Tr Fr

A 30-210 0-2 210-416 318 8.59 416-660 563 3.98 1.3
B 30-210 0-2 210-410 312, 340 7.21, 5.74 410-697 557 2.91 2.2
C 30-210 0-2 210-409 306, 338 7.23, 5.94 409-677 557 2.96 2.06
D 30-210 0-2 210-410 310, 342 7.11, 6.32 410-679 553 2.84 3.24
E 30-210 0-2 210-401 310, 340 7.42, 5.41 401-677 553 2.87 3.79

residues, the optimal content of nano – SiO2and jute fabric reinforced with epoxy resin composite is
recommended.
Where,Tint = Temperature of the volatile release (°C),
Tm = Maximum decomposition temperature from the DTG peak,
Tr = Maximum decomposition rate (%/min),
Fr = Final residues or char yield.
When the thermo-gravimetric analysis of the jute/nano-SiO2/Epoxy composite results are com­
pared, there is a significant increase in thermal stability and less char residues. In comparison to
previous research work infusing jute fabric and nano-SiO2 with epoxy resin increases thermal stability
and yield point of composite by 94%, 52% and 60% (Mercy, Parmar, and Srivastava 2020; Mohanty,
Khan, and Hinrichsen 2000; Zhu et al. 2006). The combination of jute fabric/nano-SiO2 and epoxy
resin provides thermal stability in massloss weight processes such as evaporation and decomposition
of the composite. As resulting, the different temperature reaction in the material, because of jute but it
14 S. SINGH ET AL.

does not naturally retain much heat. That makes jute ideal apparel to composite material for hot and
humid climates. Results help to monitors mass of substance as the temperature is linearly increased.
Process like dehydration, desorption and decomposition results in a weight change.

Conclusion
Fabrications of composites have been successfully done by hand lay-up technique. Analyses various
types of mechanical characteristics, Tensile, Impact, Wear, Moisture absorption tests and Thermo-
gravimetric analysis (TGA) of reinforced composite were investigated. The test results of jute compo­
sites and the addition of nano-SiO2 are compared with various composites. As a conclusion of the
mechanical characteristic, the research outcomes were achieved:

● The 2% nano-SiO2 filled epoxy reinforced jute fabric hybrid composite has a high tensile strength
of 44.09 MPa and an impact strength of 4 Joule. The wear test results for mild and stainless-steel
disc materials reveal that composite has good wear behavior at different loads. Both the graph
trend of wear rate and the actual weight loss proved that the composite performs better.
● Composite has a 3-4% moisture absorption rate due to jute’s hydrophilic nature, which causes poor
resistance to moisture absorption. Silicon dioxide absorbs moisture on a regular basis. When
compared to other composites, however, jute composite performs better. According to the thermo-
gravimetric study, these composites are thermally stable, with a lower proportion of char giving
1.3-3.7%. It was revealed that a 2% nano-SiO2 composite sample outperformed other composite
samples.
● When compared to other composite material compositions, the addition of 2% nano-SiO2 as
filler content and jute fabric reinforced with epoxy composite had a substantial effect on
mechanical and thermal properties. If the percentage of filler nano-SiO2 on the composite
material exceeds 2%, the material becomes brittle and difficult to produce.
● Standard fiber composites in various forms have grown in popularity in a wide range of
automotive applications, including primary parts, pressing, and development. Jute fiber is used
to the production of sacks, hessian, and other products. Jute fabric reinforced polymer compo­
sites can be used in sports, decorative materials, seats and tables, rooftop tiles and kitchen sinks,
short-term outdoor applications, and transportation. The primary reason for using fabric
reinforced polymers in aircraft and helicopter applications is to reduce weight, which can result
in significant fuel savings and improved performance.

Highlights of research paper

● Composites were fabricated using the hand lay-up technique.
● The test results of jute composites with nano-SiO2 addition are compared to several other composites.
● The hybrid composite sample C has a high tensile and impact strength, as well as good wear behavior under various loads.
● Due to the hydrophilic characteristic of jute, the composite absorbs 3-4% moisture. Composites are thermally stable,
according to thermo-gravimetric tests.

Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID
Sagar Singh [Link]
Chitranjan Agarwal [Link]
N.L. Panwar [Link]
 JOURNAL OF NATURAL FIBERS 15

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