Processing and Characterization of Eichhornia Crassipes Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Composites

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6463-922-3_44How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Eichhornia Crassipes Composites; Hybrid Polymer Composites; Natural Fiber Composites

Abstract

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a fast growing and highly invasive aquatic plant that contributes significantly to water pollution. However, it also holds promise as sustainable reinforcement material for composite application. This study investigates the fabrication and performance of Eichhornia crassipes fibre reinforced epoxy composites with their focus on how different chemical treatments affect their properties. To explore this potential, fibres were treated with potassium hydroxide (KOH), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and Camphor soot, and compared with that of untreated fiber based composites. The composites were fabricated using compression moulding to ensure uniform fibre distribution and minimize void formation. Mechanical testing results confirmed the benefits of chemical treatments in enhancing composite strength. Camphor soot treated composites showed a 12.9% increase in tensile strength compared to KOH treated composites. There flexural strength is improved by 16.5% relative to the untreated sample, and their impact strength was 13% higher than that of KOH treated composites. Meanwhile, NaOH treated composites exhibited a 2.9% improvement in hardness compared to the untreated sample. Water absorption tests showed that KOH treated composites absorbs more water under normal conditions. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that the camphor soot treated composites have the best fibre matrix interaction. Showing strong adhesion, minimal voids, and efficient load transfer factors that contributed to their superior mechanical strength. Among the tested samples, Camphor soot treated samples emerged as the most effective in enhancing mechanical performance.

Copyright

© 2025 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - S. S. Abhilash
AU  - R. Kamal Krishna
AU  - S. P. Rajesh
AU  - S. S. Sanukrishna
AU  - B. J. Sreejith
AU  - T. S. Sigikumar
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/12/25
TI  - Processing and Characterization of Eichhornia Crassipes Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Composites
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Recent Advances in Materials, Processes and Technology for Sustainability (RAMPTS 2025)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 664
EP  - 679
SN  - 2590-3217
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6463-922-3_44
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6463-922-3_44
ID  - Abhilash2025
ER  -