Effect of Sisal Fibre Hybridisation on Static and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Corn/Sisal/Polylactide Composites

The relatively poor mechanical properties of corn fibre (CF) and its green composites have hindered its applications. In this work, sisal fibre (SF) was hybridised with CF to reinforce polylactide (PLA) composites (CF/SF/PLA). The static mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strengths and dynamic mechanical properties such as storage modulus (E’), damping behaviour (tan δ), glass transition temperature (T_g) of the hybrid composites were determined and, for the first time, hybrid effects on both static and dynamic mechanical properties were evaluated. It is found that the tensile, flexural, impact strengths, and E’ and tan δ peak height, as well as the hybrid effects change with hybrid ratio (SF:CF). It is demonstrated that a hybrid composite with desirable static and dynamic mechanical properties can be produced by optimising the fibre:hybrid ratio.