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Highlights This study evaluates the sliding wear behavior of hybrid composites made of epoxy reinforced with alternating layers of flax fiber mats and steel wire mesh. The aim is to enhance the wear resistance of flax fiber‐epoxy composites by incorporating steel wire mesh. Specifically, three composite types are produced by varying their stacking sequences using the simple hand layup technique. Dry sliding wear tests are performed on a pin‐on‐disc test rig under different conditions according to ASTM G99 standard. Taguchi analysis is performed using an L25 orthogonal array and it reveals that sliding velocity is the most critical factor, followed by normal load, in affecting the wear rate of the steel‐flax‐epoxy hybrid composite. Subsequently, a steady‐state wear analysis shows that sliding velocity and normal load increase the specific wear rate (SWR), while steel reinforcement decreases it. ANOVA results indicate that sliding velocity significantly impacts wear rates to the extent of 69.47% for flax‐epoxy composite and more than 70% for flax‐steel‐epoxy composites. Additionally, electron microscopy is used to study the worn surfaces of the composites to determine the wear mechanisms. Successful fabrication of flax‐steel wire mesh reinforced hybrid composites. Wear behavior of multi‐layer composites with different stacking sequence. Use of statistical technique for the prediction of wear rate. Wear mechanisms are identified using electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the implementation of artificial neural network (ANN) and statistical methods to analyze and predict the erosion performance of titania (TiO2) filled ramie‐epoxy based composites. These hybrid composites are prepared by conventional hand lay‐up route and subjected to solid particle erosion tests as per Taguchi's L27 orthogonal array. The effects of different control factors on erosion rate of these composites are studied using Taguchi method. It reveals that impact velocity and filler content have significant effect on the erosion wear rate followed by other least significant factors. The individual effect of each control factor while keeping other factors constant is ascertained by performing steady state erosion experiments. Further, a computational model based on ANN is used as a tool to effectively predict the erosion rates of the composites. The results show that the predicted values are in reasonably good agreement with the experimental ones with an accuracy of 90% and relative error lying within a range of 1%–10%. Further, the trained ANN model is validated by considering the erosion rates obtained during steady state erosion process as the input parameter. The possible mechanisms causing the wear loss are identified using electron microscopy. Highlights: Successful fabrication of titanium oxide reinforced hybrid composites.Steady state erosion experiments are performed.Erosion rates are predicted using ANN and compared with the experimental data.Wear loss mechanisms are identified using electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on an analytical and experimental investigation on the effects of fiber and filler reinforcement on the effective thermal conductivity (keff) of epoxy‐based composites. This research aims at enhancing the thermal insulation capability of fiber reinforced composites by adding an industrial waste, WGD (waste glass dust) as particulate filler. For this, an analytical model is proposed to estimate the keff values of particle filled polymer composites with and without fiber reinforcement. The results computed from the proposed correlations are then validated with some previously reported investigations. For an experimental validation, hemp and flax fiber reinforced epoxy based hybrid composites are fabricated with WGD as the fillers in varying weight fractions of 0 to 0.2. Effects of filler content on keff of fiber‐polymer systems are studied. Their keff are measured by a Unitherm Model 2022 instrument. It is found that the predicted and measured values are in good agreement. It is observed that the keff of the epoxy composites reduced from 0.359 to 0.297 W/m K with increase in the WGD weight fraction from 0 to 0.2. The keff of hybrid composites are also reduced by 27% and 15.53%, respectively, with 20 wt% addition of WGD. Highlights: Hybridization of natural fiber based polymer composites.Utilization of waste glass dust as functional filler.Model development for heat conduction across hybrid composite system.Insulation capability enhancement of epoxy using fiber/filler reinforcements.Low cost thermal insulation materials using green materials and industry waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aims to develop and characterize a class of multi‐phase hybrid composites consisting of bi‐directional ramie fibers, epoxy resin and micro‐sized titania (TiO2) particles in different proportions. Conventional hand layup technique is followed for fabrication of these composite slabs with fixed fiber fraction but different filler loadings of 0, 10, 20, and 30 wt%. The composites are subjected to different physical, compositional, and mechanical characterization tests under controlled laboratory conditions. The microstructural features of the composites are studied using scanning electron microscopy and stereo‐microscopy. For the compositional analysis, Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐ray diffraction (XRD) technique are adopted. The functional groups present in the constituent materials are identified and so also the different phases in the composites. The different characterization tests reveal that with the incorporation of hard titania particles, the tensile, flexural, inter‐laminar shear strength, hardness, and impact strength improve. Similarly, the density and moisture absorption behavior are also found to be greatly affected by the inclusion of fillers. Armed with reasonably good mechanical properties and improved hardness, these epoxy‐ramie composites filled with titania micro‐particles may possibly find applications as functional materials in potential areas like wear prone situations. Highlights: Hybridization of ramie‐epoxy composite by additional reinforcement of TiO2.Physical properties of the composites are affected by the inclusion of fillers.Mechanical properties of composites improved with filler content.The developed composites can be used for wear resistant applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among most of the natural fiber reinforced polymer composites, the specific wear rate of epoxy-kenaf fiber composite is the second least after sisal-polyester composite (El-Tayeb [10]). Conclusions The present investigation exposed the following conclusions: The preparation of hybrid polymer composites using an industrial/construction waste (marble dust) and natural fiber (kenaf) is possible using the polymer solution casting technique. Keywords: Polymer composites; waste marble dust; kenaf fiber; characterization; dry-sliding wear; ANN EN Polymer composites waste marble dust kenaf fiber characterization dry-sliding wear ANN 9235 9247 13 11/21/22 20221220 NES 221220 Introduction Polymers and their composites are growing as the emerging functional materials due to their excellent engineering properties like high corrosion resistance (Santos et al. [28]), lightweight (Phadtare et al. [22]), bio-degradability (Thakur, Thakur, and Gupta [33]), high strength (Ku et al. [16]), and improved wear resistance (Friedrich, Reinicke, and Zhang [12]). [Extracted from the article]

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