Mechanical properties and life cycle assessment of jute woven composites and their hybrids

The mechanical properties and the life cycle assessment LCA of jute woven fabric composites and their hybrids are investigated. Jute woven fabric composites are sandwiched with glass woven composites with the similar matrix. The sandwiched composites are prepared using resin infusion method. The water absorption test was performed on jute woven composites and composite sandwich. It shows that thin layers of glass woven in the composites sandwich decelerate water penetration to jute woven composites, which are the core materials. The water absorption process into jute woven composites and their sandwich was modeled using Fick's second law. The glass woven composites at the outer surface of the sandwich can act as strong skins. The bending and impact (drop weight) properties of jute-glass woven composites are higher than those of jute woven composites. A commercial LCA software was employed to evaluate the environmental impacts of manufacturing the jute woven composites and their hybrids. The manufacturing of jute-glass woven compositeshad more negative environmental impact (Global warming, ozone depletion etc) than that of jute fabric composites, because glass fibres are less environmentally friendly than natural fibres.