Vol.:(0123456789) Materials Circular Economy (2024) 6:24 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42824-024-00118-9 ORIGINAL PAPER Mechanical and Vibration Properties of Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Sisal, Areca, and Hemp Fibers, Enhanced by Sugarcane Bagasse and Coconut Husk Fillers Senthamaraikannan Chinnasamy 1  · K. Venkat Kowsik 1  · R. Raviram 1 Received: 28 February 2024 / Revised: 24 April 2024 / Accepted: 2 May 2024 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2024 Abstract This study investigates the mechanical and vibration properties of epoxy composites reinforced with agricultural waste fibers, focusing on coconut husk and sugarcane bagasse fillers. Experimental procedures involve fabricating composite specimens with different stacking sequences and filler compositions, followed by mechanical testing including tensile, flexural, and impact tests. Additionally, free vibration tests are conducted to evaluate the damping capacity of the composites. Results indicate that coir-reinforced composites exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to other formulations, particularly in terms of flexural strength and impact resistance. Furthermore, specific compositions, such as C 1 (SCHCHCACACS) and C 3 (SCHCACACHCS), demonstrate exceptional performance in various mechanical tests. Additionally, S 2 (SSASHSHSASS) exhibits a higher damping constant, indicating its potential for vibration resistance. These findings highlight the promising attributes of coir-reinforced epoxy composites for diverse applications, suggesting avenues for further research and practical implementation in sustainable material development. Keywords Sugarcane bagasse · Coconut husk · Damping · Tensile strength · Flexural strength · Impact resistance Introduction The agricultural waste biocomposites have been utilized in domestic, building, aerospace, circuit boards, and auto- motive industries, but their potential for new markets and increased demand could be realized with proper develop- ment (Bharath and Basavarajappa 2016). In the automotive industry, the adoption of biocomposites is motivated by the pursuit of sustainable materials, the goal of reducing vehi- cle weight and improving fuel efficiency, and cost-saving potential for sustainable practices (Akampumuza et al. 2017; Mishra et al. 2020). These factors collectively drive the exploration and integration of biocomposites in automo- tive applications. Utilizing natural fibers from annual agricultural by- products in biocomposite building materials offers renewable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly advantages (Dahy 2017). Composite materials differ from conventional materials in their composition, anisotropic properties, use of reinforcement phases, matrix materials, production methods, and environmental impact (Yildizhan et al. 2018; Gurunathan et al. 2015). Areca fiber compos- ites offer advantages for composite formation, including good thermal and acoustic insulation (Kavya et al. 2023; Srinivasan et al. 2023). These composites show potential for applications in low-cost construction, packaging, sports equipment, and marine structures (Muralidhar et al. 2019). Sisal fiber composites offer eco-friendly, cost-effective solutions with excellent mechanical properties for appli- cations in automotive, marine, construction, infrastruc- ture, and sporting goods industries (Senthilkumar et al. 2018). Hemp fiber composites provide excellent strength- to-weight ratio and thermal stability, serving applications in automotive, construction, aerospace, and consumer goods, offering lightweight, durable, and environmentally friendly solutions (Niu et al. 2011). The sugarcane bagasse * Senthamaraikannan Chinnasamy senthamarai@svce.ac.in 1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering, Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, India