[Meenambika, 3(11): November, 2014] ISSN: 2277-9655 Scientific Journal Impact Factor: 3.449 (ISRA), Impact Factor: 2.114 http: // www.ijesrt.com (C)International Journal of Engineering Sciences & Research Technology [17] IJESRT INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING SCIENCES & RESEARCH TECHNOLOGY Development and Properties of Hybrid Composites G.Meenambika Bai, H.Raghavendra Rao Department of Mechanical Engineering, G.P.R. Engineering College, Kurnool-518002, India Abstracts The Flexural and tensile properties and Scanning electron Microscope analysis of Aramide/Onion/Glass fibers Reinforced Epoxy Reinforced composites are studied. The effect of the Aramide/Onion/Glass fibers on these properties was also studied. These properties found to be higher when glass fibers were used in the reinforced composites. The elimination of amorphous hemi-cellulose leading to higher crystallinity of the Aramide/ Onion/Glass fibers may be responsible for these observations. The author investigated the interfacial bonding between Aramide/Onion/Glass reinforced epoxy composites. Bonding between Aramide/Onion/Glass composites was also studied. Keywords: Aramide fiber, Glass fiber, Onion fiber, Epoxy resin, SEM Flexural properties, Chemical resistance, tensile properties, Reinforced composites Introduction Several studies on the composites made from epoxy matrix and natural fibers onion, jute, wood, banana, sisal, cotton, coir and wheat straw were reported in the literature. Jindal (1) reported the development of bamboo fiber reinforced plastic composites using araldite (CIBA CY 230) resin as matrix. Though bamboo is extensively used as a valuable material from times immemorial (because of its high strength and low weight), the studies on this fiber reinforced plastics re meager. In the present work, the aramide, onion & glass fiber reinforced high performance epoxy reinforced composites were developed and their Flexural and tensile properties with fiber content were studied. The author investigated the interfacial bonding between aramide, onion, glass reinforced epoxy composites. The effect of bonding between aramide, onion, glass composites was also studied. Materials and methods Materials High performance epoxy resin LY 556 and the curing agent hardener HY 951 system were used as the matrix. Onion fibers were procured from local area. Some of these fibers were soaked in 1% NaOH solution for 30 min. to remove any greasy materials and hemi-cellulose, washed thoroughly in distilled water and dried under the sun for one week. The fibers with a thickness of 0.3mm were selected in the mat form. The glass chopped strand mat was used in making the reinforced composite percentage. Preparation of mould For making the composites, a moulding box was prepared with glass with 200mmx200mmx3mm mould (length x width x thickness) Preparation of the composite and the test specimens The mould cavity was coated with a thin layer of aqueous solution of poly vinyl alchol ( PVA) which acts as a good releasing agent. Futher a thin coating of hard wax was laid over it and finally another thin layer of PVA was coated. Each coat was allowed to dry for 20 min at room temperature. A 3mm thick plate was made from the epoxy and hardener taken in the ratio of 100 and 10 parts by weight respectively. Then the moulding box was loaded with the matrix mixture and onion & glass fiber in random orientation (with varying percentage) and was placed in a vacuum oven which was maintained at 100 o c for 3 hours to complete curing. After curing the plate was removed from the moulding box with simple tapering and it was cut in to samples for flexural test with dimensions of 150mmx20mmx3mm are cut as per ASTM specifications. For comparison sake the specimen for matrix material were also prepared in similar lines. For Scanning electron microscope analysis the cryogenically cooled and fractured specimen surfaces were gold coated and the fractures surface was observed using scanning electron microscope.