Clay, Natural Fibers and Thermoset Resin Based Hybrid Composites: Preparation, Characterization and Mechanical Properties

Abstract

Combining two or more kinds of reinforcement into the same matrix in order to enhance the mechanical properties of natural fiber composite is one of the attractive ways employed in this sense. Natural hybridization has also the target of promoting the natural resources, particularly local resources not exploited industrially. This chapter presents a study of the mechanical behavior of hybrid composite based on natural components, the first and third parts contain our own results on the mechanical behavior of the hybrid matrix epoxy/clay and the mechanical behavior of double hybrid composites using a hybrid matrix (epoxy/clay) and hybrid reinforcement jute/coir and jute/doum. About the second part, it focuses an overview of works of literature dealing hybrid composites based on natural fiber/natural fiber and natural fiber/synthetic fiber. Other than the hybridization of the reinforcement, it may also involve the hybridization of architecture and orientation of the reinforcement, which is also the subject of this chapter in its third part.