A STUDY ON THE

BEHAVIOUR OF HAIR FIBER

REINFORCED COMPOSITES
TEAM MEMBERS :
TLY20ME002 SHARAN CK
TLY20ME006 ABHIRAM G
TLY20ME021 MHD. SHAAN HASHIM GUIDE :
TLY20ME037 VIJAY SAI K Prof.(Dr.) EBY DAVID
 CONTENTS
[Link]. TITLE Slide No.
LITERATURE REVIEW 5
1) Natural fiber reinforced composites: Sustainable materials for emerging applications 6
2) Utilization of waste chicken feather for the preparation of eco-friendly and sustainable 8
composite
3) A comprehensive review of natural fibers and their composites: An eco-friendly alternative 10
to conventional materials
4) Fabrication and characterization of eco-friendly composite materials from natural animal 12
fibers
5) A Study on Mechanical Properties of Concrete using Hair Fiber Reinforced Concrete 14
6) An experimental study on the manufacturing of engineered defects in composite plates 16
7) Preparation and Testing of Composites using Waste Groundnut Shells and Coir Fiber 18
8) Investigation on mechanical properties of novel natural fiber-epoxy resin hybrid composites 20
for engineering structural applications

2
[Link]. TITLE Slide No.
9) Comprehensive insights on mechanical attributes of natural-synthetic fibers in polymer 22
composites
10) Additives used in natural fiber reinforced polymer composites - A review 24
11) Human Hair: A Biodegradable Composite Fiber – A Review 26
12) Effect of Human Hair Fiber on Strength of Concrete 28
13) Use of Human Hair as Natural Fiber for Fly Ash Bricks 30
14) Human Hair Fiber as a Reinforcement Material in Composite Structures 32
15) Processing and Mechanical Behaviour of Human Hair Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites 34
16) Low velocity impact behaviour of elliptic curved composite structures 36
17) Structure and mechanical behavior of human hair 38
18) Variable low-density polylactic acid and microsphere composite material for additive 40
manufacturing
19) Automotive brake friction composite materials using natural Grewia Optiva fibers 42
20) Improvement of Physicomechanical Properties of Pineapple Leaf Fiber Reinforced 44
Composite

3
[Link]. TITLE Slide No.
PROJECT PLANNING & SCHEDULING 46
GANTT CHART REPRESENTATION
21) Resource/task identification and allocation 48
METHODOLOGY AND/ OR FORMULATION OF DESIGN 49
22) Materials 50
23) Preparation of Composites 52
24) Mechanical Testing 54
25) Microstructural Analysis 56
26) Thermo-gravimetric Analysis 58
CONCLUSION 60

4
LITERATURE REVIEW

5
 Natural fiber reinforced composites:
Sustainable materials for emerging
applications
Muhammad Yasir Khalid, Ans Al Rashid, Zia Ullah Arif, Waqas Ahmed, Hassan Arshad, Asad Ali Zaidi,
Published by Elsevier B.V, Results in Engineering 11 (2021) 100263.
• Natural fibers as cheap and sustainable materials.
• Eco-friendly nature, lightweight, life-cycle superiority, biodegradability, low cost,
noble mechanical properties.
• The three major types which produced NFs are:
1)Animal-based fibers 2)Mineral fibers 3)Natural lignocellulosic fibers (NLF)
• Chemical treatments, coating of different materials on NFs and hybridization
technique which enhance the mechanical and physical properties of NFRPCs.
• Ballistics applications due to their high-impact properties - Multilayers Armor
System (MAS).

6
• The environmental effects of NFRPCs are quite low.
• Numerical tools could be a useful tool for the mechanical characterization of
composite materials. Eg. Dynamic Relaxation (DR), Finite Element Method (FEM).
• Bast fiber, hemp, kenaf, and flax are now considered in automobile parts.
• Simultaneously, wood plastics in composites make them ideal for construction
enterprises.

General attributes associated with the NFRPCs.

7
Utilization of waste chicken feather for the
preparation of eco-friendly and sustainable
composite
Md. Farhad Ali, Md. Sahadat Hossain, Tanvir Siddike Moin, Samina Ahmed, A. M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury
Published by Elsevier Ltd, Cleaner Engineering and Technology 4 (2021) 100190.

• Synthetic materials as a main reason of environmental pollution.

• Increase in carbon dioxide levels leading to global warming.
• Natural fiber (during production) consumes less energy, emits less carbon
dioxide, and responsible for less BOD compared to the synthetic fiber of the same
weight.
• The animal fiber from chicken feather has been reported for exhibiting very good
physical and mechanical properties.
• Intrinsic ability to undergo appreciable mechanical stressing and different types
of chemical and thermal treatment without creating permanent damage.
8
• Billions of kilograms of unwanted chicken feathers are thrown out annually.
• Two ways of chicken feather disposal - negative impact on the environment.
• Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) is used as a matrix material.
• Chicken feather fiber of 2, 5, 7, 10, 12 and 15% by weight were used as
reinforcement material.
• Mechanical properties like TS, TM, BS, BM, EB were found out using UTM.
• SEM & FTIR spectroscopy analysis - better mechanical properties were observed.
• The 5% and 10% chicken feather loading composites were better percentages for
reinforcement with synthetic UPR than the others.
• The maximum improved values of mechanical properties such as TS, TM, BS, and
BM are 64%, 64%, 103%, and 48% respectively for optimized composites.
• Up to 200 degree Celsius temperature, better thermal stability was noticed than
the UPR.
9
A comprehensive review of natural fibers and
their composites: An eco-friendly alternative to
conventional materials
Issam Elfaleh, Fethi Abbassi, Mohamed Habibi, Furqan Ahmad, Mohamed Guedri, Mondher Nasri, Christian Garnier
Published by Elsevier B.V, Results in Engineering 19 (2023) 101271.

• Composite materials have proven valuable in numerous sectors, including

automotive, aerospace, aeronautics, naval, and sports, due to their exceptional
mechanical properties and lightweight nature.
• But environmental concerns have led to a decrease in the use of fossil fuel-
derived materials.
• Additionally, efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel
efficiency require lightweight materials with a lower carbon footprint,
• This highlights the importance of natural fiber composites.
• Discussion about chemical composition of natural fibers .
10
• High raw material costs, production capacity limitations, and environmental
concerns have led to the development of new composite materials, such as
natural fiber composites.
• Natural fibers, derived from sources such as plants, animals, and minerals are less
expensive, lighter in weight, and have fascinating mechanical properties, making
them a valuable solution compared to synthetic fibers.
• But natural fibers have some drawbacks too – they are usually hydrophilic.
• It can be overcome by surface treatment techniques which includes alkaline
treatments and treatment with silanes.
• Hybridization of natural fibers with synthetic fibers.
• Faces significant challenges.
• But thanks to the continuous R&D of new methods.
• Possible to optimize the properties and performance.

Classification of plant fibers according to the origin

11
Fabrication and characterization of eco-
friendly composite materials from natural
animal fibers
Md. Farhad Ali, Md. Sahadat Hossain, Samina Ahmed, A.M. Sarwaruddin Chowdhury
Published by Elsevier Ltd, Heliyon 7 (2021) e06954.

• A large amount of useless portion - discharging from leather industries - pollutes

the environment immensely.
• So it needs to be recycled to yield other valuable products.
• In this research, we utilized a rejected part (cow hair) of leather industries and
unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) to fabricate valued composites to confine
atmospheric pollution.
• A hand-lay-up technique, which is an easy and economical approach, was
employed for composites fabrication.
• A number of cow hair fiber percentages (2, 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, and 20% by weight)
were taken into consideration to investigate the impact of fiber loading on
composites.
12
• Prepared composites were characterized by a few mechanical properties such as
tensile strength (TS), tensile modulus (TM), elongation at break (EB), bending
strength (BS), and bending modulus (BM).
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), Electron Scanning Microscopy (SEM), and water
absorption were also performed to support the data in favor of mechanical
properties.
• The water absorption of the composite varied between 1.28% and 1.75%, which
was higher than that of the control sample.
• The hydrophilic character of natural fiber is a big concern, as it impedes
successful outdoors application.
• The higher content of cow hair fibers in composites offers an extra advantage of
good mechanical properties, but the escalation of hydrophilicity leads to further
water absorption.
• Optimum mechanical properties which were supported by the other analysis
were achieved for 5% cow hair containing composites.
13
A Study on Mechanical Properties of Concrete
using Hair Fiber Reinforced Concrete
Er. Chinnadurai P, Anuradha R
International Journal of ChemTech Research, 2017,10(8): 167-176.
• Fiber reinforced concrete offers a practical and economical method for over
coming micro-cracks and similar type of deficiencies.
• Fibers are usually used in concrete to control plastic shrinkage, dry shrinkage,
cracking and also to lower the permeability of concrete.
• It also reduces greater impact, abrasions and shatter resistances in concrete.
• It is an effective method of construction of light weight seismic resistant
structures.
• Concrete is weak in tension hence some measures must be adopted to overcome
this deficiency.
• Human hair is strong in tension hence it can be used as a fiber reinforcement
material also has its advantages of being a natural fiber.
14
• For each combination of proportions of concrete three cubes are tested for their
mechanical properties.
• By testing it was found that there is an increment in the various properties and
strength of concrete by the addition of human hair as fiber reinforcement.
• Reduction in Crack Formation.
• There was an overall increase of 1 to 12% in the compressive strength of concrete
and up to 5% in the flexural strength of concrete test specimens by the addition
of hair fibers in different quantities.
• According to the test performed it is observed that there is increment in strength
in concrete for the percentage of hair by weight of cement from 0% to 3%. And at
3.5% the concrete strength was started decreasing.
• The results are similar in compression test and splitting tensile test, i.e.
compression test and splitting tensile test 3% of hair by weight cement is mean
point to failure of concrete.

15
An experimental study on the manufacturing
of engineered defects in composite plates
Alireza Zarei , Saeed Farahani , Srikanth Pilla
Published by Elsevier B.V, Composites Part C: Open Access 9 (2022) 100327.

• Aim of the experiment is to produce standardized samples for consistent testing,

crucial for research reproducibility and the improvements in NDT methods.
• Stitched triaxial fiberglass fabric and epoxy vinyl ester resin were used as the
reinforcement and matrix.
• Fabrication Process: Vacuum Infusion of Sixty Fiberglass Layers (305×305×25.4
mm plate).
• Types of Defects Introduced: Delamination, Fiber Breakage, Matrix Crack.
• The CT scan images verify the size, shape, and location of the defects in the
plates.

16
• Some trials and errors for
finding the optimum
parameters were carried
out.
• This is important for
comparing different NDT
methods and understanding
their shortcomings in various
applications.
• This paper also deals with
various other defects and
damages in composite
materials. Classification of damages and defects in composite materials
• Thus useful in studying the
damages and defects
occurring in composites.
17
Preparation and Testing of Composites using
Waste Groundnut Shells and Coir Fiber
Onkar V. Potadara, Ganesh S. Kadama
Published by Elsevier B.V, Procedia Manufacturing 20 (2018) 91-96.
• Mould Preparation: Mild steel was selected as the mould material because of its
fair hardness, shock absorption capability and easy availability. Four supporting
bars of dimensions 163×12×12 mm were used to prepare an enclosure for the
mould as shown in Fig.1 and Fig.2. Bolting was done.

Fig. 1. Mould Fig. 2. Specifications of mould

18
• Specimens for 3-point bending test were also cut with the help of hand-operated saw
machine to obtain specimens as per ASTM D638-03 testing standard for flexural
(bending) testing of composites as shown.

Standard specimen Standard specimen

for Tensile Test for Bending Test

• The experimental set-up during tensile and flexural

testing of specimens is shown.
• Thus we were able to study about the dimensions of
the mould and the specimen to be made.
• Also the experimental setup was studied.

Experimental test set-up: (a) Tensile testing

and (b) Flexural testing 19
Investigation on mechanical properties of
novel natural fiber-epoxy resin hybrid
composites for engineering structural
applications
M.K. Marichelvam, C. Labesh Kumar, K. Kandakodeeswaran, B. Thangagiri, Kuldeep K. Saxena, Kamal Kishore, Naresh Kumar
Wagri, Sanjeev Kumar
Published by Elsevier Ltd, Case Studies in Construction Materials 19 (2023) e02356.

• After being meticulously cleaned, Madar fibers, Hibiscus Cannabinus fibers, and
Gongura fibers were cut into tiny pieces.
• Researchers proved the effectiveness of alkali treatment with a 5% Sodium
hydroxide (NaOH) solution.
• The fibers were then carefully cleaned with distilled water twice and baked for 70
min at 60 ◦C.
• For the evaluation of the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the hybrid
composites, specimens were made in accordance with ASTM standards.
20
 • The treated composite sample (S3) specimen exhibits a tensile strength (TS) of
approximately 34.720 N/mm2 , flexural strength (FS) of 77.957 MPa, and flexural
modulus (FM) of 1548.588 GPa. The average water absorption of the sample is
only 2.45%.
• The hardness and impact strength (IS) of the samples are also superior to those
of several other composites studied in the literature.
• Hence, the proposed hybrid composites could be a potential material for
reinforcing the concrete composites to provide a higher service rate and greater
durability to the structures.

Tensile test samples before testing Flexural test samples before testing Impact test samples before testing
& Tensile test samples after testing. & Flexural test samples after testing. & Impact test samples after testing.
21
Comprehensive insights on mechanical
attributes of natural-synthetic fibers in
polymer composites
Mohammed Mohammed, Jawad K. Oleiwi, Aeshah M. Mohammed, Anwar Ja'afar Mohamad Jawad, Azlin F. Osman,
Tijjani Adam, Bashir O. Betar, Subash C.B. Gopinath, Omar S. Dahham, Mustafa Jaafar
Published by Elsevier B.V, Journal of materials research and technology 2023, 25:4960-4988.
• Paper deals with different types of natural fibers.
• The three main hybrid configurations: (a) interlayer or layer-by-layer, (b)
intralayer or yarn-by-yarn, and (c) intrayarn or fiber-by-fiber. (Fig.1)
• Hybridization of natural fibers with other materials.(Fig.2)

Fig.1 Fig.2 22
• Methods to improve mechanical properties of natural fiber polymer matrix
composites are discussed :
High-Pressure Steaming
Process: Heating materials at high temperatures under high pressures, followed
by mechanical disruption.
Effect: Smoother surfaces, increased fiber flexibility, and concentrated
distribution.
Alkaline Treatment (Mercerization)
Process: Treatment with a concentrated aqueous solution of a strong base (e.g.,
NaOH).
Effect: Removes impurities, increases swelling, creates rough surfaces, and
introduces reactive sites, improving fiber-PM adhesion.

23
Additives used in natural fibre reinforced
polymer composites - A review
Sakshi Shantharam Kamath, Ravi Kumar Chandrappa
Copyright 2021 Elsevier Ltd, Materials Today: Proceedings 50 (2022) 1417–1424.

• The literature review is done to explore different ways to overcome this drawback
to utilize it in composite fabrication which can be used in different applications
replacing synthetic fiber composites.
• Researchers have incorporated certain additives like coupling agents, plasticizers,
fillers, flame retardants during composite fabrication which showed better
mechanical properties of the composites.
• Thus, natural fibers can be a promising material in the composite field resulting in
development of sustainable green product benefiting the environment.
• Speaks about the composition of natural fibers.
• Additives allow a great deal of tailoring in composite formulation to make it fit for
envisioned purpose.
24
• MN Nur et al's 2016
Study: Investigated the effect of polyethylene glycol on composites made of
polylactic acid, kenaf fiber, and montmorillonite clay.
Result: Showed a 24.5% increase in fracture toughness, reaching 416 kJ/m2.
• Srinivas et al's 2014
Study: Studied the flexural strength of Areca frond fiber-starch based bio-
composites.
Result: Identified glycerol as a significant plasticizer, leading to the highest flexural
strength.

Composition of natural fibers Classification of additives 25

Human Hair: A Biodegradable
Composite Fiber – A Review
Akarsh Verma, V. K. Singh, S. K. Verma and Anshul Sharma
Verma et al., Int J Waste Resour 2016, 6:2.

• An alternative reinforcement for FRP.

• Mechanical properties of human hair fiber.
• Chemical experimentations on human hair fiber.
• Finite element investigations of human hair fiber.
• Thermal analysis of human hair fiber.
• Intervention of nanotechnology to study the human hair as a biological fiber.
• Ecological importance of human hair.

26
• Experimental results discussed in the literature for various fabricating processes
show that the effect of adjoining human hair in the matrix is not showing a fixed
pattern in different operating conditions.
• In such cases, more scientific experimental studies are needed for different
range of operating parameters.
• Researchers have well tested the feasibility and applicability of the human hair
as a composite fibre in diverse conditions (different matrixes).
• Human hair with various sizes/lengths in different ambient conditions is not
studied .
• So exploration of this area can be used to exploit the human hair as a more
competent biological composite fibre in future.

27
Effect of Human Hair Fiber on
Strength of Concrete
Navneet Singh, Mehvish Bilal, Navjot Singh
JETIR May 2019, Volume 6, Issue 5 .
• Concrete (Man-made building material ) : Sand, Cement, Aggregates
• High compressive strength and low tensile strength.
• Experiments were conducted on concrete cubes with various percentages of human
hair fibre i.e. 1%, 2% and 3% by weight of cement.
• Experimental Procedure:
(i) Weighing of the materials
(ii) 1st set of normal concrete, 2nd set of HH fibre
(iii) Casting of moulds
(iv) Demoulding and curing
(v) UTM ( compressive strengths)
28
• The optimum dosage level of hair fiber addition was found to be 2%.
• When we tried to add more percentage HH fibre, we found that uniform
distribution of human hairs was very difficult and human hairs appear on surface
of specimen and after setting gives harsh appearance.
• Mixing operation becomes very difficult due to formation of hair balls on
addition of water.
• Workability considerably decreased after addition of HH fibers.
• Setting time of the fibre concrete increased considerably as compared to normal
concrete.

29
Use of Human Hair as Natural Fiber
for Fly Ash Bricks
Darsh Belani, Prof. Jayeshkumar Pitroda, Dr F S Umrigar
The Masterbuilder - August 2013.

• The aim of the present study is to investigate the strength and water absorption
of fiber fly ash bricks made of human hair fiber and fly ash.
• This study examined the various properties of fly ash bricks made by adding
human hair to a fly ash brick mix.
• The fibers were replaced within the range of 0.1-0.7% by weight of fly ash.
• Different mixes of fiber fly ash bricks are tested for parameters like: crushing
strength, weight, water absorption and cost.
• According to the test performed it is observed that there is a increment in
properties of fly ash bricks according to the percentages of human hair fiber by
weight.
30
 • Fly ash is reduced from 0.10% to 0.70%, and human hair fiber is increased from
0.10% to 0.70% and other ingredients like sludge lime, sand, and quarry dust are
kept constant.
• When weight increases absorption decreases and crushing strength increases.
• During our research work the problem of uniform distribution of hair in the fly
ash mix was faced.
• So to overcome this problem we have adopted the manual method of
distribution of hair in the fly ash mix.

(a)
Optimum Contents for Human Hair fly ash bricks
(a) Tabular representation
(b) Graphical representation (b)
31
Human Hair Fiber as a Reinforcement
Material in Composite Structures
Hande Sezgin and Ipek Yalcin Enis
SETSCI Conference Indexing System, Volume 3 (2018), 880-883, ISAS 2018-Winter, Samsun, Turkey.

In this study, brief information about human hair fiber and its usage in composite
materials are given and general information about the previous studies about
human hair reinforced composites are discussed.
• Potential reinforcement material, superior tensile strength, slow degradation
rate, hydrophilic properties, low cost, unique chemical composition and elastic
recovery properties.
• Hair structure: Micro &Macro.
• Alpha-helix structure proteins (Keratin).

32
• Previous studies:
A study related to polymer based composites.
A study related to cement based composites.
• The huge amount of human hair causes environmental risk in open fields due to
its non-degradable characteristic.
• These biological wastes are efficiently utilized in fiber reinforced composites for
greener and cost-effective materials.
• Polymer based human hair fiber reinforced composites can be used in:
Sport equipment, furniture, automobile parts and the most promising end-use
areas of cement based ones are civil constructions in seismic zones and in case of
pavement constructions.

33
Processing and Mechanical Behaviour of
Human Hair Fiber Reinforced Polymer
Composites
Duppla Ajay Kumar, CH. Bharath Kumar
International Journal of Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development (IJMPERD) ISSN (P): 2249-6890;
ISSN (E): 2249-8001 Vol. 8, Issue 5, Oct 2018, 107-116.
• This paper presents the mechanical properties of human hair strengthened epoxy
composites.
• The effect of fiber stacking and length on mechanical properties like tensile
strength, flexural strength, impact strength and hardness of composites is
inspected.
• Tests were conducted on polymer composites with various substance of human
hair fiber i.e. 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and with moving length of human hair i.e. 0.5, 1,
1.5 and 2 cm.
• By testing of composites, it has been observed that there is critical impact of
human hair reinforcement on the mechanical properties of composites.
34
• Polymer Matrix Composites (PMC)
The most regularly used thermosetting gums are epoxy, polyester, vinyl ester,
Polyurethanes and phenolics.
• In this work, the productive generation hair fiber based epoxy composites, with
different fiber lengths and stacking is conceivable.
• It ought to be perceived that the fiber parameters, for example, fiber stacking
and length has basic effect on the mechanical properties of the composites.
• The mechanical property like flexural quality, elasticity and effect of quality
outcomes are discovered best for composites, strengthened with 20wt% fiber
stacking with 1.5cm fiber length.

35
Low velocity impact behaviour of
elliptic curved composite structures
J. Gebhardt, M. Schlamp, I. Ehrlich, S. Hiermaier,
Published by Elsevier Ltd, International Journal of Impact Engineering 180 (2023) 104663.

• Energy Absorption: The study emphasizes the importance of the target's ability
to absorb energy elastically in determining impact resistance.
• Curvature Effects: The research delves into the complex effects of curvature on
delamination extents, stiffening, and crack progression.
• Numerical Modeling: Acknowledging the disparity between predicted and
experimental results, the need for numerical calibration is highlighted for
improved predictive capabilities.
• Design Implications: The study suggests practical design considerations for
enhancing impact resistance, especially in terms of specimen size and geometry.

36
• Future Considerations: The importance of realistic damage initiation for
predicting delamination propagation is stressed, pointing towards avenues for
future research.
• In essence, the research contributes to the understanding of the impact behavior
of curved composite structures and provides insights that can be valuable for
designing components with enhanced impact resistance.

Delamination and matrix cracks of specimen with geometries (a) E100, (b) E75, (c) E50 and (d) E25.
37
Structure and mechanical behavior
of human hair
Yang Yu, Wen Yang, Bin Wang, Marc André Meyers
2016 Elsevier B.V, Materials Science and Engineering C 73 (2017) 152–163.
• In this present study, the tensile properties of human hair under various strain
rates, relative humidities, and temperatures are investigated.
• Exploring hair's mechanical behavior reveals its high tensile strength (150–270
MPa), influenced by factors like strain rate and humidity, crucial for the cosmetic
industry.
• The study incorporates the unwinding of α-helix and potential transformation to
β-sheet structure, providing a constitutive equation that correlates elastic and
plastic strains to structural changes in α-keratin fibers.
• Human hair, primarily composed of α-keratin, exhibits complex mechanical
behavior influenced by factors such as humidity, temperature, and chemical
treatments.
38
• Tensile properties are mainly attributed to the cortex, as cutting the cuticle
doesn't significantly impact tensile strength.
• Various factors like humidity, temperature, twisting, ethnicity, and age affect
hair's mechanical properties, explored quantitatively in this study through tensile
testing and a proposed constitutive equation.

Schematic representation of hierarchical structure in human hair starting at α-helix chains and progressing to the entire section.

39
Variable low-density polylactic acid
and microsphere composite material
for additive manufacturing
Henrik Andersson, Jonas Ortegren, Renyun Zhang, Markus Grauers, Håkan Olin
Published by Elsevier B.V, Additive Manufacturing 40 (2021) 101925.

• A Wanhao Duplicator i3 Plus 3D printer with a 0.8 mm nozzle was used to create test
objects. OpenSCAD software designed the objects, and Ultimaker Cura software
prepared the CAD files with specific printing parameters.
• Tensile strength tests involved producing "dogbone"-shaped objects at various
nozzle temperatures. Adjustments to the "Flow" parameter improved print quality,
and hollow cuboid objects were printed for assessing print quality under different
conditions.
• Material analysis was conducted using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), and
differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed on filaments. Tensile strength
was calculated from cross-sectional measurements of the "dogbone" objects.
40
• Two types of filaments containing 2 wt% and 5 wt% of masterbatch granules were
manufactured and tested.
• The filaments were successfully used with a commercial 3D printer to manufacture
objects with a density of 45% compared to objects manufactured using standard PLA.
• The tensile strength of these objects changed linearly with density and was
comparable to that of PLA objects of the same density prepared using infill patterns.
• The composite filaments are advantageous in that they can reduce the amount of
material used, as is currently done by using different amounts of infill in a pattern.
• Further, by varying the nozzle temperature, their density can be adjusted directly
during printing as well as during fabrication to produce layers of different densities in
the same object.

41
Automotive brake friction composite
materials using natural Grewia Optiva fibers
Tej Singh, Gustavo da Silva Gehlen, Ney Francisco Ferreira, Liu Yesukai de Barros, Germano Lasch, Jean Carlos Poletto, Sharafat
Ali, Patric Daniel Neis
Published by Elsevier B.V, Journal of Materials Research and Technology 2023; 26:6966 e6983.

• Wear Mechanisms in Composite Materials: The wear behavior of composite

materials is influenced by the formation, destruction, and reformation of contact
plateaus on sliding surfaces. This film should safeguard the matrix and
constituents to reduce wear.
• Effect of Grewia Optiva Fiber: The concentration of Grewia optiva fiber in
composites plays a significant role in wear mechanisms. Composites with higher
levels of Grewia optiva fiber exhibit a greater coverage of secondary plateaus on
their surfaces, leading to improved wear resistance. In contrast, composites with
lower fiber content experience peeling and breakage of reinforcing fibers as
dominant wear mechanisms.

42
• Tribofilm Formation: The analysis of the tribofilm formed on the cast iron disc
reveals that all composites exhibit similar tribofilm formation trends. The
intensity of film formation is lower at low temperatures but significantly increases
at high temperatures (above 300°C) due to softening of organic ingredients,
resulting in more tribofilm formation on the disc.
• The paper helped in understanding the feasibility of real-life applications of NFR
composites.

Nomenclature and ingredients of the composites.

43
Improvement of Physicomechanical Properties
of Pineapple Leaf Fiber Reinforced Composite

K. Z. M. Abdul Motaleb, Md Shariful Islam and Mohammad B. Hoque

Hindawi, International Journal of Biomaterials Volume 2018, Article ID 7384360.
• The use of pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) in composite fabrication, considered waste
material, offers biodegradability and impressive mechanical properties
(holocellulose 70–82%, lignin 5–12%, ash 1.1%).
• Polypropylene (PP), a key thermoplastic matrix material, extensively utilized in
composites, combines transparency, flame resistance, and high impact strength.
• The exploration of natural fibers as a sustainable, cost-effective alternative
enhances the appeal of these composites.
• A significant challenge in natural fiber/polymer composites lies in the mismatch
between hydrophobic thermoplastic matrices and hydrophilic natural fibers,
prompting the need for surface modification to enhance interaction.
44
• Mercerization with alkali, particularly sodium hydroxide (NaOH), is a prevalent
method to reduce the hydrophilicity of pineapple leaf fibers (PALF) for improved
fiber/matrix interactions.
• This study focuses on assessing the mechanical strength of PALF/polypropylene
(PP) composites, analyzing the impact of fiber loading, and evaluating the effects
of alkali concentration on composite properties.

Comparison of mechanical properties.

45
PROJECT PLANNING
&
SCHEDULING
GANTT CHART
REPRESENTATION
46
 Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
‘23 ‘23 ‘23 ‘23 ‘23 ‘24 ‘24 ‘24
14/08/2023 10/09/2023
Selection of areas of study
14/08/2023 05/02/2023
Literature review
10/09/2023 12/11/2023
Identifying gaps in
literature
14/10/2023 14/11/2023
Problem definition
12/11/2023 05/12/2023
Finalizing objectives of
study
15/11/2023 14/12/2023
Methodology
16/11/2023 15/12/2023
Material and methods
01/12/2023 01/01/2024
Fabrication of sample
01/01/2024 15/01/2024
Specimen testing
10/01/2024 20/01/2024
Analysis of the results
15/01/2024 01/02/2024
Results and discussions
20/01/2024 20/02/2024
Conclusion & future
developments
02/02/2024 01/03/2023
Preparation of final
presentation
01/03/2024 25/03/2024
Project report preparation
47
 Resource/task identification and
allocation
• Selection of areas of study
• Literature review
• Identifying gaps in literature Team
• Problem definition
• Finalizing objectives of study
• Methodology
Vijay Sai, Shaan Hashim
• Materials & methods
• Fabrication of sample Sharan, Abhiram
• Specimen testing
• Analysis of the results
• Results and discussions
Team
• Conclusion and future developments
• Preparation of final presentation
• Project report preparation
48
METHODOLOGY
AND/ OR
FORMULATION
OF DESIGN
49
Materials
• Unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) as the matrix material.
• Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide (MEKP) as the hardener.
• Purchased from Majestic – Fiber Glass Raw Materials Suppliers, Mananchira,
Kozhikode, Kerala.
• Hair fibers collected from barbershops and salons at Thalassery, Kannur, Kerala.
Cleaning process for hair fibers used as reinforcements in composite materials:
• Sorting collected hair strands to remove foreign particles and damaged fibers.
• Washing the fibers with a mild detergent solution to eliminate dirt, oils, and
residues.
• Thorough rinsing to ensure the removal of any remaining cleaning agents.

50
• Optional use of a degreasing agent to remove natural oils, especially in human
hair.
• Application of conditioning treatments post-cleaning to restore natural oils or
enhance compatibility with the composite matrix.
• Rinsing again to remove excess conditioner.
• Air drying the cleaned and conditioned hair fibers in a controlled environment to
prevent recontamination.
• Final inspection to ensure the fibers are free from impurities before storage in a
clean, dry container.

51
Preparation of Composites
• Cutting and Mixing Process:
• Hair fibers are precisely cut to specific aspect ratios for uniformity.
• Cut fibers are meticulously mixed with a predetermined quantity of
Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) in a beaker.
• Ratio adjustment between hair fibers and UPR based on desired composite
properties.
• Addition of Hardener:
• Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide is used as a hardener to initiate the curing
process of the resin.
• Varying Hair Fiber Percentages:
• Systematic variation of hair fiber percentages (e.g., 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%
by weight).
• Corresponding adjustments in UPR quantity to maintain composite integrity.
52
• Mixing Process:
• Thorough stirring of the hair fiber and UPR mixture using a glass rod for even
dispersion.
• Fabrication Technique:
• Hand-lay-up technique employed for precise manual application of the
composite layers onto a mould.
• Pressing and Curing:
• Manual pressing of the composite inside a metal mold at the Manufacturing
Lab, College of Engineering Thalassery, Kannur, Kerala.
• Pressing aids in material compaction and removal of air bubbles.
• Placement in a fume hood at room temperature (30°C) for 24 hours initiates
the cross-linking process, resulting in solidification and formation of the
composite structure.

53
Mechanical Testing
• Testing Location and Equipment:
• Universal Testing Machine (UTM) at Material Testing Lab, NIT Tiruchirapalli,
Tamil Nadu used for measurements.
• Sample Conditioning:
• Samples are conditioned at 30°C and 50% relative humidity for 3 days before
mechanical testing.
• Tensile Testing Procedure:
• Initial clamp separation of the UTM set to 20 mm.
• Crosshead speed during tensile tests maintained at 10 mm/min.
• Flexural Testing Procedure:
• Bending strength (BS) and bending modulus (BM) tests conducted.
• Span distance set at 30 mm.
• Crosshead speed during flexural tests maintained at 10 mm/min.
54
• Consistent Testing Conditions:
• All samples experimented under identical conditions.
• Data Collection:
• Data documented based on the average of at least five values for each
parameter (TS, TM, EB, BS, BM).

55
Microstructural Analysis
• FTIR Analysis for Functional Groups:
• Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometer used to detect functional
groups in human fiber reinforced unsaturated polyester resin-based composites.
• Attenuated total reflectance (ATR) attached FTIR spectrometer machine utilized
for analysis.
• Conducted at Polymer Engineering Laboratory, PSG Institute of Technology and
Applied Research, Neelambur, Coimbatore.
• SEM Analysis for Surface Morphology:
• Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) employed to investigate the surface
morphology of the composites.
• Fractured surfaces from samples obtained after tensile tests chosen for SEM
examination.
• Analysis service provided by the Department of Metallurgical Engineering at
National Institute of Technology, Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
56
• Purpose of Microstructural Analysis:
• Understanding the bond between human hair fiber and the UPR matrix.
• FTIR analysis for checking chemical stability.
• SEM analysis for examining surface morphology and structure.

57
Thermo-gravimetric Analysis
• TGA Procedure Overview:
• Conducted at the Polymer Engineering Laboratory, PSG Institute of
Technology and Applied Research, Neelambur, Coimbatore.
• Involves comprehensive examination of thermal stability and decomposition
behavior of hair fiber reinforced composite materials.
• Methodical Approach:
• Precise preparation of composite samples tailored specifically for TGA
analysis.
• Samples analyzed using a TGA apparatus measuring weight alterations
concerning temperature or time.
• Controlled heating in an inert atmosphere (typically nitrogen) from ambient
temperature to elevated temperatures (up to 1000°C).
• Continuous monitoring of sample weight changes during controlled heating.
58
• Significance of TGA Analysis:
• Characterization of thermal properties providing insights into thermal
stability and behavior across varying temperatures.
• Guidance for refining manufacturing procedures and enhancing fabrication
processes based on thermal decomposition patterns observed.
• Optimization of composite production, leading to improved efficiency and
quality.
• Quality Assurance and Application Suitability:
• TGA data used for quality assurance in hair fiber reinforced composites.
• Assessment of material suitability for specific applications based on thermal
stability observations.
• Determines appropriateness and reliability for targeted applications, ensuring
higher quality and performance standards.

59
 CONCLUSION
• Exploration of Human Hair as Composite Reinforcement:
• Study aimed at assessing human hair as a potential reinforcement material in
composites.
• Comparison with traditional natural fibers to evaluate its viability as an alternative.
• Comprehensive Testing and Fabrication:
• Thorough testing conducted to analyze mechanical and thermal behavior of hair-
reinforced composites.
• Fabrication of composites involving meticulous preparation and evaluation.
• Potential for Sustainable Alternative:
• Results may present human hair as a sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to
synthetic reinforcements.
• Possibility of offering environmentally conscious solutions in composite material
production.

60
THANK YOU

61