Lightweight materials and structures have attracted tremendous interests for their compelling advantages in a range of engineering problems that have placed heightened requirements in safety, environment, competitiveness and cost over recent years. As an effective approach, hybrid systems aim to take advantages and characteristics of different materials to maximize their functional roles in lightweight structures, thereby enhancing their respective material efficiency. This article provides a critical review on the advances in hybrid materials and structures for crashworthiness and energy absorption performance, in which fiber reinforced plastic (FRP), metals, cellular fillers and their hybrid configuration are discussed respectively. Attention is paid to the hybridization of different forms of FRP-FRP, FRP-metal, cellular filling materials with FRP structures, thereby demonstrating their constructive characteristics for different design goals. Crashworthiness and energy absorption performances of various hybridized materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP), aluminum/steel, metallic foams/honeycombs/lattices, are evaluated and compared in detail. After highlighting the knowledge gaps in existing literatures, this review provides an outlook on the possible future research. It is expected to gain new insights into the design of novel lightweight hybrid configurations for aerospace, automotive, nautical and railway applications. • Constituent materials and preparation technology of hybrid energy absorption structures. • Experimental characterization and modeling of hybrid energy absorption structures. • Failure mechanism and parameter analysis of hybrid energy absorption structures. • Current challenges and future developments of hybrid energy absorption structures. 

Lightweight hybrid materials and structures for energy absorption: A state-of-the-art review and outlook

–The sustainable utilisation of Kenaf fibres (KF) as environmentally friendly reinforcement in mortar, concrete and polymer composites promotes the concept of a circular economy and sustainable con...

Morphological, Microstructure, Tensile and Water-Sorption Characteristics of Surface Modified Kenaf Fibre for Sustainable Biocomposite Reinforcement

Natural fiber composites are hybridized nowadays to explore the synergetic effect of more fibers used in the properties of the composites. The natural fiber hybrid composite made with filler material has excellent wear resistance characteristics. This research work examined the mechanical properties, namely tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear strength, impact strengths, and hardness of the natural fiber reinforced hybrid composite that uses jute, snake grass, and kenaf fibers as reinforcement with various fiber volumes. Further, the wear behavior of the hybrid composites was enhanced by using Annona reticulata (custard apple) seed powder as a filler material. This study revealed that the sample has an equal proportion (12.5% of each) of snake grass and kenaf fiber (without filler) has excellent mechanical strengths. The wear behavior of the sample with 5 wt% filler shows a lower wear rate than other samples.

Experimental investigation on jute/snake grass/kenaf fiber reinforced novel hybrid composites with annona reticulata seed filler addition

Multi-response Optimization of the Chemical Treatment Process Parameters Influencing the Tensile, Flexural, Compression, and Shear Properties of the Injection Moulded Green Composites

ABSTRACT The present study deals with finding the optimum fiber content and effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical properties of the proposed Cocos-nucifera-reinforced polymer matrix composite. The present work is carried out in two different phases. First, the optimum fiber weight fractions for untreated Cocos nucifera composite are found out and later the effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical behavior of composite with optimum weight fraction of fibers selected in the first phase is determined. Proposed composites are mechanically characterized to determine the optimum fiber percentage to be used in composite and the effect of NaOH treatment on the mechanical properties of the composite with optimum fiber percentage is studied along with the determination of optimal NaOH concentration to be used. The results were analyzed by comparing the mechanical properties of the various composites and the effect of alkali treatment on the fibers of the composites was also studied. The obtained results showed that proposed composite with 40 wt% untreated fiber exhibits better mechanical properties compared to its counterparts and treating the fibers of the composite with 10% NaOH concentration further enhances the mechanical properties of the composite. The proposed composite can be a potential candidate for automobile interior application.

Influence of Alkali Treatment on Mechanical Properties of Short Cocos nucifera Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Based Sustainable Green Composite

An experimental investigation was conducted to identify the optimum fiber content and the effect of fiber alkaline treatment on kenaf fiber reinforced epoxy composites and reported in this article....

Mechanical Characteristics Study of Chemically Modified Kenaf Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

In industrial machine, there is often more than one entry point that might be used during the operation and maintenance functions. Typically, the lockout/tag-out procedures prior to entering the machine have been done using series-connected conventional load-break disconnect switches. Unfortunately, the required verification is problematic for applications requiring only one disconnect switch and is almost impossible when more than one disconnects switch is applied. Industrial equipment design must include safe methods to allow access for either maintenance or operational intervention. Although the overall safety elements of the industrial equipment design efforts are predominately a part of the mechanical machine’s design, often, the motive forces that must be considered are directly or indirectly associated with the control of electrical energy. Considerations in selecting safe methods for intervention are those associated with ease of use (human factors) and those associated with equipment reliability. This Project new multiple entry point method is proposed industrial machines for Industrial Electrical Safety System.

Sathish Kumar R

Papers

Mechanical Characteristics Study of Chemically Modified Kenaf Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Electrical Safety Related Isolation on Industrial Machines with Multiple Entry Points