Durability of bamboo-glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix hybrid composites

The resistance of bamboo fiber reinforced polypropylene composite (BFRP) and bamboo-glass fiber reinforced polypropylene hybrid composite (BGRP) to hygrothermal aging and their fatigue behavior under cyclic tensile load were studied. Injection molded samples were exposed in water at 25 °C for up to 6 months and at 75 °C for up to 3 months. Tensile strength and elastic modulus of BFRP and BGRP samples have shown moderate reduction after aging at 25°C after 6 months, however, they were reduced considerably after aging at 75°C for 3 months. Moisture absorption and tensile strength degradation are suppressed by using maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) as a coupling agent in both types of composite systems. BFRP and BGRP samples were also loaded cyclically at maximum cyclic load of 35, 50, 65, and 80% of their ultimate tensile stress. Results suggest that BGRP has better fatigue resistance than BFRP at all load levels tested.