Experimental investigation of the impact behavior of glass/epoxy composite materials with the natural fiber layer

Owing to their specific advantages like thermal insulation, being lightweight and strong, laminated composites were designed by using natural fiber (female or male palm fiber) between two layers of glass stitched [0 degrees/90 degrees] to improve the impact properties of glass/epoxy composite. Natural fiber is cheap and plentiful in Iraq. The composite material was manufactured by vacuum assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM) at 80 degrees C for a duration of 8 h. The low velocity impact response of laminated composite was investigated experimentally. Impact tests were conducted on the composite specimens by Ceast Fractovis Plus impact test machine with constant mass of 5.03 kg at room temperature for the impact energies of 20 J, 30 J and 40 J. After impact tests, maximum contact forces versus impact energy, contact force versus deflection and absorbed energy-impact energy curves are drawn. The obtained results showed that the addition of palm fibers to glass/epoxy composite materials made significant contributions in absorbing energy and delaying the damage mode