Basalt Fiber, Palm Fiber, and Seashell Powder Reinforced Hybrid Epoxy Composites: A Mechanical Characterization

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Special Issue 02 | Page : 1565 1575
By

Pavan Kumar Rejeti,

Turali Narayana,

Raghuveer Dontikurti,

Pilla Devi Prasad,

Laxmanaraju Salavaravu,

Talabaktula S. Viswanadham,

A. Rajesh Kannan,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  5. Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sri Sivani College of Engineering, Chilakapalem, Andhra Pradesh, India
  6. Assistant Professor, Department of Mathematics, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  7. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, BK21 FOUR ERICA-ACE Center, Hanyang University, Seoul, South Korea

Abstract

This study investigates epoxy-based composites reinforced with basalt fiber, palm fiber, and seashell powder fabricated via hand lay-up. Mechanical characterization included tensile, flexural, hardness, and impact testing, supported by ANOVA and TOPSIS analyses. The Basalt-Epoxy composite has the highest mechanical strength among the systems under investigation, with a tensile strength of 275 N/mm² and a yield stress of around 215 N/mm². Compared to Palm-Epoxy composite, which has the lowest mechanical properties—roughly 135 N/mm² for tensile strength and 95 N/mm² for yield strength—this maximum tensile strength makes the composite the best load-bearing composite, indicating its restricted application as a reinforcement. Due to the filler’s dispersion in the matrix, the hybrid composites containing 10 g of seashell powder filler demonstrated improved ductility (~10% elongation) and moderate tensile strength (~165 N/mm²), guaranteeing enhanced energy absorption and crack-arresting properties. The Basalt + Palm + Epoxy combination had the highest hardness value of 46.5 HB, while the Palm-epoxy system had the lowest hardness value of 31.5 HB. Flexural test results show that Basalt-Epoxy composites exhibit greater stiffness and reduced deformation during bending, with a maximum flexural strength of around 1850 N/mm². Although seashell-based reinforcement systems have a lower flexural strength, they have a superior deformation capacity up to a displacement of around 3.0 mm, indicating more flexibility. The tradeoffs between toughness and stiffness were highlighted by impact testing, which showed that the highest energy absorbed by Basalt-Epoxy and Basalt + Palm + Epoxy composites was around 9.5 J, whereas seashell-based designs absorbed about 7.5 J. On the other hand, according to ANOVA findings, the effects of reinforcement type and percentage on all mechanical responses were significant at p > 0.05. Basalt-Epoxy was ranked as the best arrangement, followed by Basalt + Palm + Epoxy, according to the TOPSIS analysis, which also supported the experimental data. For such lightweight applications in structural and automotive parts that require both mechanical strength and eco-efficiency, it is clear that basalt fiber-based and hybrid composites offer an outstanding balance between strength, toughness, and environmental sustainability.

Keywords: Hybrid natural fiber composites, basalt fiber reinforcement, mechanical properties, TOPSIS optimization, sustainable materials

[This article belongs to Special Issue under section in Journal of Polymer & Composites (jopc)]

How to cite this article: Pavan Kumar Rejeti, Turali Narayana, Raghuveer Dontikurti, Pilla Devi Prasad, Laxmanaraju Salavaravu, Talabaktula S. Viswanadham, A. Rajesh Kannan. Basalt Fiber, Palm Fiber, and Seashell Powder Reinforced Hybrid Epoxy Composites: A Mechanical Characterization. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):1565-1575.
How to cite this URL: Pavan Kumar Rejeti, Turali Narayana, Raghuveer Dontikurti, Pilla Devi Prasad, Laxmanaraju Salavaravu, Talabaktula S. Viswanadham, A. Rajesh Kannan. Basalt Fiber, Palm Fiber, and Seashell Powder Reinforced Hybrid Epoxy Composites: A Mechanical Characterization. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):1565-1575. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=239964

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Special Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Special Issue 02
Received 11/11/2025
Accepted 25/11/2025
Published 13/04/2026
Publication Time 153 Days

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