LAYERED HYBRIDISATION OF FLAX AND GLASS FIBRE COMPOSITES FOR AUTOMOTIVE INTERIOR APPLICATIONS

Textile Engineering

The growing demand for lightweight, sustainable, and high-performance materials in the automotive industry has accelerated the development of hybrid natural fibre composites. In this study, a layered hybridization approach using flax and glass fibres reinforced with epoxy resin is proposed for automotive interior applications. Two laminate configurations are designed and compared: a glass skin laminate (G–F–G–F–F–G) and a graded functionally graded material (FGM) laminate (G–F–G–G–F–G). A total of eighteen specimens is planned, with nine specimens fabricated for each configuration using compression moulding as the consolidation technique. The influence of processing pressure and fibre orientation angles (0°, 45°, and 90°) on the mechanical and thermomechanical behaviour of the composites will be investigated. Mechanical testing including tensile, flexural, and impact tests will be carried out to evaluate strength, stiffness, and toughness. Microscopy analysis will be used to examine fibre distribution, interfacial bonding, and possible defects such as voids and delamination. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) will be performed to assess the thermal stability and dynamic mechanical performance of the laminates under conditions relevant to automotive interiors.

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