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The hybridization of natural and synthetic fibers in composite materials has gained the attention in the research field due to environmental awareness. Therefore, this study focuses on the effects of fiber stacking configuration on the tensile and quasi‐static penetration of kenaf/glass hybrid fiber metal laminates (FMLs). Kenaf/glass reinforced polypropylene FMLs with two different hybrid stacking configurations were prepared using hot compression process. Non‐hybrid kenaf and glass fiber reinforced metal laminates were also prepared for comparison. The tensile test was conducted according to ASTM E8, while the quasi‐static penetration test was carried out in accordance with ASTM D 6264 using 12.7 and 20 mm hemispherical indenters. The fractured surface of FMLs due to tensile loading was examined using scanning electron microscope, while optical micrograph was used to investigate the failure mechanism of quasi‐statically penetrated laminates. From the results, FMLs with the glass plies at the outer layers of composite (H1) showed a positive hybrid effect as they displayed better tensile and penetration resistance, compared to the non‐hybrid kenaf and glass reinforced FMLs. Furthermore, it could be seen that the overall performance of FMLs decreased as the kenaf content in the laminates further increases for hybrid FML. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:568–577, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A challenge facing engineering with natural fibers is the high standard deviation of mechanical properties of natural fiber compared with synthetic fiber. Plants have a chemical and physical architecture reflective of their age. The region near the apex is more flexible than that near the base. In this paper we investigate the impact of increasing age of plant fiber on the corresponding composite. Bast fibers stems of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus, L.), a warm season tropical herbaceous annual plant extracted corresponding to different age, were dispersed into Poly- l-lactide (PLLA) matrix by melt blending followed by compression molding. The resulting bio-based hybrid composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transfer infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were conducted. DSC and XRD indicated that the kenaf was effective in promoting crystallization. TGA indicated that the thermal stability of composites is reduced compared with PLLA, but the older fiber sample based on 120-150 cm from the plant apex improved thermal stability compared with the rest. SEM and OM inferred good fiber dispersion while dynamic mechanical tests revealed increased modulus. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:915-924, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]