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Composites that were made stronger with jute fiber and glass fiber were used to test the performance of filament wound abaca fiber composites. Tensile, bending, and dynamic mechanical analyses were used to figure out the mechanical properties of the composites. Fiber composites and glass-fiber composites were found to have higher density and mechanical properties than abaca fiber-based composites. This is because resin did not get into the cell cavity of the fiber's inner tissue structure. The abaca fiber composites that worked the worst were those in which the fibers were pulled out while the fibers on the surface were torn. The fiber-reinforced epoxy circumferential composite interface junction in the twisting abaca fiber circumferential composite was found to be more flexible and have a higher glass transition temperature than any of the other composites (6000 MPa). We found that twisting abaca fiber-naval ordnance laboratory and twisting abaca fiber-prepared circumferential composite had the lowest frequency dependence and performance variability. To improve composite properties, both the outside and inside structures of twisting abaca fiber need to be fixed. There is also a rise in fiber-to-resin contact and a rise in fiber surface area. The diameter of the fibers also gets smaller. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐performance fibers such as carbon, aramid, and glass fiber generally have excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical resistance and they have potential applications in oil and gas exploitation where high‐temperature and high‐pressure (HTHP) H2S/CO2 corrosive environments usually exist. To investigate the corrosion behavior of these fibers under such environments, two corrosion environments (HTHP water, HTHP H2S/CO2) were simulated in a high‐temperature high‐pressure reactor. Scanning electron microscope, X‐ray diffraction, density measurements, and single fiber tensile test were performed to study the surface morphology, crystal structure, and mechanical properties before and after corrosion. After exposure to the second corrosion environment, the carbon aramid fibers had no obvious mass loss and tensile strength retention of 70.28% and 49.66%, respectively. The surface of the aramid fiber and carbon fibers was significantly damaged which led to an increase in surface defects and a decrease in crystallinity. The glass fiber had clear weight loss due to a large number of defects being formed in the structure and the retention of tensile fracture strength was 48.18%. Corrosion under HTHP H2S/CO2 conditions caused more serious damage to the high‐performance fiber structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Advanced Engineering Science / Gongcheng Kexue Yu Jishu is the property of Advanced Engineering Science Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The structure and mechanical properties of an injection-moulded short glass fibre (GF)-reinforced polymer composite were analysed through simulation methods. Fibre orientation, which evolves during the production of a thick-walled automotive part, was determined with an injection moulding simulation. Next, using the material model for the injected product, the force that resulted from the given deformation was determined with finite element software. To validate the simulation results, the examined products were manufactured with 30% reinforced GF, and then measurements were carried out. The validation of the fibre orientation tensor was achieved with optical microscope images, while the validation of the finite element, which analysed the flexural tests, was carried out through a comparison of flexural rigidity. The aim of the project was to verify the reliability of multi-stage finite element software. According to the results, in the case of a thick-walled GF-reinforced product, it was demonstrated that the integration of a different finite element software could be used reliably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an investigation of weight fraction (wt%) and fiber feedstock length (FFSL) effects on the bearing strength (BS) of bolted joints in glass-fiber-reinforced (GFR) polypropylene (PP) composites manufactured by an injection molding technique. The investigation was made for holes produced either by molding or machining. For machined holes, the effect of drilling parameters (feed and speed) on BS was discussed. It is observed that BS decreased as FFSL increased. BS of both molded-in and drilled specimens was enhanced by increasing wt% of glass fiber. While slightly better BS was observed for molded-in specimens than drilled ones for all specimens. The drilling conditions' effect on BS was found to be insignificant for drilled holes in long fibers reinforced PP, where the most significant factor was wt%. However, for short fibers reinforced PP, the spindle speed was the most significant factor followed by feed, while wt% has the lowest effect. Failure morphology mode for specimens indicates that for molded-in specimens, neat PP specimens failed under pure bearing mode while GFR/PP specimens failed under the mixed-mode failure (bearing and net tension). For machined specimens, all specimens failed under mixed-mode failure except for the highest wt% specimens which failed under net tension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced thermoset composites are commonly used in structural applications throughout the energy, aerospace, automotive, and marine industries. The differing fiber types can be combined into a hybrid composite with the intent to efficiently utilize the beneficial properties of each type of reinforcement. The fiber fraction of each individual fiber type influences the mechanical properties of the overall composite. Measurement of the fiber fraction of each individual fiber type allows understanding and prediction of the mechanical properties as well as a method of quality control in manufacturing. A combination of a carbonization in nitrogen method for the measurement of fiber content in carbon fiber reinforced composites and an oxidation method to measure the glass fiber content are used for the first time. It has been demonstrated that the approach is effective at measuring the carbon fiber and glass fiber contents in hybrid glass and carbon fiber thermoset composites in both epoxy and vinyl ester resin systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presented article concentrates on the influence of various concrete additives in the form of fibers on the mechanical parameters of concrete so as to obtain the effect of gradual changes in these parameters, which is very important in the transition zone of the railway track. Steel, polymer and glass fibers, as well as concrete without additives, were accepted for the study. The effect of additives on the consistency of the mixture, compressive strength, frost resistance and elastic modulus was studied. The research concerned concrete samples and models of elements of the ballastless railway surface, i.e., track slab and concrete block supports. The track slab model was made of concrete without additives, while the models of supports were made both without and with additives. The studies were carried out in laboratory conditions. As a result, the tested concrete samples with various additives were ranked so that they could be used as a material for elements of the railway surface in the transition zones of engineering facilities on railway roads, which is important from the point of view of reducing the threshold effect occurring in these zones. Detailed laboratory tests were presented, the results of these studies were discussed, and final conclusions were drawn regarding the technology of materials and the methodology of constructing the transition zones of the railway surface in order to avoid or at least reduce the threshold effect existing in such zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings and other infrastructure should be designed to withstand impact loads in terrorist attacks or industrial catastrophes. Fibrous concrete is utilized in a variety of ways in the construction of structures to resist impact loads. Preplaced aggregate fibrous concrete (PAFC) has a different production method than traditional fibrous concrete. Although PAFC offers several benefits over standard fibers in the construction of protective structures, there are relatively few investigations on the behavior of PAFC when exposed to impact loads. This research investigated the impact response of PFAC with the combined action of steel fibers and glass fiber mesh (GFM). Twenty-two mixtures were prepared and divided into two groups in which there were fibrous and non-fibrous specimens. The specimens from the first group comprised various diameters (ratio of reinforcement surface to total sample surface) of GFM and were provided in two and four layers. The second group of specimens is the same as the first group, including a 3% dosage of steel fibers. All specimens were subjected to a drop-weight impact test and the key parameters examined were cracking and failure impact energies, ductility index and failure pattern. The results indicated that the incorporation of GFM increased the impact performance and impact ductility, where the retained impact energies and the ductility index increased by increasing the ratio of reinforcement surface (diameter) of GFM and its number of layers. However, the positive influence of SF in enhancing the impact performance was way higher than that of GFM. The use of 3% hooked-end SF improved the failure impact energy by more than 3000%, while the maximum improvement gained by using four layers of 150 mm diameter (full reinforcement surface) GFM was approximately 400%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, reinforcement of fiber is necessary for concrete to enhance its quality with mechanical characteristics. The main objective of this work is to determine the mechanical properties of bamboo and glass fiber reinforced concrete. In concrete, E‐glass and bamboo fibers are mixed with three different proportions such as 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25. Cubical‐, beam‐, and cylindrical‐shaped concrete structures are developed for mechanical testing. After the curing period, the cubical structures are utilized for compressive strength testing, the cylindrical specimen for split tensile testing, and the beam‐shaped specimen for flexural strength testing. From the outcomes, 1% fiber substance (glass and bamboo fiber proportions of 75:25) provides better split tensile strength 4.13 N/mm2, compressive strength 42.08 N/mm2, and flexural strength 7.7 N/mm2. The comparative analysis of the proposed concrete composition with the conventional concrete mixture is also carried out. The experimental results are validated using support vector regression, and such predicted outcomes are closer to the experimented values. Furthermore, the ETABS platform is utilized for validating the proposed hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (HFRC) with single reinforcement‐like glass particles. In which, the testing properties like bending moment, shear force, and axial force are favorable for the HFRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concrete is the most widely used and most affordable construction material. The structural damage that concrete cracks and fractures may cause can be severe. These concerns have lately been alleviated by new developments in fibre concretes. Recent advancements in fibrous concrete and its evolution have been rapidly drawing researchers' attentions worldwide, which motivates the development of a new type of composite with superior impact resistance. Preplaced aggregate fibrous concrete (PAFC) is a revolutionary composite comprising a higher dosage of fibres. It has outstanding impact resistance that surpasses those of traditional fibrous concrete. The impact behaviour of PAFC in addition to glass fibre mesh (GFM) has not been investigated thoroughly. To fill this research gap, this study investigates the impact performance of three-layered PAFC comprising steel fibres and GFM insertion. Eight different mixtures were prepared and can be divided into two groups. In the first group, specimens were made with 4% fibres and two single, double and triple layers of GFM insertion between the three-layered concrete. The second group of specimens was reinforced with 5, 2 and 5% steel fibres at the top, middle and bottom layers, respectively. However, the GFM insertion scheme for the second group was the same as the first. Rectangular specimens of size 500 × 100 × 100 mm were cast and tested against drop weight impact. The parameters studied were cracking impact numbers, failure impact number, ductility index and failure patterns. In addition, an analytical model was used to evaluate the impact failure energies. Results indicate that the combined action of steel fibre and GFM exhibited an excellent impact resistance. Increasing the number of GFM insertions between the specimen layer led to increased impact strength. The dose of the fibres utilized in the outer layer of the PAFC was increased, resulting in the material having a higher impact resistance. The cracking impact numbers improved from 28 to 40%, and failure impact numbers ranged from 58.8 to 92.2% when the GFM insertion numbers increased from one to three. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their valuable properties (low weight, and good thermal and mechanical properties), glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics are becoming increasingly important. Fiber-reinforced thermoplastics are mainly manufactured by injection molding and extrusion, whereby the extrusion compounding process is primarily used to produce fiber-filled granulates. Reproducible production of high-quality components requires a granulate in which the fiber length is even and high. However, the extrusion process leads to the fact that fiber breakages can occur during processing. To enable a significant quality enhancement, experimentally validated modeling is required. In this study, short glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics (polypropylene) were produced on two different twin-screw extruders. Therefore, the machine-specific process behavior is of major interest regarding its influence. First, the fiber length change after processing was determined by experimental investigations and then simulated with the SIGMA simulation software. By comparing the simulation and experimental tests, important insights could be gained and the effects on fiber lengths could be determined in advance. The resulting fiber lengths and distributions were different, not only for different screw configurations (SC), but also for the same screw configurations on different twin-screw extruders. This may have been due to manufacturer-specific tolerances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites of polyurea (PU) reinforced with milled glass fiber (MGf) were fabricated. The volume fraction and length of the milled glass fiber were varied to study their effects on the morphological and mechanical properties of the MGf/PU composites. The morphological attributes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The SEM investigations revealed a uniform distribution and arbitrary orientation of milled glass fiber in the polyurea matrix. Moreover, it seems that the composites with longer fiber exhibit better interfacial bonding. It was found from the FTIR studies that the incorporation of milled glass fiber into polyurea leads to more phase mixing and decreases the hydrogen bonding of the polyurea matrix, while having a negligible effect on the H-bond strength. The compression tests at different strain rates (0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 2000 and 3000 s−1) and dynamic mechanical properties over the temperature range from −30 to 100 °C at 1 Hz were performed. Experimental results show that the compressive behavior of MGf/PU composites is nonlinear and strain-rate-dependent. Both elastic modulus and flow stress at any given strain increased with strain rate. The composites with higher fiber volume fraction and longer fiber length are more sensitive to strain rate. Furthermore, the elastic modulus, stress at 65% strain and energy absorption capability were studied, taking into account both the effect of fiber volume fraction and mean fiber length. It is noted that an increase in fiber volume fraction and fiber length leads to an increase in elastic modulus, stress at 65% strain and absorbed energy up to ~103%, 83.0% and 137.5%, respectively. The storage and loss moduli of the composites also increase with fiber volume fraction and fiber length. It can be concluded that the addition of milled glass fiber into polyurea not only improves the stiffness of the composites but also increases their energy dissipative capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to fabricate a polyacrylonitrile (PAN)/bio-based polyurethane (bio-based PU) separator for a Zn-ion battery. PAN/bio-based PU electrospun fiber mats at 75/25 were prepared via electrospinning technique using Taguchi experimental design with three parameters and four levels. It was found that all fiber mats illustrated smooth and continuous fiber. The properties of the electrospun fiber mats were optimized in accordance with the grey relational method. Furthermore, the fiber mats prepared from 14 wt% polymer concentration, 25 kV of applied voltage, and 16 cm of distance from tip to collector were determined to be the most suitable fabrication condition exhibiting an ionic conductivity of 3.11 mS/cm, the tensile strength of 44.16 MPa, and electrolyte uptake of 1,971%. Moreover, the fiber mats showed no dimensional change at a temperature of 150°C because of the incorporation of bio-based PU in the polymer network. The electrochemical stability of the Zn-ion battery with the developed separator was greater than that of the commercial glass fiber separator. Thus, the PAN/bio-based PU electrospun fiber can be considered a promising candidate as a separator for Zn-ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper, brake friction material samples with six different contents were produced using three different fiber types consisting of variable proportions of huntite mineral and basalt, glass and steel fibers. The friction properties and formation of the transfer film in these friction materials were investigated. Design/methodology/approach: Friction materials were produced using a hot molding method from materials containing 10%–15% huntite in varying proportions, consisting of basalt, glass and steel fibers. The densities and hardness values of the samples were measured. Friction tests were performed using a brake pad friction material tester to determine tribological properties. After the friction tests, microscopic examination of the sample surfaces was performed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and three-dimensional (3D) surface profilometer devices. Findings: Huntite mineral content and fiber type affected the friction coefficient. With an increase in the amount of huntite, the friction coefficient increased in the friction material samples formed with glass and steel fibers. The fiber type and amount of huntite also affected the transfer film formation. The surface roughness values of all the friction materials decreased with an increase in the amount of huntite. The surface roughness values of the samples with glass fibers were higher than those of other samples. Originality/value: The importance of using huntite minerals and different fiber types in automotive brake friction materials is emphasized. This will help industrial companies and academics study the tribological properties of friction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The versatility of graphene oxide (GO) as coating materials on the glass surface is a new revolution in the advanced glass era. In this work, GO liquid solution was prepared by using electrochemical exfoliation in an electrolyte solution assisted by different surfactants. Meanwhile, a glass series was prepared by using the conventional meltquenched technique. A low-cost and simple spray deposition technique was used to deposit the GO on the glass sample. The obtained glass series was denoted as GO coated TNd (NPs), meanwhile, the uncoated glass was labelled as uncoated TNd (NPs). The linear optical properties of GO coated TNd (NPs) glass series was determined using UVVis spectrophotometer and utilizing the Lorentz-Lorentz equation to determine the value of polarizability. X-ray diffraction spectra revealed the amorphous structural characteristics of the glass series. The SEM morphological image revealed the variation of GO distribution on the glass surface due to the agglomeration and inhomogeneity of GO distribution on the glass surface. The homogeneity of GO distribution on the glass surface is negligible in this work as we focus solely on the effect of GO on glass properties. According to the observations, the value of GO-coated TNd (NPs) is in the range 3.4531-3.8549 Å and uncoated TNd (NPs) is in the range 2.709-2.774 Å. Meanwhile, the optical basicity value ranges from 1.220 to 1.262. These results demonstrate that the polarizability of oxide ions and optical basicity values of the GO coated TNd (NPs) glass series was higher than the uncoated TNd (NPs) glass. The metallization criterion for the GO-coated TNd (NPs) glass system is in the range of 0.3 < M < 0.4. Based on these results, the obtained glasses are promising in linear optical glass fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Minerals & Processing / Huagong Kuangwu yu Jiagong is the property of Industrial Minerals & Processing Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The research shows the comparison between two types of polyamide-based (PA) composites and pure, base material. The conducted analysis describes how the additions of carbon fibers and glass microbeads affect the material's properties and its behavior during the bending tests. All samples have been tested in the three main directions available during the FFF process. To extend the scope of the research, additional digital-image-correlation tests and fracture analyses were made. The obtained results indicated a positive influence of the addition of carbon fibers into the material's volume (from 81.39 MPa in the case of pure PA to 243.62 MPa in the case of the PA reinforced by carbon fibers). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glass fiber-reinforced phenolic resins are well suited to substitute aluminum die-cast materials. They meet the high thermomechanical and chemical demands that are typically found in combustion engine and electric drive train applications. An injection molding process development for further improving their mechanical properties by increasing the glass fiber length in the molded part was conducted. A novel screw mixing element was developed to improve the homogenization of the long fibers in the phenolic resin. The process operation with the mixing element is a balance between the desired mixing action, an undesired preliminary curing of the phenolic resin, and the reduction of the fiber length. The highest mixing energy input leads to a reduction of the initial fiber length L0 = 5000 μm to a weighted average fiber length of Lp = 571 μm in the molded part. This is an improvement over Lp = 285 μm for a short fiber-reinforced resin under comparable processing conditions. The mechanical characterization shows that for the long fiber-reinforced materials, the benefit of the increased homogeneity outweighs the disadvantages of the reduced fiber length. This is evident from the increase in tensile strength from σm = 21 MPa to σm = 57 MPa between the lowest and the highest mixing energy input parameter settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fire performance of fibre-reinforced polypropylene (PP) was investigated with respect to fibre length and modification of the matrix. Fibre lengths of 3 mm, 12 mm, and continuous fibres were used as reinforcements. E-glass continuous fabrics were melt impregnated with PP and consolidated via compression moulding. E-glass fibre-reinforced PP pellets of 3 and 12 mm were compression moulded. Cone calorimetry tests with incident radiant fluxes of 20, 30 and 35 kW m−2 were used to investigate the fire properties of PP glass fibre composites. Results showed that continuous glass fibre reinforced PP exhibits the best fire performance at 20 kW m−2, while 3-mm fibre has the best performance at 35 kW m−2; 12-mm fibre-reinforced PP exhibitedthe lowest performance in comparison with 3-mm and continuous glass fibre reinforcement. Melic-anhydride (MA)-modified PP was found to increase the heat release rate (HRR) by up to 44% and time to ignition by up to 10% depending on the heat flux applied in comparison with unmodified PP. The glass fibre-reinforced composite made with MA-modified PP has 5–12% lower mean HRR and similar time to ignition in comparison with glass fibre composite made by unmodified PP. This suggests improved fibre adhesion plays a role of the fire performance of glass fibre-reinforced PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local fiber alignment in fiber-reinforced thermoplastics is governed by complex flows during the molding process. As fiber-induced material anisotropy leads to non-homogeneous effective mechanical properties, accurate prediction of the final orientation state is critical for integrated structural simulations of these composites. In this work, a data-driven inverse modeling approach is proposed to improve the physics-based structural simulation of short glass fiber reinforced thermoplastics. The approach is divided into two steps: (1) optimization of the fiber orientation distribution (FOD) predicted by the Reduce Strain Closure (RSC) model, and (2) identification of the composite's mechanical properties used in the Ramberg–Osgood (RO) multiscale structural model. In both steps, the identification of the model's parameters was carried out using a Genetic Algorithm. Artificial Neural Networks were used as a machine learning-based surrogate model to approximate the simulation results locally and reduce the computational time. X-ray micro-computed tomography and tensile tests were used to acquire the FOD and mechanical data, respectively. The optimized parameters were then used to simulate a tensile test for a specimen injection molded in a dumbbell-shaped cavity selected as a case study for validation. The FOD prediction error was reduced by 51% using the RSC optimized coefficients if compared with the default coefficients of the RSC model. The proposed data-driven approach, which calculates both the RSC coefficients and the RO parameters by inverse modeling from experimental data, allowed improvement in the prediction accuracy by 43% for the elastic modulus and 59% for the tensile strength, compared with the non-optimized analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibacterial filtration materials have been used effectively to control biological pollutants and purify indoor air. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial capability of three fiber filter materials treated with triclosan: glass fiber (GF), non-woven fabric (NF) and chemical fiber (CF). Triclosan was loaded onto the filtration materials by the impregnation method. The triclosan-treated filter materials exhibited antibacterial zones obviously: the average antibacterial bands against E. coli were 11.8 mm (GF), 13.3 mm (NF) and 10.5 mm (CF); against S. albus, they were 25.5 mm (GF), 21.0 mm (NF) and 23.5 mm (CF). The percent reductions of bacteria for the antibacterial air fiber materials treated with triclosan against E. coli were 71.4% (CF) and 62.6% (GF), while the percent reductions against S. albus were 61.3% (NF) and 84.6% (CF). These findings could help to reduce the transmission and threat of epidemic and purify the environment through the use of environmentally friendly antibacterial filter fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current studies aim to measure the mechanical strength based on age, harvesting season and bamboo species in Ethiopia. The bamboo fibres are extracted using a roll milling machine, which was developed by the author. The age groups (1, 2 and 3 years), harvesting months (February and November), and bamboo species (Yushania alpina and Bambusa oldhamii) are the parameters of the current research studies. Prepregs and composites were produced from bamboo fibres and polypropylene. The mechanical properties of bamboo fibres and their composites in Ethiopia have not been investigated by researchers for the composite application so far. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, and impact strength of injibara (Y. alpina) bamboo fibres reinforced PP composites from the ages of 1– 3 years old in November is 111 ± 9–125 ± 8 MPa, 15 ± 0.9–25 ± 0.72 GPa, and 47 ± 5 KJ/m2–57 ± 6 KJ/m2, whereas, in February, it is 86 ± 3.86–116 ± 10 MPa, 11 ± 0.71–23 ± 1.5 GPa, and 34 ± 4–52 ± 6 KJ/m2, respectively. Moreover, Kombolcha (B. oldhamii), bamboo fibres reinforced PP composites in November are 93 ± 7–111 ± 8 MPa, 7 ± 0.51–17 ± 2.56 GPa, and 39 ± 4–44 ± 5 KJ/m2, whereas, in February, it is 60 ± 5–104 ± 10 MPa, 12 ± 0.95–14 ± 0.92 GPa, and 26 ± 3 KJ/m2–38 ± 4 KJ/m2, respectively. Furthermore, Mekaneselam (Y. alpina) bamboo fibres reinforced PP composites in November are 99 ± 8–120 ± 11 MPa, 9 ± 0.82–16 ± 1.85 GPa, and 37 ± 4 KJ/m2–46 ± 5 KJ/m2, whereas, in February, it is 91 ± 8–110 ± 9 MPa, 8 ± 0.75–14 ± 1.86 GPa, and 34 ± 3 KJ/m2–40 ± 4 KJ/m2, respectively. At two years, November and Injibara bamboo have recorded the highest mechanical properties in the current research studies. Bamboo fiber strength in Ethiopia is comparable to the previous study of bamboo fibres and glass fibres used for composite materials in the automotive industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Sciencepaper is the property of China Sciencepaper and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Resin/fiber composites were prepared by the FDM printing technology. The effects of arrangements, types (carbon, glass, and Kevlar), and volume fraction of fibers on the shear and tensile properties of resin 3D-printed composites are investigated in this paper. The experimental results show that the addition of continuous fibers increases the shear strength and tensile strength of FDM-3D-printed composites, but the strength will not keep increasing with an increase in the fiber content. As the fiber content increases, the print quality decreases, and the porosity between the fibers increases. The enhancement degree of the shear stress of specimens by different fiber types can be classified as follows: glass fiber > carbon fiber > Kevlar fiber. Notch sensitivity is reduced when the 90° arrangement of fibers is added, while the addition of 0° arranged fibers will improve the notch sensitivity of the sample. The research results of this paper have an important guiding significance for selecting fiber types and arrangement mode of notched components in engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates and presents the upshots observed in the brook of hybrid composites especially, the current investigation focuses on the impact of fiber composition, sequence, and stacking pattern on composite mechanical Features. Five varied stacking sequences of hybrid composites encompassing laminates are used to create four classes of fiber with jute/bamboo/glass by utilizing a conscientious hand lay-up process with glass fiber-laced mats as their peripheral layer. For examination, fiber sequences are arranged in the combination of GJBJG, GBJBG, GJGJG, and GBGBG, where G, J, and B refer to glass fiber, jute fiber, and bamboo fiber, respectively. The position of fiber in the core layer is kept in a perpendicular direction with respect to adjacent piles which might be jute or bamboo fiber and the best position of fiber is considered due to the stacking order. Stress and strain were linear in the load versus deflection curves, and all of the samples failed quickly, it is observed that the sample containing a higher or considerable number of bamboo fiber layers exhibited increased strain and toughness. In comparison to other samples, embolism of glass fiber as the main and covering layer expressed a higher impact on the mechanical properties of the composites is observed in this investigation. The shattered sample morphology demonstrated that the matrix and reinforcements were compatible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is focused on investigating the mechanical properties of hybrid polymer composites. The reinforcement materials are animal bone (ox) particulate and E-glass fiber. The matrix material is epoxy resin. The following combinations are considered for investigation: (a) bone particulate weight percent (20%, 30%, and 40%), (b) E-glass fiber weight percent (20%, 30%, and 40%), and (c) bone particulate (10%, 20%, and 30%) and E-glass fiber (30%, 20%, and 10%) with epoxy resin 60% by weight percent. The test specimens are prepared as per the required ASTM standard for tensile, compressive, and flexural tests. The test results show that maximum tensile and compressive strength observed in 40% of E-glass fiber with 60% of epoxy matrix, correspondingly, is 254.964 MPa and 37.52 MPa. The maximum flexural strength observed in E-glass fiber reinforced composites is 250.43 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As basalt fiber has better mechanical properties and stability than glass fiber, cross arms made of continuous basalt-fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composites are capable of meeting the mechanical requirements in the event of typhoons and broken lines in coastal areas, mountainous areas and other special areas. In this paper, continuous basalt-fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composites were used to fabricate the core rods and composite cross arms. The results verified that basalt fiber composite cross arms can meet the strict requirements of transmission lines in terms of quality and reliability. In addition to high electrical insulation performance, the flexural modulus and the flexural strength of basalt fiber core rods are 1.8 and 1.06 times those of glass fiber core rods, respectively. Basalt fiber core rods were found to be much better load-bearing components compared to glass fiber core rods. However, the leakage current and the result of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis reveal that the interface bonding strength between basalt fibers and the matrix resin is weak. A 3D reconstruction of micro-CT indicates that the volume of pores inside basalt fiber core rods accounts for 0.0048% of the total volume, which is greater than the 0.0042% of glass fiber rods. Therefore, improving the interface bond between basalt fibers and the resin can further improve the properties of basalt fiber core rods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibers are applied in construction work to improve the strength and avoid brittle failure of soil. In this paper, we analyze the impact mechanism of fiber type and length on the immobilization of microorganisms from macroscopic and microscopic perspectives with fibers of 0.2% volume fraction added to microbial-induced calcite precipitation (MICP)-treated sand. Results show the following: (1) The unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of MICP-treated sand first increases and then decreases with increasing fiber length because short fiber reinforcement can promote the precipitation of calcium carbonate, and the network formed between the fibers limits the movement of sand particles and enhances the strength of the microbial solidified sand. However, the agglomeration caused by overlong fibers leads to uneven distribution of calcium carbonate and a reduction in strength. The optimal fiber length of polypropylene, glass, and polyvinyl alcohol fiber is 9 mm, and that of basalt fiber is 12 mm. (2) The UCS of the different fiber types, from small to large, is basalt fiber < polypropylene fiber < glass fiber < polyvinyl alcohol fiber because the quality of the fiber monofilament differs. More fibers result in more a evident effect of interlacing and bending on sand and higher strength in consolidated sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to better understand the performance changes of naturally aged glass fiber-reinforced concrete (GFRC) and polypropylene fiber-reinforced concrete (PPFRC), especially the degradation of fibers, which is of great significance for evaluating the durability of structures using these two types of composite materials. The mechanical properties, water absorption, and microstructures of GFRC and PPFRC at a curing age of three years, including their compressive strength, full curves of water absorption, fiber-matrix interaction, and fiber degradation, were systematically studied, and the related properties were compared with those at the curing age of 28 days. The degradation of fibers after freeze-thaw cycles was also studied. The results revealed the following. The water/binder ratio (w/b) affects the rate of increase of the long-term compressive strength of naturally aged concrete. In general, the water absorption of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) at the curing age of three years was found to be significantly reduced, but with the increases of w/b and the fiber content to the maximum values, the water absorption of the specimens cured for three years was higher than that of the specimens cured for 28 days. Moreover, with the increase of the curing age, the optimal glass fiber (GF) contents for reducing the water absorption decreased from 1.35% to 0.90% (w/b = 0.30), and from 0.90% to 0.45% (w/b = 0.35), respectively. The GF surface was degraded into continuous pits with diameters of about 200 to 600 nm, and the surface of the pits was attached with spherical granular C-S-H gel products with diameters of about 30 to 44 nm. The freeze-thaw cycles were found to have no significant effect on the pits on the GF surface and the granular C-S-H gel products attached to the pits, but caused a portion of the cement matrix covering the GF to fall off. The interfacial bonding between the polypropylene fiber (PPF) and the cement matrix exhibited almost no change in the PPFRC after three years of curing as compared with that after 28 days of curing. Furthermore, the cement hydration gel on the PPF surface was not significantly damaged by 150 freeze-thaw cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a comparative analysis of basalt, E‐glass and hybrid fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites was carried out. Composites were fabricated using vacuum infusion process with 0°/90° and ±45° as fiber orientation angles. The influence of volume fraction on mechanical behaviors and surface morphology of impact fractured composites were analyzed. The glass and basalt fibers oriented at 0° have shown higher load bearing capability, whereas the fibers oriented at 45° angle have shown higher plastic deformation. Hybridized composite having silane treated glass fibers has shown enhanced mechanical properties including tensile strength, bending strength, toughness, and elongation at break due to good bonding between fibers and polymer matrix. The tough and flexible interface between fiber and matrix dissipates more energy through stress transfer from matrix to fiber, allowing increased resistance to shearing. The impact test of BGS‐0.2 hybrid composite showed 103% and 108% of strength improvement compared to basalt (B‐0) and glass fiber (G‐0) reinforced laminates, respectively. However, the fiber orientation at 45 degree showed reduced the strength and modulus with high elongation. The fractography micrographs of hybrid composites have shown the effectiveness of basalt and glass fiber orientation in the composites and bonding between fiber and matrix indicating flexible interphase between the fiber and matrix during impact loading. The composites added with silane have shown marginal increase in water uptake due to presence of polar functional groups in the coupling agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibre architecture of glass fibre (GF) reinforced polymer composites has a major impact on the mechanical properties for structural applications. In this study, a novel continuous glass fibre non-woven GF mat based on Spirograph art pattern is laid using a customized mechanical system. Spirograph-based continuous glass fibre non-woven (SNW) mat of different patterns was prepared and GF laminate epoxy composites were fabricated with the aim of achieving quasi-isotropic mechanical properties. The samples were cut to dimensions of test specimens from various identical locations symmetrically from a circular-shaped SNW composite laminates which were subjected to flexural, impact, shear and modified compression with anti-buckling tests. One particular SNW pattern composite laminate exhibited 40.82% better impact and 49.01% better shear resistance than commercial 0°/90° woven roving mat composite. The developed SNW laminate composite had quasi-isotropic fibre orientation and better mechanical properties without any stitching and interlacing as in case of woven fibre laminate composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transverse compressive properties are integral to fully utilizing the high performing mechanical properties of carbon fibres (CF). Direct measurements of transverse properties of CFs are difficult. Objective: A system that directly measures transverse compressive modulus (ET) by utilizing interference speckle patterns to measure sub-pixel resolutions is presented. Methods: The compression data from an isotropic glass fibre was fitted using an elastic contact mechanics model. An initial section was observed, which was not readily fitted using the model and was systematically removed, resulting in an ET of 82 GPa, comparable to the reported longitudinal tensile modulus (EL) of 86 GPa. Results: The response of Ag wire to cyclic compression was measured, with the behaviour consistent with a material undergoing typical cyclic stress–strain into a stable hysteretic loop. Several CFs were compressed and an inversely proportional relationship between ET and EL was observed. Transverse compressive moduli of 8.2 (0.8), 6.5 (0.7), 4.3 (0.3), and 2.1 (0.4) were obtained for Toray T300 and Mitsubishi Pyrofil HS40, Pyrofil TR50S, and Dialead K13312, respectively (numbers in parenthesis are standard deviations). Conclusion: Hysteresis was observed for some of the polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based CFs and a method for ensuring an accurate fitting of CFs, including hysteretic load/unload curves, was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Novel fibre/powder (glass fibre (GF)-fumed silica (FS)) composite core materials with different fibre to powder ratios were prepared by wet papermaking process. The composite core materials and corresponding vacuum insulation panel (VIP) samples were characterised to obtain an insight into their microstructure, tensile strength, uniformity and thermal conductivity. The results show that the addition of fumed silica will alter the pore structure of the glass fibre core material, and reduce the average pore size, pore volume and porosity of the core material. Moreover, addition of fumed silica can increase the tensile strength of the core material to a certain extent, but it will diminish the uniformity. Further investigation conclusively shows that the addition of fumed silica has little effect on the thermal conductivity of VIP in low vacuum, but the thermal conductivity of VIP is significantly reduced with the increase of fumed silica content in high vacuum. Compared to glass fibre core VIP, the thermal conductivity of fiber/powder composite core VIP is more stable and the service life would be longer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral oxide fibers of various chemical compositions are reviewed: aluminosilicate, alumina, silica, biosoluble, fibers made from zirconium oxide, and others. Methods for manufacturing discrete and continuous fibers are given, such as spinning fibers from melts, sol-gel technology, spinning from solutions of metal salts, and others. The physicochemical characteristics of mineral fibers are described and their applications are indicated, such as thermal insulation up to 1150 or 1000°C and high temperature filtration for aluminosilicate and biosoluble fibers; thermal insulation up to 1600 or 2000°C, and reinforcement of composites used in the aerospace and defense industries for alumina fibers and fibers based on zirconium dioxide, and so on. Manufacturers of mineral oxide-containing fibers and products based on them in and outside of Russia are indicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The viability of using cellulosic Cymbopogon flexuosus root (CFR) fiber waste from the industry as a reinforcing material in a polyester‐reinforced composite was investigated. Initially, CFR anatomy, mechanical, thermal, physio‐chemical, morphological, and spectroscopy behaviors were investigated. Spectroscopy and chemical analysis were evidence for the richness of cellulose content (74.33%) in the fiber which reflected in increased tensile strength of 315.22 ± 61.72 MPa and thermal stability 272.31°C. Fiber reinforcement was varied from 0 to 50 wt% at random orientation and mechanical, and water absorption properties were correlated with the glass fiber reinforced composite of the same weight percentage. The composite with a 40% fiber combination has an enhancement in mechanical, morphological, and thermal characterization. This comprehensive study confirms the usage of this bio‐material in replacing harmful synthetic material in structural, marine and mechanical industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Plastics Science & Technology / Suliao Ke-Ji is the property of Plastics Science & Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A simple template-free method was developed for the fabrication of fibers whose surfaces were covered by a three-dimensional interconnected network of Au nanostructures (3D-NW AuNSs) without additional stabilizer. The EDS and XPS measurements confirmed the metallic nature of the formed 3D gold nanowire networks on the fiber surface. The morphology of these 3D-NW AuNSs can be controlled by the experimental parameters, such as reaction time, roughness of the glass fiber surface, HAuCl4, and sodium citrate concentration. The 3D gold nanowire networks showed excellent uniformity. Additionally, the nanofiber was used to accurately and reliably detect methyl red (MR), crystal violet (CV), and acridine orange (AO), which can be detected as low as 1, 10, and 5 μg/L, respectively. Since the proposed strategy is simple, cost-effective, and reproducible for the mass production of network-like gold film–covered nanofiber, it is expected to play an important role in the development of trace analytical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inhaled fibers can potentially cause inflammation of the lung tissue and interstitium, which after long-term exposure may lead to lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma, or pulmonary and pleural fibrosis. To reduce the risk and set the appropriate occupational hygiene regulations, it is important to be able to precisely calculate the fate of inhaled fibers depending on their physical characteristics and inhalation conditions. In the absence of experimental data on the real behavior - trajectories, orientation and flipping - of inhaled fibers, a new test rig was assembled for visualization and recording of flowing fibers in a replica of the human trachea and the first bronchial bifurcation. Fibers prepared from commercially produced glass fibers have been processed, dispersed, and introduced into the airway replica. Visualization was performed using a powerful LED light and a high-speed camera. The flow of fibers was evaluated upstream and downstream of the realistic asymmetrical bifurcation and dependence on flow conditions was sought. The fractions of parallelly and perpendicularly flowing fibers were statistically evaluated in three locations. The frequency of flipping was also analyzed. The results show that the parallel orientation of the fibers is less dominant than expected. The fiber orientation tables for various conditions can be used to adjust and improve computational simulations of inhaled fibers in the human airways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are many methods to measure the diameters of filaments in E-glass yarn, but only the average diameter is reported, which cannot reflect all the filaments in the yarn. The methods based on physical principle are not intuitive, the data based on the longitudinal fiber diameter image measurement method are not comprehensive, the observation on the cross-section image of yarn based on slice-making is time-consuming and labor-intensive, and requires manual measurement or self-developed software application. In this article, Keyence VK-X110 3D laser morphometry microscope was used to quickly obtain the cross-section image of glass filament yarn without making a slice of E-glass yarn, and Image-Pro Plus was used to measure all the filaments' diameters in the yarn automatically. The measurement data and analysis show that under the condition of completely processing all the filaments' image, minor axis of filament cross-section is approximate to the filament diameter. This method is not only able to verify whether glass filament yarn meets the quality criteria of ASTM D578-00, but also provides the diameter distribution of all the filaments in an E-glass yarn. In addition, the data support more comprehensive evaluation standard for the quality of glass filament spinning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) beam structures with regular oriented steel fibers are designed and prepared by using an assembled solenoid device. Fiber orientation is not arranged in a single direction but is similar to the direction of tensile stress of the beam in bending load conditions. With application of inductive test method and image processing technology, fiber orientation coefficient of SFRC was evaluated and increased from 0.5 to 0.7–0.8 after fiber alignment. To describe and analyze the flexural behavior of SFRC beams with regular oriented fibers and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) rebars, 14 concrete beams with different parameters were fabricated and subjected to a four-point bending test. Specifically, the parameters included fiber content, fiber orientation, GFRP reinforcement ratio and different layer sections. The results showed that optimizing fiber orientations to the tension zone of the section led to a higher flexural strength and can well restrain the development of crack widths with comparison to randomly distributed fibers. The peak load and energy absorption increased by 7 % and 12.4 % after fiber alignment with a fiber volume fraction of 1.5 %. The combination of randomly and regularly distributed steel fibers in the form of two-layer composite members can be an efficient solution to improve the flexural performance for purpose of the optimum distribution and direction of steel fibers, and reduce the engineering cost. • A magnetic orientation device is designed for SFRC beams with regular oriented fibers. • Fibers had well arrangements with high fiber orientation coefficient. • A flexural test of the ASFRC beams was conducted and investigated. • ASFRC improved the first cracking load and initial stiffness of beams. • The experimental results indicated great flexural performance after aligning fibers to the tension zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article by Ceppi and colleagues, Genotoxic Effects of Occupational Exposure to, Glass Fibres – A Human Biomonitoring Study, published in Mutation Research –Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis in 2023 was reviewed with great interest. The authors undertook a novel approach to conducting a biomonitoring study of genotoxicity markers among a population of glass fibre manufacturing workers in Slovakia. On the surface, the Ceppi et al. (2023) study provides an interesting application of genotoxicity markers among a human population of workers to explore potential markers of effect (DNA strand breaks) and potential risk of susceptibility (e.g., genetic damage, disease, death). However, limited data for exposure reconstruction, uncertain influences from smoking history, and lack of consideration of decades of human epidemiology research showing no increased risk of malignant or non-malignant respiratory disease and mortality among glass fibre manufacturing workers, reveals that the conclusions of the authors are overreaching and inconsistent with the existing science. The limitations of this study preclude the ability to draw causal inferences or conclusions about DNA strand breaks as a marker of exposure, effect, or susceptibility within this population of Slovakian glass fibre workers. Further longitudinal research is required (e.g., more robust temporal assessment of occupational exposures – fibres and other compounds – and smoking history) to support the study conclusions. • Decades of robust epidemiological research shows no increased risk of mortality or morbidity among SVF manufacturing workers. • The study conclusions are limited by issues with exposure characterization and potential confounding by smoking. • Longitudinal research is necessary to ascertain a causal relationship between low-level SVF exposures and DNA strand breaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short glass fibre injection moulded composites, used in interior and exterior automotive parts, are exposed to complex stress states, for example during a crash. As the fibre scale dominates the composite's material properties, numerical models need to account for the local fibre orientation. In recent years, mould flow simulation results have been exploited to predict the fibre orientations for finite element models, albeit with limited accuracy. Alternatively, X-ray computed tomography can be used to directly image and analyse fibre orientations. Traditionally, achieving the necessary resolution to image individual fibres restricts the imaging to small regions of the component. However, this study takes advantage of recent advancements in imaging and image analysis to overcome this limitation. As a result, it introduces, for the first time, a reliable, fast, and automated fibre orientation mapping for a full component based on image analysis at the individual fibre level; even for cases where the pixel size is significantly larger than the fibre diameter. By scanning at lower resolutions, a drastically larger volume of interest can be achieved. The resulting fibre orientation analysis and mapping algorithm, based on X-ray computed tomography, is well matched to the level of information required for automotive crash modelling with a standard element-size of a few millimetres. The entire process, encompassing image acquisition, image analysis and fibre orientation mapping, can be directly integrated into an industrial full component application in a matter of hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing recycled or short fibers for making useful engineering composite component is a present research trend and requirement. Current research work explicates the effect of short carbon fibers (SCF) used as secondary reinforcement in woven glass/epoxy hybrid composites and evaluates their mechanical properties. Different concentrations (0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt%) of SCF were incorporated to assess the tensile, flexural, and interlaminar fracture toughness (Mode I and II) of the resulted composites. Composites with 0.1 wt% SCF showed 29.02% and 16.08% increment in the tensile and flexural strength, respectively. For Mode I and Mode II interlaminar fracture toughness tests, 0.1 wt% SCF‐GE samples showed the highest strain energy release rate. Double cantilever beam specimens were used for Mode I testing and an improvement of 13.49% in GIC value was observed. End‐notched flexure method was used for the Mode II tests, and 0.1 wt% SCF‐GE samples showed 20.45% increase in GIIC values. This paper explains the various reasons and mechanisms for obtaining such results. Scanning electron microscopy of the fractured surfaces was carried out to perceive the diverse failure micro‐mechanisms that could have been involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is one of the most commonly used additive manufacturing technologies. However, the applied material for commercial FFF is limited. Presently, though being one of the most used polymer materials, polypropylene (PP) is rarely used in FFF because of its serious warpage and shrinkage problems. This study investigated the impact of addition of short glass fibers (GF) and ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) on the printability of polypropylene random copolymer (PPR) based FFF and mechanical properties of the printed samples, as well as other properties including rheology, thermal behaviors, and morphology. The results show that the modified PPR has excellent printability, as the printed samples are of good geometrical accuracy. The addition of GF can significantly improve the strength and modulus of the composite, but it also leads to serious decrease in toughness. EPDM addition can effectively improve the toughness of the composite, showing a complementary effect with GF. This work has important meaning in expanding the FFF applicable material and in broadening the application of PP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both basalt fibers and glass fibers can be used as reinforced material in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. In this paper, the tensile strength, elastic modulus, and hardness of basalt fibers and E-glass fibers are studied by fiber tensile tester and nanoindentation. The crystalline phase and structural feature of fibers are conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that the mechanical properties of basalt fibers are higher than those of E-glass fibers. The density of basalt glasses is higher than that of E-glass and increases with increasing iron content. XRD patterns show that both basalt fibers and E-glass fibers are totally amorphous. Fe3+ mainly exists in the form of [FeO6] in the glass network. It indicates that iron oxide plays a key role in improving the mechanical properties of basalt fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research developed epoxy‐based glass fiber reinforced composite (GFRPs) containing multi‐scale fiber reinforcement comprising of silanized nanoclay (nano‐reinforcement) and compatibilized para‐aramid (PA) fibers (micro‐reinforcement) for enhanced impact strength and tensile‐flexural properties. VARIM technique was used for fabrication of GFRPs. Surface modification (silanization) of nanoclay was confirmed by FTIR and that of PA fibers was confirmed by SEM‐EDS and FTIR. Dispersion/morphology of nanoclay in the processed nanocomposites was determined by XRD and TEM analysis. Three different methods were used for the compatibilization of PA fibers. All methods exhibited a substantial increase in impact strength without a decrease in flexural/tensile strength. Nanocomposite containing 1.0 phr MAH treated PA fibers and 2 phr silanized nanoclay showed the highest improvement in impact strength (34% higher than the reference composite) along with minor improvements in tensile strength (6%), and flexural modulus (13%). SEM micrographs of the fractured surface of impact test samples were used to identify the mechanisms/reasons for the improved mechanical performance of the newly developed GFRPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]