Narayanasamy Pandiarajan, Femiana Gapsari, Putu Hadi Setyarini, Indradi Wijatmiko, Balavairavan Balasubramanian
Introduction: The rising requirement for sustainable and environment-friendly materials has triggered active investigation into natural fiber-reinforced composites to replace traditional synthetic fiber composites. Although various traditional lignocellulosic fibers have been investigated, there has been little exploration into the potential of Morus alba stem fibers, a by-product from sericultural waste. Notably, little has been focused on the effect of particle size and-volume fraction on polymer composites properties. Techniques: In the present investigation, the Morus alba stem fibers were incorporated into a polyester matrix to produce composites using a variety of particle sizes of the Morus alba fibers ranging from coarse to ultrafine at a volume fraction between 5% and 20%. The mechanical properties of the composites were tested using Rockwell hardness, tension, flexural, and impact strength tests. Results: The outcome revealed that there was a great dependency of mechanical properties on both size and volume fraction of fiber particles. The composite with a 15% volume fraction of fibers with a small size of 120 µm showed the best results with hardness of 77 RC, tensile strength of 38.4 MPa, flexural strength of 64.5 MPa, and impact strength of 22.43 kJ/m², while less or higher volume fraction of fibers showed less mechanical strength. Discussion: The reason for the heightened performance in the optimally sized and loaded fibers is a result of better interfacial bonding between the fibers and the matrix, as well as efficient stress distribution in the composite. The results obtained draw upon the need to optimize the properties of the fibers for superior performance, all in a move to maintain sustainability. This work makes Morus alba stem fibers a viable eco-friendly candidate in the development of biocomposites. © 2026 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology, Madurai, India; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia; Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Brawijaya University, Malang, Indonesia
