Muhammad Arryyanto, Heri Yudiono, Januar Parlaungan Siregar, Tezara Cionita, Deni Fajar Fitriyana, Al Ichlas Imran
This study examined Eichhornia Crassipes (water hyacinth) fiber integrated with an epoxy matrix to determine the optimal weaving pattern for maximizing the mechanical properties of composites. Composite manufacture was performed via the hand lay-up technique, including 40% matrix and 60% fiber. The fibers underwent treatment with 20% NaOH for a duration of 3 hours. Samples were produced featuring variations of plain, twill, and basket weave patterns, utilizing a car bumper as the control product. The findings indicated that the twill weave pattern had the greatest mechanical strength, with an impact value of 0.034 J/mm2 and a bending strength of 122.9 MPa, followed by the basket weave pattern, which had an impact value of 0.030 J/mm2 and a bending strength of 90.7 MPa. Each weave pattern exhibited unique characteristics influenced by the number and direction of yarn crossings and interlocking, affecting the composite's mechanical strength. Therefore, the study concludes that composites made from water hyacinth fiber and epoxy resin, particularly with twill and basket weave patterns, have significant potential as competitive substitutes for non-renewable materials in the automotive industry, especially for car bumpers, providing comparable quality in terms of safety and cost. This research aims to improve the performance of composites reinforced with natural fibers while promoting environmental conservation through the utilization of natural fibers and resource efficiency, in alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12 concerning responsible consumption and production. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC 4.0 International license
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang, 50229, Indonesia; Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan, 26600, Malaysia; Centre for Automotive Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan, 26600, Malaysia; Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, SEGi University, Selangor, 47810, Malaysia; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Halu Oleo, Kendari, 93232, Indonesia
