Effect of Environmental Degradation on Mechanical Properties of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Based Hybrid Composites: A Review

Abstract

Natural fiber reinforced composite materials have been widely used in the variety of engineering applications. Natural
fiber composites may suffer when the material is exposed to adverse environmental condition for long period of time. A
lot of research has been conducted and still ongoing for the possibility of the use of the combined form of natural fibers
and synthetic fibers for the structural composite members under such type of conditions. The natural fiber reinforced
composites have limited resistance towards the environmental effect. The idea of improving the strength is by adding the
synthetic fibers along with the natural fibers in order to enhance the mechanical strength of the bulk material under the
adverse conditions. Thus, the study of environmental conditions on the mechanical properties of hybrid composite is
important. This review paper selectively represents all-round research carried by various researchers throughout the
globe for the various natural and synthetic fiber reinforced composites subjected to different environmental conditions
and their degradation of mechanical properties which is measured before and after the environmental exposer.