The Effect of Weaving Patterns on the Impact and Bending Strength of Eichhornia Crassipes Composites for Car Bumper Applications

Muhammad Arryyanto; Heri Yudiono; Januar Parlaungan Siregar; Tezara Cionita; Deni Fajar Fitriyana; Al Ichlas Imran

doi:10.15282/ijame.22.3.2025.7.0964

Authors

Muhammad Arryyanto Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang 50229, Indonesia
Heri Yudiono Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang 50229, Indonesia
Januar Parlaungan Siregar Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al-Sultan Abdullah, Pekan 26600, Malaysia
Tezara Cionita Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology, SEGi University, 47810 Selangor, Malaysia
Deni Fajar Fitriyana Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang 50229, Indonesia
Al Ichlas Imran Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Halu Oleo, 93232 Kendari, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15282/ijame.22.3.2025.7.0964

Keywords:

Water hyacinth, Natural fiber composites, Woven, Car bumpers, Mechanical properties

Abstract

This research focused on Eichhornia Crassipes (water hyacinth) fiber combined with an epoxy matrix to identify the most effective weave pattern that would yield the highest mechanical properties of composites. Composite manufacturing was conducted using the hand lay-up method, consisting of 40% matrix and 60% fiber. The fibers were treated with 20% NaOH for 3 hours. Samples were created with variations of plain, twill, and basket weave patterns, using a car bumper as the control product. The results showed that the highest mechanical strength was found in the twill weave pattern, with an impact value of 0.034 J/mm² and bending of 122.9 MPa, followed by the basket weave pattern with an impact value of 0.030 J/mm² and bending of 90.7 MPa. Each weave pattern exhibited unique characteristics influenced by the number and direction of yarn crossings and interlocking, which in turn affected 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. The findings of this research not only aim to enhance the performance of composites reinforced with natural fibers but also address environmental conservation by promoting the use of natural fibers and resource efficiency, aligning with sustainable development goals (SDGs), especially SDG 12 regarding responsible consumption and production.

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