Enhancing Flexural Strength in Hybrid Composites Using Jute Fibers: A Sustainable Approach for Electric Vehicle Weight

Composite materials are known for being lightweight and can be used to reduce the overall weight of vehicles. Lower vehicle weight leads to lower energy consumption, which is very important for electric vehicles (EVs) because it directly increases their driving range. However, most traditional composites cannot be recycled, and their disposal creates serious environmental problems. To overcome this challenge, natural fibers have been studied as an environmentally friendly and biodegradable option. In this research, jute fiber was used as a natural reinforcement that can reduce weight and at the same time be more sustainable. It is important to consider not only lightweight design but also the environmental effects of the materials used in the automotive industry. Using natural fibers such as jute can help improve sustainability while keeping good mechanical performance. Besides vehicle body parts, these composites can also be applied in battery packs, where their low weight and good strength can improve protection, thermal management, and overall safety. In this work, the effect of different stacking sequences on the flexural properties of hybrid composites made of glass fiber and jute fiber was studied. Three different layup configurations were produced and tested under three-point bending conditions. The results showed that the stacking sequences with jute layers had higher flexural strength compared to those with only glass fibers. Overall, this study shows that using jute fibers in composite structures can achieve three main benefits: reducing vehicle weight to save energy in EVs, improving battery pack performance, and lowering the environmental impact by using biodegradable natural fibers.

کلیدواژه ها:

Composite materials ، Electric vehicles ، Jute fiber ، Glass fiber ، Battery pack ، Flexural properties