Application of light-weight materials in automotive and structural components such as door panel, Dashboard and internal engine cover play a crucial role in the improvement of vehicle performance. Weight reduction of automotive vehicle components results in less fuel consumption, leading to drastic reduction of CO 2 emission. Carbon emission can be minimized through replacement of light-weight natural fiber reinforced composite-based components in place of metallic components in the vehicles. Simultaneous application of heat and dynamic loads on polymer composite materials affect crystallinity resulting in the degradation of material properties and its weight. Many researchers have shown interest in the use of bio composites for automotive parts with good mechanical and thermal properties for conventional automotive materials. The present work focuses on the fabrication of jute and human hair-reinforced epoxy-based polymer composites with five different fiber compositions. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength and impact energy were analyzed. Storage modulus, loss modulus and damping behavior under different frequencies constituting a function of increasing temperature was observed. The effect of fiber composition and frequency on dynamic behavior of new combination of natural composites was analyzed for determining the viscoelastic behavior of composites. Mechanical properties were found to increase with increase in human hair composition in the composites. The glass transition temperature (T g ) obtained from storage modulus, loss modulus and damping curve exhibits a temperature between 80 and 958C for all composites. As a consequence, higher fiber content in matrix was observed to allow greater stress transfer at the interface resulting in high dynamic mechanical properties. The experimental results have shown that the natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite is sustainable in withstanding dynamic loads. POLYM. COMPOS., 00:000-000, FIG. 13. Effect of frequency on tan d versus temperature curve for the composite with 50:50% of jute and human hair. [Color figure can be viewed at wileyonlinelibrary.com]

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Polymer nanocomposites have received significant attention in the tribology and mechanical application due to their exceptional wear resistance, which cannot be expected in polymers. This study, involves preparation and fabrication of graphene hybrid (flax/E-glass/epoxy) fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) composites using compression molding. A study of the effect of graphene on the microhardness and wear behavior of HFRP composites was made using pin-on-disk tests at three different loads of 5, 10, and 15 N as per ASTM standards. Compared to HFRP composites, graphene in HFRP composites exhibits a distinguished enhancement in thermal stability, microhardness and tribological performance due to the formation of strong covalent bonds between graphene and epoxy matrix. Surface features were observed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The addition of graphene (0.0-1.2 wt%) to the matrix, especially 0.6 wt% of graphene in HFRP composites revealed extraordinary tribological properties, with a 35% decrease in the friction coefficient and wear rate under abrasive wear conditions. The result of the graphene in HFRP composites looks promising in wear-resistant materials and other highperformance areas in the automobile and aerospace industry.

Polymer composites reinforced with jute fiber have been widely used in window and door frames, biogas cylinders, furniture, suitcases, helmets, automobile and railway coach interiors, boats, etc. Human hair is a versatile material that has been identified as having significant potential for use as a reinforcement in composites because of its excellent material properties. This article deals with the reinforcement of jute and human hair in epoxy matrix–based composites. Composites fabricated with constant volume fractions but with five different fiber ratios of jute and human hair were studied. Analysis of physical, mechanical, and thermal properties was made on the fabricated Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (NFRPCs). The results showed an increase in the mechanical properties with an increase in human hair content in the composite. The tensile, flexural, and double shear strength of the composite with 25 % human hair obtained was 23.45, 80.83, and 44.25 MPa, respectively, whereas 25 % jute fiber–reinforced composite shows 13.69, 61.63, and 28.25 MPa, respectively. The properties of jute fiber composites were increased when adding the human hair with jute fiber in the ratio of 18.75:6.25, 12.5:12.5, and 6.25:18.75 percentage of jute fiber and human hair, respectively. From moisture analysis of the composites, it was observed that increasing the human hair content with matrix caused a decrease in the absorptivity of the composite. From thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), composite with 25 % jute fiber showed the final degradation temperature at 480.12°C, whereas for 25 % human hair, composite obtained at 450.12°C. TGA showed a proportionate increase in thermal stability with increase in jute fiber content of the composites.