Abstract:
The quest for sustainable materials as a consequence of a global drive to mitigate climate change
has led to a focus on natural fiber–reinforced composite materials. In this study, skillful ply angle
arrangement of bark cloth–reinforced laminar epoxy composites was carried out for the first time
using vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding, and the composites fabricated were characterized for
the effect of the layering pattern on their static and dynamic mechanical properties. Tensile strength
and flexural strength were shown to be dependent on the ply angle arrangement. Dynamic
mechanical analysis of the composites showed a glass transition temperature of 70°C, and the
storage modulus and mechanical damping properties showed that the developed composites can
withstand considerable loads and have excellent fiber-to-matrix adhesion.
