Mochamad Arif Irfa'i, Ferriawan Yudhanto, Achmad Fadjar Maulana Firdaus, Muhammad Ulul Azmi
This study investigates the synergistic effect of low-concentration microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) on the mechanical performance of a hybrid jute-ramie-carbon fibre composite in epoxy matrix. The composites were fabricated using vacuum bagging method, incorporating varying MCC concentrations of 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% by weight. Triplicate measurement of tensile properties based on ASTM D3039 and interfacial shear stress measurements according to ASTM D5379 were used to characterize the resulting composites. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy is used to characterize the failure characteristics of the hybrid natural composite. Tensile strength and Young's modulus of the hybrid jute-ramie-carbon fibre composite peaked at 0.75% MCC loading, reaching 98.32 MPa and 1353.88 MPa, respectively. Interfacial shear strength (IFSS) similarly improved by 28.4% at the optimal 0.75% MCC loading level. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis confirmed that MCC acted as a bridging agent, mitigating the formation of macro-voids and promoting mechanical interlocking, which transitioned the failure mode from extensive fiber pull-out to more efficient load transfer and synchronized matrix-fiber fracture. These results identify 0.75% MCC as an optimal minimum threshold for maximizing load-transfer efficiency in hybrid natural-synthetic laminates that can be used as high-performance, lightweight, and sustainable materials for structural uses. © 2026 The authors. This article is published by IIETA and is licensed under the CC BY 4.0 license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, 60231, Indonesia; Department of Automotive Engineering Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Yogyakarta, 55183, Indonesia; Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Surabaya, 60111, Indonesia
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