Agro-waste fibers as partial jute replacements in jute/glass fiber reinforced polyester composites

ABSTRACT The valorization of agricultural residues as reinforcement materials offers a sustainable route to reduce reliance on cultivated natural fibers (NF) in polymer composites. The objective of this work is to evaluate the potential of low-cost agro-waste fibers as 50% replacements for jute in jute/glass fiber reinforced polyester composites, aiming to reduce material cost while retaining desirable mechanical and thermal properties. Laminates were fabricated via hand lay-up with GF mats on the outer layers and short NFs in the core, where 50% of the jute content was replaced by agro-waste (maize, betel nut, or luffa seed) fibers. Though the glass–jute hybrid exhibited the highest thermo-mechanical property, luffa-based composites achieved a low density (1.36 gcm -3 ) while maintaining comparable tensile strength (41 MPa) and impact resistance (15.1 kJ m -2 ), making them the most efficient lightweight alternative. Betel nut fiber exhibited moderate overall performance, whereas maize fiber was the most economical and readily available reinforcement; however, it demonstrated comparatively lower mechanical properties and the highest water absorption (0.66%). All hybrid composites exhibited moderate thermal stability, with char residues exceeding 10%. These results demonstrate that agro-waste fibers enable tunable performance-cost-weight optimization in sustainable hybrid composites, broadening their potential for automotive, construction, and packaging applications.