Experimental Investigation of Jute/GFRP/Go Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites for Marine Applications

Abstract

The demand for sustainable and high-performance composite materials in marine environments has accelerated the development of hybrid natural–synthetic systems with enhanced durability. This study investigates the fatigue performance and moisture absorption behaviour of Jute/Epoxy, Jute/GFRP/Epoxy, and Jute/GFRP/Graphene Oxide (GO)/Epoxy hybrid composites fabricated using the hand lay-up technique. Specimens were prepared according to ASTM E466 standards and tested under constant-amplitude axial fatigue loading at 25 MPa. To evaluate environmental durability, samples were subjected to 24-hour water immersion prior to fatigue testing. Water absorption results showed a significant reduction with hybridization and nanofiller incorporation, decreasing from 12.5% for Jute/Epoxy to 9% for Jute/GFRP/Epoxy and further to 6% for Jute/GFRP/GO/Epoxy composites. Fatigue results demonstrated that Jute/Epoxy composites experienced approximately 17–18% reduction in fatigue life after water absorption, while Jute/GFRP/Epoxy showed a 13–14% reduction. In contrast, Jute/GFRP/GO/Epoxy composites exhibited only ~3% reduction in fatigue life, sustaining over 240,000 cycles even after moisture exposure. The improved performance of GO-reinforced composites is attributed to enhanced interfacial bonding, reduced void content, and lower moisture permeability within the matrix. The results indicate that Jute/GFRP/GO/Epoxy hybrid composites provide a balanced combination of mechanical performance, reduced moisture sensitivity, and weight efficiency, making them promising candidates for semi-structural marine applications such as deck panels, hull sections, and structural grids.