Abstract

An investigation on novel Kulkual fibers that were derived from Ethiopia was carried out in this work. An open-mold casting approach was employed to manufacture a lightweight composite comprising chopped Kulkual fibers and titanium diboride (TiB2) particles. The primary objective of this study was to scrutinize the interfacial dynamics of the composites upon inclusion of the reinforcements, focusing on compression, hardness, and water absorption characteristics. The incorporation of both TiB2 and Kulkual fibers markedly augmented the inherent properties of the epoxy matrix, evident in compression testing. Notably, composites containing 5 vol% of fibers exhibited a significantly higher modulus of 87 MPa, while those with 5 vol% of fibers demonstrated an impressive strength of 90 MPa. Vickers hardness assessments revealed composites containing 5 vol% of fibers displaying a superior hardness value of 45 HV. Subsequent water absorption tests with different types of water unveiled a Fickian behavior, characterized by an initial exponential increase in the absorption rate within the first 50 h. The incorporation of Kulkual fibers amplified this intake rate, particularly evident at the 10 vol% level, which eventually reached saturation after 200 h. Collectively, these findings underscore the optimal efficacy of fiber addition up to 5 vol% in enhancing composite properties, suggesting a threshold beyond which further increments may not yield proportional benefits.