Kevlar/Basalt and Kevlar/Glass Intra-Ply Reinforced Hybrid Composites: Influence of Basket Weave Fabric Structure on Thermal Properties, Flammability, and Impact Performance

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of basket weave fabric structure and fibre combination on the thermal properties, flammability, and impact performance of intra-ply reinforced hybrid composites. The objective is to evaluate the effect of varying the number of threads in the basket weave pattern (ten threads 5 x 5, six threads 3 x 3, and two threads 1 x 1) and different fibre combinations (Kevlar-Glass (KG) and Kevlar-Basalt (KB)) on composite performance. The composites were fabricated using a handloom weaving process followed by compression moulding. Thermal stability was assessed using Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), flammability was examined via the UL-94 horizontal burn test, and impact performance was evaluated using the Charpy impact test. The results indicated that KG composites exhibited superior thermal stability, with higher final residue percentages and lower mass loss during degradation. The impact performance was significantly influenced by both fibre combination and weave structure, with KG5 x 5 and KB5 x 5 laminates achieving the highest impact strengths of 2160 kJ/m2 and 2040 kJ/m2, respectively. Flammability tests showed that all composites had a burn rate below 10 mm/min, meeting standard safety criteria. The findings highlight the potential of these hybrid composites for high-performance applications requiring impact resistance and thermal stability, such as aerospace and protective equipment industries.