Vacuum-Infused Woven Jute/Glass Hybrid Epoxy Laminates: Effects of Ply Architecture on Thermo-Mechanical Performance and Finite Element Analysis

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Abstract
Natural fibre composites offer sustainability advantages but often suffer from limited structural reliability and thermal stability when used as single-fibre systems. In this study, vacuum-infused woven jute/epoxy and jute/glass hybrid epoxy laminates with 2-, 4-, and 6-ply architectures were fabricated and systematically evaluated to determine the combined effects of fibre hybridisation and ply architecture on thermo-mechanical performance. Tensile, flexural, impact, density, and thermogravimetric analyses were performed, while scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy were used to examine fracture features and laminate morphology. Finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted to simulate stress distribution and deformation behaviour, and analysis of variance (two-way ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical significance of hybridisation and ply architecture. The results demonstrate that hybrid laminates significantly outperformed jute-only systems, with the 6-ply jute/glass configuration achieving tensile strength and modulus improvements of 22.6% and 283%, respectively, together with flexural strength and modulus enhancements of approximately 50% and 75%. Thermal analysis revealed delayed degradation onset and approximately fourfold higher residual char yield, confirming improved thermal resistance of the hybrid architectures, while microscopy revealed reduced fibre pull-out, improved fibre embedding, and more compact laminate structures. FEA predictions reproduced experimental mechanical responses with deviations between 2 – 14% and accurately captured stress localisation patterns consistent with observed failure modes, validating the numerical modelling framework. Overall, the results indicate that controlled hybridisation and ply architecture provide an effective route for improving the structural efficiency of vacuum-infused natural fibre composite laminates for lightweight engineering applications.

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