The increasing global dependance on plastics made from synthetic materials has led to noteworthy ecological apprehensions because of their non-biodegradable nature. The mechanical and water retention characteristics of composites with corn, aloe vera, soybean, and eucalyptus fibers are the main topics of this study, which investigates the possibilities of natural fiber-reinforced polymeric composites (NFRPCs) as environmentally friendly substitutes. These composites, which were made with an epoxy matrix and the hand lay-up technique, were submerged in water for a six-month period to evaluate any changes in their surface morphology and mechanical characteristics. The following characteristics were assessed after the water submerged activity: hardness, elongation at break, impact strength, flexural strength, tensile strength, and surface roughness. Composites made of aloe vera and epoxy showed the largest increases in surface roughness and the largest percentage losses in tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus. Compared to other composites, the soybean/epoxy composites showed a significant shift in elongation at break after water absorption and retained a better tensile strength. Corn/epoxy composites exhibited the lowest percentage change in tensile strength and hardness, whereas eucalyptus/epoxy composites had the least percentage shift in impact strength and surface roughness.
Chaudhary et al. (2026) studied this question.
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