Analisa Perbandingan Sifat Mekanik Komposit Carbon Fibre dan Boehmeria Nivea Berpenguat Epoxy Pada Struktur Satelit dengan Menggunakan Uji Impact

Abstract

Composite materials are an important innovation in aerospace technology due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, light weight, and resistance to corrosion. This study analyzes the toughness of carbon fiber–epoxy composites and Boehmeria nivea (ramie)–epoxy composites compared to aluminum alloy 7075-T651 as a reference material for satellite structural applications. The composite specimens were fabricated using the vacuum bag method and tested with the Charpy impact test to determine their energy absorption and toughness characteristics. The results show that fiber type and the number of layers significantly affect impact strength. The carbon fiber–epoxy composite achieved an average fracture energy of 63 Joules (0.39 J/mm²), while the hybrid carbon–ramie composite reached 71.8 Joules (0.49 J/mm²). In contrast, aluminum alloy 7075-T651 produced only 15.5 Joules (0.193 J/mm²). These results indicate that composite materials possess greater toughness, making them promising alternatives for satellite structural materials. It can be concluded that the carbon fiber–epoxy composite provides the most stable performance, while the hybrid carbon–ramie composite offers the highest toughness but exhibits greater variation due to the nonuniformity of natural fiber distribution. Therefore, the hybrid composite requires better control during the manufacturing process.