Effect of Fabrication Method on Tensile Behaviour of Polysiloxane (POS) Filled Rice Husk Silica (RHA SiO<sub>2</sub>) Composites

Abstract

The effect of fabrication methods on polysiloxane (POS) composites were studied by analysing both method of casting (CA) and compression (CO). The POS composites were reinforced with 2-12 wt% of natural derived silica from rice husk (RHA SiO2) as a filler which incinerated at 700°C. The composites behaviour were analysed through tensile testing (ASTM D412). Through comparison study on both CA and CO composites’s tensile behaviour it shows that both composites strength keep increasing with 2wt% - 10wt% RHA SiO2 addition but strength decreased at 12wt% due to agglomeration of RHA SiO2. Moreover, it was found that the tensile strength of CO composites had offer 23.56% higher compared to CA composites. The difference were influenced by the distribution of RHA SiO2 as filler. The surface morphology of CO composites had showed that the most of RHA SiO2 were embedded and less agglomeration, compared to CA composites that had lots of agglomeration which lead to higher tendency of crack propagation. The arrangement of filler due to the CO method that helps RHA SiO2 to distributed homogenously and embedded in a matrix of POS to avoid agglomeration and lead better adhesion respectively. Thus, CO method had potential to offer in enhancing tensile behaviour compared to CA method by influencing filler distribution arrangement for vibration absorber application.