Evaluation of the effect of reinforcement particle sizes on the impact and hardness properties of hardwood charcoal particulate-polyester resin composites

Abstract

The influence of hardwood charcoal particles (HWCP) on some mechanical properties and surface morphology of polyester matrix composites (PMC) was investigated in this work. The polyester base matrix was reinforced with varying weight fraction of HWCP. The composites developed were subjected to impact and hardness tests respectively. The morphological characteristics, elemental characterization and quantification of the synthesized composites were also evaluated. From the results, it is revealed that the composites reinforced with the largest particle sized hardwood charcoal (300 μm) absorbed high impact energy before fracture. However, the composites with lower particle sizes (75, 150 & 250 μm) recorded a high hardness values with increasing weight percent of reinforcements incorporated in the polyester matrix composite. These higher values obtained were attributable to better interfacial bonding due to better mechanical interlocking between the HWCP and polyester resin. The EDX results indicated an increase in the contents of calcium, silicon, potassium and aluminium in the reinforced polyester matrix composites. SEM image show the homogeneous distribution of the reinforcement particles in the majorly carbon matrix phase and increased surface roughness of the reinforced polyester matrix composites.