Investigating the Effect of Varied Short Bamboo Fiber Content on the Thermal, Impact, and Flexural Properties of Green Epoxy Composites

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, the thermal and mechanical characteristics of bamboo fiber-reinforced greenpoxy matrix composites were evaluated by varying the fiber loading from 30wt.% to 60wt.% during the compression molding process. The thermal behavior using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and their impact and flexural properties of the composites were studied. The results indicate that thermal characterization, the highest peak E’ was observed: B-40 > B-60 > B-30 > B-50, while the peak E’‘ was found to be B-40 > B-30 > B-60 > B-50. The order for tan delta was B-30 > B-40 > B-50 > B-60. The TGA results indicated improved thermal stability with increasing fiber loading, as evidenced by higher residue % and lower weight loss %. Regarding the mechanical properties the impact strength of the composites increased with increasing fiber loading, with the maximum value of 8435.33 J/m2 at 50wt.%. The composite with a 60wt.% fiber loading showed the highest flexural modulus (4.70GPa), while the flexural strength improved at 40wt.%. The SEM analysis of fractured specimens from flexural tests of composite materials with varying fiber volume fractions revealed that an optimal balance between fiber and matrix resin enhanced mechanical properties.