Processing and performance evaluation of agro wastes reinforced bio-based epoxy hybrid composites

Abstract

Agro-wastes have a huge potential to be utilized as lignocellulosic reinforcements in polymer composites. This will not only play an important role in waste management but will also strengthen sustainable production. In the present work, pine cones and wood apple shells were utilized as fillers along with areca sheath fibers in bio-based epoxy resin for fabricating a novel hybrid composite wherein the effect of these fillers in laminated composites has not been explored to a greater extent. The impact of reinforcing both types of fillers in different loadings (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) on various properties of composites was investigated. Physical properties like density, void fraction, mechanical properties comprising of tensile, flexural, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), and hardness along with morphology and moisture absorption behavior of composites were investigated. The mechanical properties of the fabricated composites were influenced by the structure (coarser/finer) of fillers and their chemical composition. The mechanical results for the composites revealed that incorporating wood apple shell fillers resulted in the maximum rise in tensile (23.97%), impact strength (16.81%), and interlaminar shear strength (31.64%), while the incorporation of pine cone fillers resulted in the maximum rise of flexural strength along with Young's (35.4%) and flexural modulus (32.81%). A reduction in moisture absorption was observed on the addition of both types of fillers up to a certain filler loading. The investigations demonstrated a noticeable enhancement in mechanical and physical properties of the fabricated composites on reinforcing micron size fillers.