Study of some mechanical and thermal properties for a composite material of a polymeric basis reinforced by natural material shells

Abstract

This study includes the possibility of using the agricultural residues shell (walnut and pistachio) as a filler in epoxy resins as an alternative to wood and plastic based ingredients. specimens of composite materials were prepared by using hand lay-up method .These specimens were represented by two groups of composite materials that consist of epoxy resin as a material matrix reinforced with walnut shell powder once, and pistachio shell powder again with different weight ratios (11%, 15% and 19%). Mechanical tests (impact, hardness, bending) and some physical tests (thermal conductivity, absorption) were carried out. All the results were done at the temperature of the lab. The results of the specimens tests prepared showed an improvement in the impact strength when adding the minutes of the pistachio shell by ratio 15% where it reached (12.9 KJ/m2), while it saw a decrease in the composite reinforced by walnut shell powder at the same ratio (6.3 KJ/m2), The hardness of the composites also improved at the addition ratio 19% where it reached (83.2 N/m2) in the composites reinforced by the minutes of the walnut shell and (81.9 N/m2) in the composites reinforced by minutes of pistachio shell, Bending resistance also increased to the highest value at the addition ratio 19% to (56.82 N/mm2) in the composites reinforced by the minutes of the walnut shell and (54.4 N/mm2) in the composites reinforced by the minutes of the pistachio shell..On the other hand, physical measurement showed a slight increase in the values of thermal conductivity and absorption. The results indicate that the composite material reinforced with pistachio shell powder have higher values in impact, bending and thermal conductivity tests and lower values for hardness and water absorption tests when compared with composite material reinforced with walnut shell powder.