Synthesis, characterization, biocompatibility, thermal and mechanical performances of sawdust reinforced composite

Abstract

The work outlines the synthesis of a new and easy technique to develop sustainable composites of sawdusts reinforced polyester resin composites. For shaping a new approach we have found very rare approach for developing composites with sawdusts of Mahagoni wood (Swietenia mahagoni) reinforced polyester resin composites in open literatures. Due to this gap, a plan made to develop untreated and treated sawdusts (very common in Bangladesh and many other countries of the world) reinforced strong and durable composites with unsaturated polyester resins along with their biodegradability, thermal and mechnical properties where the material properties were revealed and corelations were elaborated in the subsequent sections. Specifically, the tensile strengths of virgin resin (VR), untreated sawdust reinforced composite (UTSDC) and 4% caustic soda treated sawdust reinforced composite (4TSDC) are 10.77, 15.83 and 21.64 N/mm2, respectively. That means the observed reinforcement property for UTSDC and 4TSDC increased ~47% and 101%, respectively. Moreover, the binding phenomena were explained with the own schamatic presentation. The composite phenomena was explained sequentially by using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, etc. Between the developed composites 4TSDC was strong (25% as compared from tensile strength) and durable (8% as observed in biodegradability results) than the UTSDC of unsaturated polyester resin. The pattern of water uptake follows usual Fickian diffusion behavior. The observed properties of the developed convincible composites indicate that they can be considered for indoor to outdoor applications especially for using the fence, roof, furniture items like chair, table, park benches, etc.