Biocomposite Panels Research Articles

EFFECT OF MATRIX REINFORCEMENT RATIO ON RICE STRAW REINFORCED COMPOSITE

This study describes the development of bio-composites made of natural fibers(rice straw) with epoxy resin. The bio-composites were produced using a straightforward Hand lay-up technique. The major goal of this study is to create bio-composite reinforced with rice straw using various matrix reinforcement ratio in order to determine the most practical ratio and components for biocomposite manufacture. The obtained results demonstrated that mechanical properties and thermal stability increase with increases in matrix reinforcement ratio. When compared to other matrix reinforcement ratio, the bio-composite created from a 60:40 ratio had better mechanical as well as thermal properties. Additionally, the overall results of the created bio-composite panels show that they are a promising and cutting edge choice for the composite community in the future.

Characterization of tannin extracted from Aningeria altissima bark and formulation of bioresins for the manufacture of Triumfetta cordifolia needle-punched nonwovens fiberboards: Novel green composite panels for sustainability

The new Aningeria altissima tannins extracted from ground bark were characterized by ATR-FT MIR and MALDI-ToF spectrometry. The tannin extracts were found to contain flavonoids and glucose, with a strong predominance of chalcone and gallocatechingallate monomers typical of condensed tannin proanthocyanidins. Two different formulations of resins bio-cured with hexamine and exudates from the Vachellia nilotica tree were analyzed (gel time, TMA and ATG) and used to manufacture biocomposite panels of carded-needled non-woven fibers of Triumfetta cordifolia (TC) natural fibers. The new biocomposites bonded with extracted Aningeria altissima tannin showed high water sensitivity, exceeding EN 622–5. The incorporation of TC fibers increased the thermal degradation temperature of biocomposites and improved their thermal stability. The mechanical properties of both biocomposites are high in the weft direction, which is favored by the preferential orientation of the fibers in this direction. In particular, the high flexural strength and flexural modulus are good enough to meet the specifications of current international standards for fiberboards used in dry conditions. The biocomposite with the optimum properties was obtained from fibers bonded with hexamine-cured tannin resin.

Study of mechanical properties of sustainable biocomposite panels using Jute-PLA and Sisal-PLA

In recent years, bio composites have experienced significant growth and have found applications in various sectors, like domestic use, aerospace, circuit boards, and automotive industries. Extensive research has been conducted on natural fibres to develop it as composite materials so that can compete with synthetic fibre composites. Jute and sisal fibres with Polylactic acid (PLA) means fully biodegradable and recyclable, offer an environmentally friendly solution. The fabrication of the bio-composite specimen involved the utilization of a hot press moulding machine. The maximum strength and bending properties, including ductility, were assessed through flexural and tensile tests following ASTM standards. Free vibration analysis was conducted to determine important characteristics like damping frequency, damping ratio, and natural frequency of the bio composites. The resonant set obtained for Sisal/PLA is inferior to Jute/PLA composites, which clearly demonstrates the influence of fibre in resonant behaviour of the composites. Further Sisal/PLA composites show 20% rise in damping performance at first two resonant sets and 30% in the third resonant. This free vibration characterization of most widely used to composites provides valuable insights into the practical usage under suitable environment conditions.

Experimental and theoretical thermal investigation of bio-composite panels based on sawdust particles

This work focuses on the valorization of sawdust waste in order to develop a new bio-sourced insulation material. To assess the dynamic thermal behavior of a multi-layer external wall insulated with these panels, their thermal characteristics, the time lag, and the decrement factor, were investigated. The results obtained show that when the density increases, the thermal conductivity, the thermal diffusivity, and the volumetric heat capacity increase while the thermal diffusivity decreases. For a thickness of 20 cm of the composite material, the time lag increases, and the decrement factor decreases with increasing density. Moreover, the results obtained for an external wall show that the decrement factor decreases and the time lag increases with the thickness of the thermal insulation. It was also found that the position of the insulation layer has a considerable effect on thermal inertia properties. The wall with insulation on the outside is the most desirable. In addition, the internal global heat transfer coefficient affects the external wall's time lag and decrement factor, while the external global heat transfer coefficient does not affect its inertia properties.

Biocomposite panels with unidirectional core stiffeners − 3-point bending properties and considerations on 3D printing and extrusion as a manufacturing method

Sandwich panels with unidirectional core stiffeners are known for their relatively high bending stiffness at low weight, stability under compressive and shear loads and energy absorption capability. In this study, 3D printing was used to screen biocomposite sandwich panels easily and preliminarily with different unidirectional core stiffener designs. Thermomechanical pulp (TMP) fibre-reinforced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was used in this study.A corrugated, trapezoid and arched cell structure were tested experimentally and numerically using a bimodular material model, accounting for different behaviour in tension and compression. The trapezoid structure showed the best flexural properties of the three 3D-printed sandwich beams. It was chosen to be explored further, manufacturing it by extrusion. Extrusion is a production process likely to be used in industry on a larger scale.Basic material properties of the biocomposites were obtained from injection moulded dogbone specimens. The flexural properties of the extruded panels were measured experimentally and simulated using finite element analysis. Simulations were done with a hyperelastic material model. Predictions and experiments were in adequate agreement, allowing such kind of simulation to be used for extruded biocomposite sandwich panels.

Development of sustainable biocomposite panels assisted with deep eutectic solvent pretreatment of agro-industrial residue

The pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass in biorefineries is a very promising path for their conversion into value-added products. However, development of sustainable pretreatment for efficient conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into value-added materials is still an emergent and challenging field. Herein, a new direction for the utilization of deep eutectic solvent (DES) pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass in the fabrication of compression-molded biocomposite panels was studied. The impact of untreated and DES-treated fibers of three types of lignocellulosic waste—corn stover (CS), peanut shell powder (PSP), and sugarcane bagasse (SCB)—on the properties of biocomposite panels using urea–formaldehyde binder was investigated. Cellulose-rich fiber (CRF) was extracted by pretreating lignocellulosic materials with choline chloride and glycerol-based synthesized DES under mild operating conditions, and high solids loading and mechanical and water absorption properties of the biocomposite board prepared from untreated and DES-treated fibers were measured. The effect of DES pretreatment on the properties of lignocellulosic fibers was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), lignocellulosic compositional analysis (LCA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD). These analyses revealed that cellulosic content and thermal stability of all DES-treated fibers improved compared to untreated samples. The biocomposite board made from DES-treated fibers had higher strength and modulus than the untreated composite board, as determined by the three-point bending test. Specifically, the modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE) of SCB biocomposite panels increased from 26.15 MPa and 1564.65 MPa to 31.28 MPa and 1871.74 MPa in DES-treated panels, respectively. These findings suggest that the novel DES-based pretreatment could be a promising sustainable processing strategy for converting agro-industrial waste into CRF to fabricate wood-composite panels with a wide range of furniture and construction applications.

COMPARATIVE ANALYTICAL DETERMINATION OF THERMAL PROTECTION BEHAVIOR FOR EXPERIMENTAL MODELS MADE OF STRATIFIED BIOCOMPOSITE BOARDS OF LIGNO-CELLULOSE NATURE

The paper addresses the comparative analytical determination of thermal insulation behavior for various experimental models made of stratified and hybrid biocomposites of ligno-cellulose nature. The analytical determination of the thermal resistance and the overall thermal insulation coefficient for each experimental model is performed using the calculation methodology for energy efficiency. The results obtained after the analysis of the thermal insulation behavior for the biocomposite panels highlighted the fact that they have thermal insulation properties with high values for thermal resistance and global thermal insulation coefficients.

Design of an impact absorbing green composite

The goal of this study is to build impact-absorbing bio-composite panels from bio-resin and denim wastes that can help solid waste management. Within this scope, composite structures with different layer numbers are produced using waste denim fabric and epoxy:AESO (70:30) matrix material. The panels produced in different number of layers are subjected to physical (density and fiber weight ratio) and mechanical (drop-weight resistance) tests. The drop impact resistance test results show the increasing number of layers in the composite structure improves the impact resistance.

Hemp/glass woven fabric reinforced laminated nanocomposites via in-situ synthesized silver nanoparticles from Tilia cordata leaf extract

ABSTRACT The reinforcement of natural and artificial fiber-oriented woven fabrics with thermosetting polymers is getting popularity nowadays. The hybridization of natural hemp with glass could facilitate the developed composite panels to be a potential candidate for automotive parts. Both hemp and glass-woven fabrics were treated with greenly synthesized silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) obtained from Tilia cordata leaf extracts and then composited by using thermosetting epoxy resin. Three composite panels were developed from five consecutive layers of glass- and hemp-woven fabrics (sequence is glass, hemp, glass, hemp, glass); in two of them the fabrics were loaded with 1% and 5% AgNPs, respectively, the third one was prepared without any nanosilver loading. The presence of green AgNP was tested and confirmed by using XRF (X-ray fluorescence) and ICP OES (inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy) test. The developed hybrid composites were characterized for thermal, mechanical, physical, and morphological performance and found satisfactory results. Statistical analysis of the test results also confirmed the positive influence of nanosilver loading on hybrid composites. However, the developed biocomposite panels could facilitate the industrial production units with most advanced, feasible, and multi-functional laminated products.

Design of an Impact Absorbing Composite Panel from Denim Wastes and Acrylated Epoxidized Soybean Oil based Epoxy Resins

The focus of this work is to make a significant contribution to solid waste management by designing impact-absorbing bio-composite panels using bio-resin and denim wastes. In this context, composite panels are produced by vacuum infusion technique using both epoxy and acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) based hybrid resins while denim wastes are utilized as reinforcement materials in fiber and fabric forms. Both physical (fiber density and fiber weight ratio) and mechanical analyses (drop-weight impact resistance and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA)) of the composites are performed. The outcomes of the study prove that the increase in the AESO ratio of the resin system improves the ductility of the composite and consequently the impact resistance. On the other hand, dynamic mechanical analysis results indicate that the AESO plug-in reduces the storage module and increases the damping factor.

Rice straw and energy reed fibers reinforced phenol formaldehyde resin polymeric biocomposites

Herein, natural fiber (energy reeds and rice straw) reinforced with phenol formaldehyde (PF) polymeric resin biocomposites are developed and reported in this study. The dimensions of energy reeds and rice straws used for this research were 0.5–1.66 mm and 0.1–3.55 mm, respectively. The hot-pressing technology was used for manufacturing the biocomposites. The proportions for mixing of rice straw/energy reed fibers in composite systems were 90/0, 54/36, 36/54, and 0/90 whereas remaining 10% were belong to PF resin. The nominal densities of the biocomposite panels were 680 kg/m3, however the actual densities were 713.655, 725, 742.79, and 764.49 kg/m3. The main objective of this study is to develop hybrid biocomposites from different proportions of energy reeds and rice straw fibers using PF resin and to find the convenient ratio and materials for biocomposites production. The obtained results demonstrate that mechanical properties and stability against the moisture increases with the increase of energy reeds loading in the composite systems. The biocomposite developed from 100% energy reeds provided the higher mechanical properties compared to 100% rice straw. The thermal and morphological properties of the produced biocomposite materials were investigated and found significant. The thermo-mechanical properties of the composite materials increase with the increase in energy reed fiber loading in composite system. Furthermore, the coefficient of variation (R2) also demonstrates a positive attributions of energy reed fibers loading in composite systems. Moreover, the overall performances of the developed biocomposite panels demonstrate them as potential and novel candidate to the composite community in the coming times.Graphical abstract

Thermo-mechanical properties of pretreated coir fiber and fibrous chips reinforced multilayered composites

Coir is one of the most important natural fibers having significant potentiality in structural biocomposites production. The long coir fiber (LCF) and short fibrous chips (CFC) were extracted from the husk of coconut. The dimensions of the CFC were within 1.0–12.5 mm and the LCF were within 2.0 mm. All the fibers and fibrous chips were treated with 5% NaOH (alkali) before the biocomposite manufacturing. Different percentages (8%, 10%, and 12%) of melamine-urea-formaldehyde (MUF) were used to produce the tri-layered medium density composite panels with 12 mm thickness. The mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, and internal bonding strengths) of coir reinforced multilayered composites has been studied for all the produced biocomposites. The morphological, micro-structural, and bonding mechanisms were investigated by Scanning electron microscope and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis. Thermal properties of the biocomposites were studied by thermal conductivity, thermogravimetric analysis, and derivative thermogravimetry characterization. The moisture contents of the final composite panels were also investigated in this study. The main objective of this work is to investigate the influences of MUF on treated coir fiber and fibrous chips reinforced tri-layered biocomposites. Beside, a novel sustainable product is developed through reinforcing the fibrous chip with coir fiber in terms of multilayered biocomposite panels.

Glycerol Assisted Pretreatment of Lignocellulose Wheat Straw Materials as a Promising Approach for Fabrication of Sustainable Fibrous Filler for Biocomposites.

Glycerol pretreatment is a promising method for the environmentally-friendly transformation of lignocellulosic materials into sustainable cellulose-rich raw materials (i.e., biopolymer) to fabricate biocomposites. Here, a comparison of aqueous acidified glycerol (AAG) pretreatment of wheat straw (WS) with alkaline, hot water, and dilute acid pretreatments on the thermal and mechanical characteristics of their fabricated composite board is presented. A comparison of total energy expenditure during WS pretreatment with AAG and other solutions was estimated and a comparative influence of AAG processing on lignocellulosic constituents and thermal stability of WS fiber was studied. Results imply that AAG pretreatment was superior in generating cellulose-rich fiber (CRF) as compared to other pretreatments and enhanced the cellulose contents by 90% compared to raw WS fiber. Flexural strength of acidic (40.50 MPa) and hot water treated WS composite (38.71 MPa) was higher compared to the value of 33.57 MPa for untreated composite, but AAG-treated composites exhibited lower values of flexural strength (22.22 MPa) compared to untreated composite samples. Conversely, AAG pretreatment consumed about 56% lesser energy for each kg of WS processed as compared to other pretreatments. These findings recognize that glycerol pretreatment could be a clean and new pretreatment strategy to convert agricultural waste into high-quality CRF as a sustainable raw material source for engineered biocomposite panels.

Effects of the Face/Core Layer Ratio on the Mechanical Properties of 3D Printed Wood/Polylactic Acid (PLA) Green Biocomposite Panels with a Gyroid Core.

Gyroid structured green biocomposites with different thickness face layers (0.5, 1, 2 and 2.5 mm) were additively manufactured from wood/ polylactic acid (PLA) filaments using a 3D printer. The mechanical properties of the composite panels, bending properties, compressive strength (parallel to the surface), Brinell hardness, and face screw withdrawal resistance, were determined. The surface layer thickness significantly affects the mechanical properties of the composite materials. As the surface layer thickness was increased from 0.5 to 2.5 mm, all the mechanical properties significantly improved. In particular, the Brinell hardness and face screw withdrawal resistance of the specimens improved sharply when the skin thickness was higher than 2 mm. The bending strength, bending modulus, compressive strength (parallel to the surface), Brinell hardness, and face screw withdrawal resistance of the specimens with a skin of 0.5 mm were found to be 8.10, 847.5, 3.52, 2.12 and 445 N, respectively, while they were found to be 65.8, 11.82, 2492.2, 14.62, 26 and 1475 N for the specimens with a 2.5 mm skin. Based on the findings from the present study, gyroid structured composites with a thickness of 2 mm or higher are recommended due to their better mechanical properties as compared to the composites with skins that are thinner.

Mechanical and thermal behavior of cellulose nanocrystals-incorporated Acrodur® sustainable hybrid composites for automotive applications

Utilization of cellulose nanocrystals as an additive in the formulation of biocomposites made with Acrodur® resin is presented. Natural fibers/polyethylene terephthalate mats were impregnated with Acrodur® and hot-pressed into the final thickness of 3 mm after drying. Biocomposites with 2 wt.% and 5 wt.% cellulose nanocrystal (dry-basis) were also produced. The produced biocomposite panels were then tested to determine the flexural strength, flexural modulus and Izod impact strength. The results revealed that adding cellulose nanocrystal to the composite formulation increased flexural modulus significantly up to 970 MPa (17.5% increase) at a panel density of 0.5 g/cm3, while it did not significantly affect flexural strength values. A slight reduction was observed in the impact strength of the samples by adding cellulose nanocrystal. The fractured samples of impact test were observed under a scanning electron microscope. It was shown that in all cases, the fracture happened due to the failure of the fibrous system and in particular natural fibers. Thermal stability of the composites was also investigated using thermo-gravimetric analysis. It was found that adding cellulose nanocrystal slightly reduced the thermal stability of the biocomposites. Potential compatibility of cellulose nanocrystal particles with Acrodur® resin is promising and the improvement in flexural modulus can lead to the design of lighter parts for automotive applications such as door panels, headliners, and underbody shields.

Simulation of Marine Bio-Composite Using Empirical Data Combined with Finite Element Technique

After development of world-first marine bio-composite from 100% waste materials, the necessity of obtaining a simulation tool to predict the performance of this novel material under different conditions has arisen. This study examines the combination of empirical optimization and finite element simulation method as an economic and time-effective tool to predict the mechanical performance of novel complex bio-composite mixtures at the design phase. Bio-composite panels were manufactured introducing marine bio-fillers as secondary reinforcements in a wood–polypropylene particulate blend, from 100% waste resources. The particulate panels were subject to tensile test for mechanical characterization. Based on these results, some of the necessary parameters for finite element simulation has defined empirically and a finite element model was developed utilizing ANSYS software, performing a simulation series. Post-processing of the simulation results was carried out to predict the deformation behavior of the material during the three-point bending test. To validate this technique of material definition, the simulated static bending test results were verified with factual physical tests, and both techniques were well in accordance with each other. This simulation method demonstrated reliable feedback on the behavior of materials for the development of innovative complex materials. Therefore, the time invested, materials used and experimental procedures can be significantly reduced, having significant economic benefits for research and industrial projects.

Ionic liquids pretreatment for fabrication of agro-residue/thermoplastic starch based composites: A comparative study with other pretreatment technologies

Ionic liquids (ILs) pretreatment has emerged as a promising technology toward environmentally benign conversion of lignocellulosic residues into high value cellulosic fiber as sustainable raw material for biocomposite fabrication. This study presents a comparison of ILs-assisted pretreatment of oil palm fronds (OPF) fiber with dilute acid, alkaline, and hot compressed water pretreatments on the mechanical and thermal properties of their fabricated thermo-molded biocomposites with thermoplastic starch as a biopolymer binder. A comparison of energy consumption for ILs pretreatment with other pretreatment methods was also performed and the comparative impact of ILs pretreatment on OPF fiber was investigated by lignocellulosic composition, crystallinity and thermal stability analysis for untreated and all pretreated fibers. Results indicate that ILs pretreatment is superior in terms of delignification of OPF and produces cellulose rich fiber (CRF) with 48–50% reduced crystallinity as compared to those of acidic, alkaline, and hot water pretreated fibers. However, the flexural strength of the IL [emim][dep] treated composite (13.8 MPa) was significantly improved over that of untreated composite with value of 5.3 MPa, but was slightly higher than acidic and hot water pretreatments which were 13.5 MPa and 10.8 MPa, respectively. ILs pretreatment consumed about 0.5–2.0 folds more energy per kg of OPF residue as compared to other methods. In the premises of the present findings, we believe that ILs-based pretreatment could be a new, clean and promising alternative processing approach for conversion of a wide variety of agro-based lignocellulosic waste materials into cellulose-rich fibers for manufacturing of engineered biocomposite panels.

The effect of microstructure, filler load and surface adhesion of marine bio-fillers, in the performance of Hybrid Wood-Polypropylene Particulate Bio-composite

This study aims to advance Wood-Plastic Composite materials by transferring wastes into resources, for the design and development of a low-carbon, high-value environmentally sensitive end-product, for building applications. For this purpose, four waste materials locally sourced from the Sydney Metropolitan Area were selected. Local marine litter such as Kelp brown algae (Eklonia spp.) and Bivalve mollusc shells (Veneridae spp.) are examined as combined reinforcements in the function of secondary bio-fillers. A series of 20 specimens were prepared with filler/matrix as 60/40 wt%. The blend was prepared with particle sizes sifted through 20 and 40 meshes respectively. Secondary bio-fillers are incorporated to the blend as 10 and 20 wt%. Prototype panels were manufactured by traditional hot-compression method. The filler/matrix interface was investigated, as well as the fracture surface of the bio-composite panels. The mechanical performance and moisture absorbency of the bio-composite as function of particle size, filler load and the effect of coupling agent are reported. The experimental results indicated that the novel particulate bio-composite prototypes effectively achieved an enhanced performance suitable for high-moisture environment applications.

Quasi-Static Compression and Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Tri-Axial Bio-Composite Structural Panels Using a Spherical Head.

This paper presents experimental results of both quasi-static compression and low-velocity impact behavior for tri-axial bio-composite structural panels using a spherical load head. Panels were made having different core and face configurations. The results showed that panels made having either carbon fiber fabric composite faces or a foam-filled core had significantly improved impact and compressive performance over panels without either. Different localized impact responses were observed based on the location of the compression or impact relative to the tri-axial structural core; the core with a smaller structural element had better impact performance. Furthermore, during the early contact phase for both quasi-static compression and low-velocity impact tests, the panels with the same configuration had similar load-displacement responses. The experimental results show basic compression data could be used for the future design and optimization of tri-axial bio-composite structural panels for potential impact applications.

Thermal insulation properties of hybrid textile reinforced biocomposites from food packaging waste

Due to the significant and harmful effect of the global warming on our communities, health, and climate, the usage of thermal insulation material in building is must to decrease the energy consumption and to improve energy efficiency. On the other hand, the utilization of waste and biomass resources for developing new bio-based composite materials is attracting much attention for the environmental and socioeconomics. Therefore, in this study, thermal insulation bio-based composite panels from Tetra Pak® waste and wool fiber waste with different ratios were manufactured. Likewise, other sandwich bio-based composite panels were manufactured using Tetra Pak waste as a core material with glass woven fabric and jute wove fabric as skin materials. Thermal conductivity and thermal resistance results showed a significant improvement on thermal insulation properties of the developed biocomposite panels compared to the control samples made of plain Tetra Pak®.