Development and characterization of coconut shell nano filler reinforced epoxy bio-composite
摘要
Bio-composites refers to incorporating bio-fillers in the composite. Biofillers are cheap and are available in abundance, which makes them a suitable candidate for reinforcing in the polymers to develop bio-composites. However, bio-composites show comparatively poor mechanical properties that restrict their usage in various applications. This paper explores the use of coconut shell nanofillers in addition to E-glass powder to develop bio-composite materials. Composites specimens are developed using coconut shell nano filler at three different weight percentages through a stir casting process. E glass filler powder is added at 5% wt. for each of the fabricated samples. The bio-composites developed in the study are characterized for their mechanical and physicochemical properties. Improvement of 13% in tensile strength, 31% in bending strength and 20% in hardness value was observed for 15% wt. composite specimens compared to neat epoxy. The findings demonstrate that incorporating these nanofillers along with E-glass significantly enhances the mechanical properties of the developed bio-composites compared to neat epoxy. The bio-waste-derived composite materials can serve as effective substitutes for wood and low-load bearing applications.