Enhancing Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Jute-Polyester Composites Through Filler Modification

The following is a research study on how different fillers affect the mechanical and thermal properties of Jute-Polyester Composites. Composite materials can be tailored to have better properties than their individual components. However, the performance of polymer-based composite materials is often affected by changes in temperature, which can cause internal stresses due to thermal contraction and expansion of the two constituents. The manipulation of composition through careful control techniques can yield significant improvements in several material properties such as thermal and electrical conductivity, dimensional stability, and wear resistance. To enhance the thermal conductivity (TC) of jute-polyester composites, fillers such as Cu, Al, and SiC powders were added to create hybrid composites. In this study, JPCs with and without fillers were examined to observe their effects on TC and mechanical strength (MPa). The experimental setup was based on GHP using the principle of calorimeter. It was found that the addition of fillers of Cu, Al, and SiC improved both TC and mechanical strength (MPa) significantly in all the plates of JPCs.