The effect of natural fillers in epoxy matrix hybrid bio composites

Abstract

The most important advantages of natural fillers and fibres are their newlinebiodegradability, accessibility, environmental friendliness, renewability, low density, newlinelow cost, high specific characteristics, low energy consumption, and lack of abrasive newlinequalities. Natural fibres are made up of three components: crystalline cellulose, newlinemicrofibril-reinforced amorphous lignin, and/or a hemicellulose matrix. Cellulose newlineaccounts for 60 to 80 percent of plant fibres, while hemicellulose accounts for 5 to newline20% and lignin and other components account for the remaining 10 to 20%. (20wt newlinepercent ). In addition to fibres as a form of reinforcement, fillers play an important newlinerole in the process of increasing the properties of composites. As a result of their newlinepotential use in the polymer matrix, fillers have piqued the interest of researchers in newlineboth business and academia. Wood particles, rice husks, wheat husks, coconut shell newlinepowders, and other similar materials are frequently used as filler materials to increase newlinethe mechanical modulii and surface characteristics of the composite.The biodegradability test newlinewas performed in the open air by burying the sample in mud. The weight of the newlinesample was consistently measured and recorded. The weight initially increased due to newlinethe way the material absorbed water, but after a few months, the weight began to newlinegradually decrease. The fracture toughness value for the composite was determined newlineusing Mode I fractures test. The critical stress intensity factor was used to calculate newlinethe fracture toughness value. The fracture toughness value has been shown to increase newlineas the fibre volume fraction increases. However, once the filler and fibre content newlinereaches 20% by volume, the increase becomes insignificant newline