Effect of Red Mud and Copper Slag Particles on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Bamboo-Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

In order to obtain the favoured material properties for a particular application, it is important to know how the material performance changes with the filler content under given loading conditions. In this study, a series of bamboo fiber reinforced epoxy composites are fabricated using conventional filler (aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and silicon carbide (SiC) and industrial wastes (red mud and copper slag) particles as filler materials. By incorporating the chosen particulate fillers into the bamboo-fiber reinforced epoxy, synergistic effects, as expected are achieved in the form of modified mechanical properties. Inclusion of fiber in neat epoxy improved the load bearing capacity (tensile strength) and the ability to withstand bending (flexural strength) of the composites. But with the incorporation of particulate fillers, the tensile strengths of the composites are found to be decreasing in most of the cases. Among the particulate filled bamboo-epoxy composites, least value of void content are recorded for composites with silicon carbide filling and for the composites with glass fiber reinforcement minimum void fraction is noted for red mud filling. The effects of these four different ceramics on the mechanical properties of bamboo- epoxy composites are investigated and the conclusions drawn from the above investigation are discussed.

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Investigation on Physical and Mechanical Properties of Banana and Palmyra Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Strojnícky casopis – Journal of Mechanical Engineering ◽

10.2478/scjme-2020-0029 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 70 (2) ◽

pp. 167-180

Author(s):

Vennapusa Vijaya Bhaskar ◽

Kolla Srinivas ◽

Devireddy Siva Bhaskara Rao

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Properties ◽

Hybrid Composites ◽

Matrix Material ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Physical And Mechanical Properties ◽

Epoxy Composites ◽

Fiber Reinforced ◽

Micro Structure ◽

Interfacial Analysis ◽

The Matrix

AbstractThe present work addresses the physical and mechanical properties of banana and palmyra fiber reinforced epoxy composites with the aim of study on the effect of weight ratio and fiber percentage. The banana and palmyra fibers were arranged with different weight ratios (1:1, 1:3, and 3:1) and then mixed with the epoxy matrix by hand lay-up technique to prepare the hybrid composites with various fiber percentages (10%, 20%, 30% and 40%). The properties are measured by testing its density, water absorption, tensile strength, impact strength, hardness and flexural strength and compared. From the results, it was indicated that addition of banana and palmyra fiber in to the matrix material up to 30% by fiber percentage results in increasing the mechanical properties and slightly variation with weight ratios. Interfacial analysis of the hybrid composites were also observed by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) to study the internal failures and micro structure of the tested specimen.

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