Experimental studies on interlaminar shear strength and dynamic mechanical analysis of luffa fiber epoxy composites with nano PbO addition

In the present study, the significance of nanofiller lead oxide (PbO) on the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) performance of luffa fiber–reinforced epoxy composites was investigated. The epoxy matrix was altered with nanofiller PbO of different weight percent through a mechanical stirring process. The PbO-added luffa fiber epoxy composites were made through hand layup preceded by the compression molding method. The prepared composite samples were investigated for ILSS and DMA. The test results lead to the inference that the 1.25 wt% PbO nanofiller–added composite samples attained 25%, 17%, and 55% of higher loss modulus, storage modulus, and ILSS, respectively, as compared with the other prepared samples. The morphological investigation was conducted on the fractured surface of the interlaminar tested samples. The micrographic images show the bonding nature of the luffa fiber with the epoxy matrix, fiber breakage, and fiber pullouts. The characterization studies such as FTIR, XRD, and EDX were conducted on the fabricated composite samples. The XRD studies show that the rise in weight percent of the nanofiller PbO enhances the crystallinity of the composite samples. Moreover, the composite sample prepared with 1.25 wt% nanofiller PbO can be used to prepare low-cost roofing materials for sustainable housing projects.

Dynamic Mechanical Analysis of Thermally Aged Fique Fabric-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is one of the most common methods employed to study a material’s viscoelastic properties. The effect of thermal aging on plain epoxy and a fique fabric-reinforced epoxy composite was investigated by comparing the mass loss, morphologies, and DMA properties of aged and unaged samples. In fact, thermal aging presents a big challenge for the high-temperature applications of natural fiber composites. In this work, both plain epoxy and fique fabric-reinforced epoxy composite were found to have different molecular mobility. This leads to distinct transition regions, with different changes in intensity caused by external loadings from time-aging. Three exponentially modified Gauss distribution functions (EMGs) were applied to loss factor curves of fique fabric-reinforced epoxy composite and plain epoxy, which allowed identifying three possible mobility ranges. From these results it was proposed that the thermal degradation behavior of natural fibers, especially fique fiber and their composites, might be assessed, based on their structural characteristics and mechanical properties.