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The influence of hardwood charcoal particles (HWCP) on some mechanical properties and surface morphology of polyester matrix composites (PMC) was investigated in this work. The polyester base matrix was reinforced with varying weight fraction of HWCP. The composites developed were subjected to impact and hardness tests respectively. The morphological characteristics, elemental characterization and quantification of the synthesized composites were also evaluated. From the results, it is revealed that the composites reinforced with the largest particle sized hardwood charcoal (300 lm) absorbed high impact energy before fracture. However, the composites with lower particle sizes (75, 150 & 250 lm) recorded a high hardness values with increasing weight percent of reinforcements incorporated in the polyester matrix composite. These higher values obtained were attributable to better interfacial bonding due to better mechanical interlocking between the HWCP and polyester resin. The EDX results indicated an increase in the contents of calcium, silicon, potassium and aluminium in the reinforced polyester matrix composites. SEM image show the homogeneous distribution of the reinforcement particles in the majorly carbon matrix phase and increased surface roughness of the reinforced polyester matrix composites.

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Polyester based particle reinforced composites were developed using varying weight fractions (ranging from 0 to 30 wt%, at 5 wt% interval) of microcrystalline wood charcoal powder (75µm). Quantitative, qualitative and functional characterization of developed wood charcoal (WC) particles reinforced polyester matrix composites was carried out successfully using energy dispersive x-ray spectrophotometer (EDXRF), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) enhanced with ancillary EDS for elemental identification capability. The primary elements and oxides identified in wood charcoal by EDXRF include iron, copper, zinc, calcium and CaO, Fe2O3, CuO, ZnO respectively. These elements and oxides were noted to induce improvement on the properties of reinforced polymer composites. EDS elemental mapping also confirmed the major elements identified by EDXRF analysis. Composites reinforced with microcrystalline wood charcoal exhibited strong interfacial bonding and interlocking due to even dispersion of the filler particles as revealed by SEM images. Interactions of the microcrystalline wood charcoal fillers with the polyester matrix molecules were revealed by FTIR functional characterization as minor shifts in the frequency bands of functional groups normally present in unsaturated polyester resin.