Evaluation of the effect of reinforcement particle sizes on the impact and hardness properties of hardwood charcoal particulate-polyester resin composites

Abstract

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.

Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Sansevieria cylindrica Fiber/Polyester Composites

“…When a composite material is subjected to a Advances in Materials Science and Engineering sudden impact, it indicates the composite's ability to resist crack propagation. e composite material hardness is based on the distribution of the fiber into the matrix [20]. e hardness values of treated and untreated SC fiber composites are tabulated in Table 3.…”

Tribological Performance Evaluation of Hardwood Charcoal Powder Reinforced Polyester Resin with Response Surface Modelling and Optimization

“…The development of the hardwood charcoal particles reinforced polyester matrix composites and the neat/ unreinforced polyester followed the procedure described in the authors' previous work [44].…”

“…RSM is a statistical and experimental design tool in which a specified dependent variable or materials property responds to experimental variations in one or more independent process factors [40][41][42][43]. There is little or no researches on the use of hardwood charcoal to improve the tribological and other mechanical properties of wood charcoal-polymer composites [38,44]. Therefore, the objective of the present research is to investigate the influence of hardwood charcoal Particles (HWCP), as natural reinforcement material on the density and dry sliding wear resistance of polyester matrix composite, as well as optimize the process factors (reinforcement particle sizes and volume fraction) and develop mathematical models for predicting the investigated properties.…”

Use of eco-benign periwinkle shell particle for making composites and study their effect on the thermal and mechanical properties of novel HDPE composites

“…This can be attributed to the introduction of the hard and brittle PSP phase into the HDPE matrix and the microstructure of the prepared composites. Similar phases have been introduced in polyester resin and HDPE matrices by hardwood charcoal particulates and coconut shell powder respectively [38,39].…”