Development and Investigation On Sterculia Foetida Fillers Reinforced Polyester Hybrid Composites for Lightweight Structures

Abstract

Lightweight composite materials have gained significant attention in various applications due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio and tailor-able properties. This study investigates the potential of Sterculia Foetida fillers as reinforcements in polyester hybrid composites for lightweight structural applications. These fibre; Sterculia Foetida obtained from the bark of Sterculia tree enjoy characteristics such as low density and biodegradable in addition to a raw material availability factor. The hybrid composites were prepared based on using Sterculia Foetida filler with different weight % of incorporation into the polyester matrix which can be with different glass or carbon fibers. Four categories of properties which are static mechanical, dynamic mechanical, thermal and micro structure properties have been studied extensively on the developed composites. Hence through the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the dispersion of the fillers as well as the interaction between the fillers and the polymer matrix were evaluated. Tensile, flexural and impact test results of the composites led to understand the reinforcing properties of Sterculia Foetida fillers on the strength and also with modulus of the developed composites. Thermal characteristics and degradation of the hybrid composite was investigated with the help of TGA and DSC analysis. The adopted Sterculia Foetida fillers encourage and depicted a favorable influence on enhancing the mechanical properties of the polyester composites and at the same time supports the composite’s lightweight nature. The amounts of mechanical properties like tensile strength and modulus in hybrid composites were higher than that of neat polyester and therefore these hybrid composites could possibly be used in automotive, aerospace and construction field for light weight structural applications.