JETI

JETI Admin

Abstract

This study investigates the fabrication and mechanical characterization of epoxy composites reinforced with corn cob particles and coconut fiber dust, both derived from agricultural waste. The goal is to enhance the sustainability and performance of polymer composites by incorporating natural fiber reinforcements. By varying the concentration of corn cob particles while keeping the amount of coconut fiber dust constant, we examined their effects on tensile strength, hardness, impact resistance, and wear rate. The optimal composition, found to be 0.4g corn cob particles and 0.2g coconut fiber dust, achieved the highest tensile stress of 33.33 MPa, significantly surpassing the base epoxy sample. The addition of corn cob particles also improved the hardness of the composites, with notable increases observed up to a certain concentration. Impact resistance peaked with 0.6g corn cob particles, indicating an optimal balance between strength and toughness. Wear resistance was significantly enhanced under low load conditions, although higher loads presented some limitations. These findings highlight the potential of using agricultural waste to create sustainable, high-performance polymer composites, thereby promoting recycling and reducing reliance on synthetic fibers. This research contributes to the field of sustainable materials by demonstrating viable alternatives to traditional synthetic reinforcements and advancing the development of eco-friendly composite materials.. 

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