Pumpkin waste powder was used as a coloring and strengthening filler in epoxy to prepare a natural gelcoat . The Pumpkin powder was mixed with different weight ratios (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8%) to the epoxy matrix to select the best value of powder addition. The effect of the pumpkin particle size on the mechanical properties (impact, flexural, hardness, and wear loss) using two different sizes (2.5 and 1.25 microns) was studied. The impact strength increased from (10.09 KJ/ m2) for neat epoxy to (14.79 KJ/ m2) for epoxy with 1% of micron pumpkin fibers ( MPF) with particle size 2.5 micrometer and (14.21 KJ/ m2) for epoxy with 4% (1.25 MPF), flexural strength increased from (41.94 MPa) for neat epoxy to (~ 46 MPa) for epoxy with 1% of 2.5 MPF and to (50.17 MPa) for epoxy with 4% of 1.25 MPF, hardness of neat epoxy was (~ 77) and almost maintained its value for epoxy with 1% of 2.5 MPF and for epoxy with 4% of 1.25 MPF. At almost the weight fractions addition of pumpkin fibers to epoxy, the (EP/1.25MPF) composite shows a higher wear resistance than the (EP/2.5MPF) composite. The density, thermal conductivity, and water diffusion (for 1-4 weeks' immersion) of (EP/2.5MPF) and (EP/1.25MPF) composites were carried out at different weight percentages of pumpkin fibers. SEM and EDS techniques were employed to fix the microstructure and the elemental composition of (EP/2.5MPF) and (EP/1.25MPF) composites, respectively. The internal structure of the composites has been linked with their macroscopic characteristics, such as the color degree of natural gelcoats and their mechanical and thermal properties.
In the present study, composites were prepared by Hand lay-up molding and investigated. The composites constituents were epoxy resin as the matrix, 6% volume fractions of Glass Fibers (G.F) as reinforcement and 3%, 6% of industrial powder (Calcium Carbonate CaCO3, Potassium Carbonate K2CO3 and Sodium Carbonate Na2CO3) as filler. Density, water absorption, hardness test, flexural strength, shear stress measurements and tests were conducted to reveal their values for each type of composite material. The results showed that the non – reinforced epoxy have lower properties than composites material. Measured density results had show an incremental increase with volume fraction increase
... Show MoreFiber reinforced polymer composite is an important material for structural application. The diversified application of FRP composite has taken center of attraction for interdisciplinary research. However, improvements on mechanical properties of this class of materials are still under research for different applications. In this paper we have modified the epoxy matrix by Al2O3, SiO2 and TiO2 nano particles in glass fiber/epoxy composite to improve the mechanical and physical properties. The composites are fabricated by hand lay-up method. It is observed that mechanical properties like flexural strength, hardness are more in case of SiO2 modified epoxy composite compare to other nano
... Show MoreThe aim of this work is to evaluate some mechanical and physical
properties (i.e. the impact strength, hardness, flexural strength,
thermal conductivity and diffusion coefficient) of
(epoxy/polyurethane) blend reinforced with nano silica powder (2%
wt.). Hand lay-up technique was used to manufacture the composite
and a magnetic stirrer for blending the components. Results showed
that water had affected the bending flexural strength and hardness,
while impact strength increased and thermal conductivity decreased.
In addition to the above mentioned tests, the diffusion coefficient
was calculated using Fick’s 2nd law.
In this work, Pure and Cu: doped titanium dioxide nano-powder was prepared through a solid-state method. the dopant concentration [Cu/TiO2 in atomic percentage (wt%)] is derived from 0 to 7 wt.%. structural properties of the samples performed with XRD revealed all nanopowders are of titanium dioxide having polycrystalline nature. Physical and Morphological studies were conducted using a scanning electronic microscope SEM test instrument to confirm the grain size and texture. The other properties of samples were examined using an optical microscope, Lee's Disc, Shore D hardness instrument, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Results showed that the thermal conductivity
... Show MoreThe compounding of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) with two types of fillers and some additives were studied for the manufacturing of acid resistant tile. Various concentrations of two types of fillers namely; calcium carbonate and recycled glass powder were used along with different additives generally categorized as plasticizers, stabilizers, and lubricants were mixed in the standard concentration unit parts per hundred resins (phr) with the PVC as base polymer. The effects of filler materials on acid resistant towered different acids like sulphuric, nitric and hydrochloric at different concentration were studied. Samples which passed the test were further checked for dielectric strength and mechanical properties. It was found that the recycl
... Show MorePoly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA)/poly(caprolactone) (PCL) and two types of organoclay (OMMT) including a fatty amide and ocatdecylamine montmorillonite (FA-MMT and ODA-MMT) were employed to produce polymer nanocomposites by melt blending. Materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties were also investigated for these nanocomposites. The nanocomposites showed increasing mechanical properties and thermal stability. XRD results indicated that the materials formed nanocomposites. SEM morphology showed that increasing content of OMMT reduc
... Show MoreAim To develop a low-density polyethylene–hydroxyapatite (HA-PE) composite with properties tailored to function as a potential root canal filling material. Methodology Hydroxyapatite and polyethylene mixed with strontium oxide as a radiopacifier were extruded from a single screw extruder fitted with an appropriate die to form fibres. The composition of the composite was optimized with clinical handling and placement in the canal being the prime consideration. The fibres were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and their thermal properties determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The tensile strength and elastic modulus of the composite fibres and gutta-percha were compared, dry and after 1 month storage in
... Show MoreIn this study a polymeric composite material was prepared by hand
lay-up technique from epoxy resin as a matrix and magnesium oxide
(MgO) as a reinforcement with different weight fraction (5,10,15,
and 20)% to resin. Then the prepared samples were immersed under
normal condition in H2So4(1 M) solution, for periods ranging up to
10 weeks. The result revealed that the diffusion coefficient
decreasing as the concentration of MgO increase. Also we studied
Hardness for the prepared samples before and after immersion. The
result revealed that the hardness values increase as the concentration
of MgO increase, while the hardness for the samples after immersion
in H2SO4 dec