Development and characterization of sustainable epoxy resin composites reinforced with palm kernel shell particulate and sisal fiber

This study explores the development and characterization of epoxy resin composites reinforced with palm kernel shell (PKS) particulate and sisal fibers, aiming to create sustainable and high-performance materials. Elemental composition analysis using energy dispersive X-ray revealed significant increases in carbon and oxygen content with higher PKS particulate content, indicating successful reinforcement integration. The mechanical properties were evaluated through Brinell hardness, impact energy, impact strength, tensile stress, and wear resistance tests. The Brinell hardness increased from 31.8 kg/mm2 in the control sample to a peak of 60.6 kg/mm2 in sample SP4, demonstrating enhanced hardness with PKS particulate addition. Impact tests identified an optimal reinforcement level in sample SP3, which achieved the highest impact energy (83 J) and impact strength (47.43 kJ/m2). Tensile stress analysis showed a maximum tensile stress of 28.7991 MPa for SP3, while excessive PKS content in SP4 reduced this to 20.4612 MPa. Wear tests indicated a trade-off between mechanical reinforcement and wear resistance, with the control sample exhibiting the lowest wear rates and SP4 the highest having a 91.9% increase. Based on the obtained results, SP3 with 0.8 g PKS particulate, 0.2 g sisal fiber in epoxy resin matrix seems the optimized composite with enhance mechanical properties without compromising wear resistance. The incorporation of sisal fiber and palm kernel shell particles significantly boosts tensile strength in the composite materials.Higher reinforcement content improves strength but reduces wear resistance, highlighting a balance between material properties.SEM analysis reveals that reinforcement distribution and particle agglomeration impact the composite's mechanical performance.