EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON EPOXY COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH NATURAL SEED FILLER AND BORON CARBIDE ADDITIVES

Abstract

Natural-fiber-reinforced polymer composites have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional synthetic composites because of their low density, biodegradability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental sustainability. These materials consist of reinforcement and polymer matrix phases, where the reinforcement content generally varies from 5% to 40%, while the matrix content ranges between 60% and 90%. In epoxy-based systems, hardener content is usually maintained between 1% and 5% of resin weight for effective curing.To further improve matrix performance, nano- or micro-sized fillers are incorporated in small proportions, usually below 10 wt.%, to enhance mechanical strength, stiffness, and durability. Although extensive research has been carried out on natural fiber reinforced composites and their mechanical, thermal, chemical, and physical characteristics, limited work has focused on bio-particulate reinforced epoxy composites. In particular, avocado seed cover powder has received very little attention as an alternative filler material.