Determination of thermophysical properties of Ficus elastica leaves reinforced epoxy composite

Abstract

In this study, Ficus elastica leaves have been reinforced into an epoxy composite and some physical and chemical characterization of the obtained composite is made. Ficus elastica leaves are ground between 297 and 149 microns. The biomass (Ficus elastica) prepared as a filler material is kept in sodium hydroxide (% 7 NaOH) solution for 24 hours for alkali activation. It is then washed three times with distilled water and dried in an oven at 75 °C for 3 hours. Composite production is carried out by reinforcing the prepared filler to the epoxy resin in certain proportions by mass. The effect of the biomass filler added at the rate of 0 wt.%, 1 wt.%, 3 wt.%, 5 wt.%, and 7 wt.% on the density, Shore D hardness, thermal conductivity coefficient, and activation energy of the epoxy composite is determined. According to the results obtained, the density of the epoxy composite decreases as the filler ratio in the mixture increases. Shore D hardness of epoxy composite decreases with the addition of biomass filler. The epoxy composite produced with biomass reinforcement reduces both the thermal conductivity coefficient and the activation energy. Besides, when the chemical bond structure of the obtained polyester composite is analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), it is seen that there is a physical interaction. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, 5 wt.% and 7 wt.% reinforcement of Ficus elastica leaves negatively affects the surface morphology of the epoxy composite.