Characterization of polyester composite developed using silane-treated rubber seed cellulose toughened acrylonitrile butadiene styrene honey comb core and sunn hemp fiber

Abstract

In this study, a silane-treated sunn hemp fiber in a polyester resin and rubber seed husk cellulose toughened Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene honeycomb core were used to create a high-toughness, sudden energy-absorbing, environmentally sustainable composite. Materials include polyester resin, sunn hemp fiber, silane-treated cellulose derived from rubber seed husks, and methyl ethyl ketone peroxide as a catalyst. Using a fused deposition modeling printer, the honeycomb structure is manufactured. The composite materials were created by hand layup and post-cured for 48 h at 120 °C. The cured composites were then characterized in compliance with the American Society for Testing and Materials guidelines. The incorporation of 30% sunn hemp fiber and 10% ABS considerably improves the composites’ fatigue behavior, impact resistance, and mechanical properties. According to the results, the composite containing 4.0 phr of silane-treated cellulose is noteworthy for achieving maximum values of 5.8 J for Izod impact, 209 MPa for flexural strength, 7.7 GPa for tensile strength, and 8.24 GPa for flexural modulus. In a comparable way, the composite RAC5 with a 4.0 phr cellulose content generated a maximum fatigue count of 27,841 for 25% of UTS throughout its fatigue cycles. Significant improvements were observed in the thermal stability, with the decomposition temperatures rising as high as 541 °C. The inclusion of reinforcements treated with silane resulted in improved bonding with polyester resin, as confirmed by the SEM study. According to the study’s findings, these composites, which are distinguished by their excellent performance, low weight, and durability, have prospective uses in the automotive, sports, construction, and UAV industries.