Examining the Effects of Quenched Barley Husk Biosilica on Cotton Microfibre–Vinyl Ester Composite: Fatigue, Creep and Dynamic Mechanical Behavior

Abstract

This research study was conducted to examine the effects of quenched biosilica on the composite material composed of cotton microfibers and vinyl ester. Examining the performance of quenched biosilica reinforced in a vinyl ester composite with cotton microfiber is the primary focus of this research. After the biosilica was quenched after being generated from hardly husk, a hand layup process was employed to create the composites. Adding quenched biosilica in silane-treated form significantly increases the load bearing characteristics, according to the comprehensive analysis of many composite materials. Results from the fatigue tests show that VCB3 has remarkable resilience to fatigue, with a maximum stress of 74 MPa maintained after 104 cycles and a subsequent decline to 16 MPa at 106 cycles. In the dynamic mechanical investigation, VCB3 showed the least amount of energy dissipation and highest stiffness with a peak loss factor of 0.38. This finding is supported by the creep test, which shows that VCB3 exhibits the best structural stability under continuous load, with creep strain values ranging from 0.0059 at 5000 s to 0.0084 at 15,000 s. When quenched silane-treated biosilica is included into the composite matrix, its resistance to deformation, propagation of fractures and energy loss is enhanced. These findings demonstrate the importance of quenched silane-treated biosilica in improving the mechanical performance of composite materials, making them suitable for demanding applications including drones, automobiles, homes, and sports that demand high levels of thermal stability and exceptional durability.