Utilizing Agro-Industrialleftovers for Advanced Composite Material Development: Exploring the Mechanical Potential of Cow-Heel

ABSTRACTThe research aims to develop a polymer reinforced composite material using Cow-heel particle and local sponge fiber. Its characteristics such as the tensile strength, hardness, Impact energy and wear rate were studied. As a matrix was used polyester resin. Four test samples were produced by varying content of Cow-heel particle with a constant value of the local sponge fiber through the four prepared test samples. Specimen CH1 with a composition of 0.5g Cow-heel and 0.5g of local sponge fiber. Specimen CH2 with a composition of 1.0g Cow-heel and 0.5g sponge fiber. Specimen CH3 with a composition of 1.5g Cow-heel and 0.5g sponge fiber and Specimen CH4 with a composition of 2.0g Cow-heel and 0.5g sponge fiber. The percentage of polymer epoxy resin and hardener was made constant by 90g in 2:1 respectively for all specimens. During mechanical characterization CH2 show a significant tensile strength with a tensile stress value of 52.4 MPa under a load value 838N, making it suitable for high stress application. For the hardness test, an increase in the material’s hardness value is observed, with CH4 which has highest reinforcing element, exhibit the highest BHN value of to 142.39kgmm. Mechanically impact energy and hardness property of a material are related, which bring about CH4 exhibiting the highest impact energy of 37.05J, this makes CH4 suitable for applications requiring high toughness and hardness. The wear properties analysis of the polymer reinforced composite material, shows that the material is more susceptible to the wear as the reinforcing particles increases, CH1 exhibit more resistance to wear with a resistance value of 137.03mm/mm3, making CH1 ideal for applications requiring high wear resistance. However CH4 also show a close resistance value compare to CH1, which suggest that CH1 and CH2 test sample can applied in an engineering practice where wear resistance is considered. Is then concluded that it is possible to utilized Agro-waste material in production of composite material. The composite produced can find its applications in various industrial and engineering application because it has exhibited good hardness, tensile and impact strength that can be applicable in some engineering designs.