Effectiveness of Groundnut Shell Powder on Improving the Mechanical Properties of Jute Fiber Mat-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

This research explores the mechanical properties of jute fiber mat-reinforced epoxy composites filled with groundnut shell powder as fillers. The aim is to investigate the effects of filler concentration on the mechanical properties of the composite so that the volume fraction of epoxy in composite is reduced. Using untreated 4-layer jute fiber mats and fine groundnut shell powder (<75 μm), the composites were prepared through a simple hand lay-up process. We examined the tensile and flexural properties of the manufactured composites for comparison with the base jute fiber mat-reinforced epoxy composite. The test results showed improvement in tensile and flexural properties up to a filler content of 6 wt.%. For instance, a 2 wt.% filler provided the best performance with improvements in tensile strength by 8.25 %, in tensile toughness by 25.61 %, in flexural strength by 13.51 %, and in flexural energy absorption by 48.47 %. The tensile modulus of the composite was not significantly affected by the filler addition, but the flexural modulus showed improvement for all filler concentrations. However, when the filler content exceeds 2 wt.%, the properties decline due to filler agglomeration and poor bonding with the matrix indicating the optimum filler content. This research highlights the importance of using agro-waste fillers like groundnut shell powder (GSP), which not only improve performance but also promote sustainability by reducing the use of epoxy in manufacturing jute fiber mat reinforced epoxy composites. This study combines the enhanced material properties with waste management, offering an eco-friendly alternative in improving the strength of composites as well as reducing the plastic utilization in composites.