Comparative analysis of tamarind shell biomass powder and roasted chickpeas powder in kenaf fiber reinforced vinyl ester composite

This study undertakes a comparative examination of the efficacy of biomass-derived tamarind shell powder and roasted chickpeas fillers within Kenaf fiber reinforced vinyl ester composite. The main objective of this research was to study the impact of adding biomass fillers into the natural fibre-reinforced vinyl ester resin composite. Since these two fillers are available in huge volume, converting the same as useful reinforcement provide valuable insights. The fabrication method employed adhered to the hand layup technique, and testing procedures followed ASTM standards. Overall, the composites containing tamarind shell powder demonstrated superior performance across various tests. For instance, in mechanical testing, the AT2 designation exhibited remarkable results with a tensile strength of 150MPa, flexural strength of 181MPa, ILSS of 32.7MPa, impact energy of 5.34J, and a hardness of 78. In terms of wear properties, the AT3 composite displayed the lowest wear rate of 0.017mm3/Nm and a coefficient of friction (COF) of 0.25, indicating enhanced wear resistance. Additionally, the AT3 composite showcased superior thermal conductivity properties, recording 0.46W/mK. Despite these advantages, the A composite designation showed the lowest water absorption, primarily attributed to the increased hydrophilic nature resulting from the inclusion of tamarind and roasted chickpeas fillers. Notably, tamarind exhibited a slightly reduced hydrophilic nature compared to roasted chickpeas. These findings underscore the potential of tamarind shell powder as a promising filler material for improving the performance of Kenaf fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites, particularly in mechanical, wear, thermal conductivity, and water absorption aspects.