Engineering design of sustainable aluminium composite material with rice husk core

ABSTRACT In the current scenario, colossal demand for state-of-the-art green composites has surged significantly to be exploited in commercial applications with a concurrent need to curtail plastics. The present study targets Aluminium Composite Materials (ACM) with a polyethylene core that can be substituted by rice husk (RH), a hard protective sheath of rice grains. Rice husk is a paragon of eco-friendliness and a productive latent agricultural byproduct. The current investigation focuses on designing and fabricating an ACM with rice husk core in different proportions of rice husk (5, 10, 15, and 20% by weight) with epoxy resin to form a laminate and sandwiched between aluminium sheets. Its various physical, mechanical, and environmental properties were examined to correlate with commercially existing ACMs, composites made from agricultural residues, plywood, and hardboards. It was observed that the proposed composite is light-weight with low water absorption, appreciable tensile and flexural strength, and vibration modes beyond the frequency range of operation. It is envisaged that the eco-friendly ACM with the rice husk core would be a promising eco-solution for daily-use applications like signage, hoarding, and frames.