ENGINEERING APPLICATIONS OF CHEMICALLY ACTIVATED CARBON COMPOSITES FROM AGROWASTES OF PALM KERNEL AND COCONUT SHELLS

Epoxy/activated carbon composites of particle sizes (60, 105, 150μm) and reinforcement weight percentages of (2, 4, 6 and 8) have been developed and evaluated for engineering applications. The physicomechanical properties were determined according to ASTM standard methods. Density decreased with an increase in reinforcement weight percentage. 2% weight increment of the particle sizes of the chemically activated carbon fillers yielded tensile and flexural strengths higher than that of the selected commercial brake pads (CB1) and (CB2), with the tensile strength of 4.84 and 6.58MPa, the flexural strength of 12.84 and 21.61MPa respectively while the hardness results compared well with the commercial brake pads samples. In general, from the standpoint of its tensile strength, %elongation at break, flexural strength, and hardness properties, these new formulations can find applications in aerospace and automobile industries where lightweight, high strength materials are sought after, hence a potential organic friction lining precursor for brake pad manufacture.