Mechanical Wear Resistance and Water Absorption Properties of Particulate Palm Kernel Shell Reinforced Epoxy Composites for Automobile Application

• A. S. Taiwo

  Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

• I. O. Oladele

  Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

• O. O. Daramola

  Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

• A. D. Akinwekomi

  Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

• O. G. Agbabiaka

  Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, The Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria

This work investigates the effects of particulate palm kernel shell (PKS) on epoxy matrix for the development of composites that can be used as substitute to the conventional metallic bumpers in automobiles. The PKS was sourced from an oil plantation and washed thoroughly with water before sun dried. The dried PKS was pulverized using a laboratory ball mill and sieved into 45 µm particle sizes. Elemental composition of the PKS was determined using XRF. The PKS particulate was randomly dispersed in the epoxy resin to develop composite samples of varied weight contents. The developed samples were tested to determine their impact toughness, wear resistance, flexural, tensile and water absorption properties. The results showed that higher weight contents within 10 - 20 wt.% PKS reinforcement gave the best performance in most of the mechanical properties examined with the exception of tensile and flexural properties which were enhanced at 8 wt.%. Water absorption was noticed to increase as the PKS content increases from 2 - 20 wt.%.

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