Search

The additive manufacturing technique represents a technological advancement post the industrial revolution, enabling the development of intricate products with minimal waste. In the automotive sector, polymer extrusion‐based additive manufacturing is predominantly employed for part customization. Recently, reinforced polymer matrices have been used to enhance structural integrity, primarily utilizing synthetic materials. Due to environmental concerns, some recent studies have explored the incorporation of natural fiber reinforcement in polymer matrices for 3D‐printed products. Most research has focused on filler reinforcement, limiting investigations to a single type of reinforcement. To bridge this gap and enhance composite performance, our research introduces a novel method for 3D printing composites. This involves stacking sequences using two different natural fiber‐reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) filaments, namely Nona and Soy, respectively. Mechanical testing reveals that the stacking sequence significantly influences the mechanical properties of the 3D‐printed composites. The 3D‐printed composite with Soy/PLA skin stacks exhibits the highest tensile strength of 74.82 MPa. Thermal analysis shows minor changes in glass transition temperature (Tg) and a consistent degree of crystallinity (10.01%). Notable differences in thermal expansion are observed due to the stacking sequence. Fatigue analysis demonstrates the durability of hybrid composites, enduring over 42,000 cycles with minimal deformation compared with to pure fiber‐reinforced 3D‐printed composites. Morphological analysis reveals excellent fiber–matrix interaction and bonding between stacks. The observations confirm that the developed material can be potentially used for developing structurally enhanced composites for lightweight applications. Moreover, the proposed methodology can be adapted for different 3D printing matrices, including robotic printing with multiple axes, making it suitable for various industrial sectors. Highlights: Utilization of 3D printing technology for the development of agro‐waste fiber products.Hybridizing the 3D‐printed composite enhanced the fatigue life.New additive manufacturing technique for developing structurally enhanced composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study focuses on the development of innovative bio‐based filaments using new natural lignocellulosic particles obtained from the bark of the Morinda citrifolia L. plant as reinforcement. Polylactic acid (PLA 4043D) filaments with a diameter of 1.75 mm were produced by varying the volume fraction of M. citrifolia bark particles (MCBP) in three compositions (i.e., 0%, 3%, and 6%). These filaments were then used to print test specimens, which underwent quasi‐static mechanical tests (i.e., tensile and flexural; thermal characterization, thermo‐mechanical tests, and visco‐elastic analysis). The experimental findings demonstrated a remarkable improvement in the tensile strength (i.e., +15%) when the PLA was reinforced with 6% in volume of lignocellulosic particles. Additionally, 3% MCBP and 6% MCBP composites showed substantial increases in flexural strength and modulus (i.e., +25% and +34%), respectively; in comparison to the neat matrix. Moreover, the 3D‐printed composites exhibited significant enhancements in storage modulus, glass transition temperature, and structural stability at elevated temperatures. Hence, this work highlights the potential of the developed bio‐based filaments as feedstock filament material, enabling the production of various customized lightweight products in the automotive and sports industries like cycling helmets, protective guards, knee guards, etc. Highlights: Innovative bio‐based filaments are developed for FDM 3D printing.Morinda citrifolia bark particles (MCBPs) reduce warping risk in PLA printing.The hot crystallization enthalpy of PLA increases with the addition of MCBP.6% MCBP‐PLA exhibits the best mechanical performances.MCBP reinforcement reduces the thermal expansion of PLA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lignocellulosic fiber has distinct capacities and properties from diverse perspectives. As there is a crucial need for the development of green products, many industries are racing to identify potential fibers for their products. This work focuses first on the property enhancement using chemical modification techniques for Cymbopogon flexuosus stem fiber (CFS), which is extracted from the waste residue of an oil industry. The chemically treated fibers resulted in higher cellulose (77.35%) and lower hemicellulose‐lignin contents (8.36% and 14.5%), which favors composite manufacturing. Morphological analysis on the fiber surface through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) evidenced the surface was rough, and a single fiber tensile test reveals an average tensile strength of 635 ± 4.5 MPa. Further x‐ray diffraction examination verified the existence of semi‐crystalline cellulose with a size of 14.32 nm and a higher crystallinity index of 55.17%. Secondly, to explore fiber prospective qualities against the commercially available bio‐composite, epoxy resin‐based composites were prepared by varying the weight and length of fiber reinforced. The surface‐modified CFS epoxy composite has the highest tensile strength (77.71 MPa), tensile modulus (5.26 Gpa), flexural strength (87.4 MPa), flexural modulus (1.85 GPa), hardness (64 HRRW), and impact strength (9.31 J/cm2). The thermogravimetric analyses were evaluated to assess their weight loss under heat influence. Tensile fractography was also investigated to establish the structure–property relationship between the composite and fiber. Thus, unique fiber was identified as an ecologically benign and economically viable raw material to build lightweight green materials for industrial applications. Highlights: Studies explores the potential of CFSF, which is typically an industrial waste.Chemical modification reveals the enhancement of properties.Identifies optimum parameters that enhance composite properties.This aligns with the broader trend of sustainable and green manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction stir welding (FSW), a solid‐state joining method, is an innovative technique widely employed in the welding of thermoplastics, with broad application areas such as the automotive and aerospace industries. Due to its inherent advantages, including ease of processing, biodegradability, and printability, polylactic acid (PLA) and its derivatives are notably the most commonly used polymers in 3D printing. The limited print area of 3D printers necessitates post‐production joining processes. In this study, the weldability of plates obtained using PLA Wood filament through the FSW is evaluated. For this purpose, different pin geometries (triangle, square, and screw), feed rates (20, 40, and 60 mm/min), and tool rotation speeds (1250, 1750, and 2250 rpm) are employed. Visual inspections are conducted to determine the effects of process parameters on weld quality and to identify defects in the weld region. Temperature values are measured to investigate the influence of heat generated during the FSW process. Furthermore, after determining the highest weld strengths achieved for each pin geometry, the weldability of PLA Wood material with PLA‐CF and PLA Plus materials is investigated using these parameters. The results indicate that the highest weld quality for joining PLA Wood plates is achieved using the square pin geometry, 20 mm/min feed rate, and 1750 rpm with an efficiency of 74.5%. When welding PLA Wood with PLA‐CF and PLA Plus, high weld strengths are obtained using the same process parameters (square pin, 20 mm/min, and 1750 rpm). Highlights: Friction stir welding process of 3D printed PLA Wood material.Friction stir welding process of dissimilar materials pairs.Effect of welding parameters on weld strength and hardness.Identifying the fracture surface images occurring in parts after friction stir welding.Examination of temperature generation during friction stir welding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to produce bidirectional woven carbon/glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites and to assess their fracture toughness (FT) and low‐velocity impact strength. The composites were produced for the study by changing the stacking order of fiber layers using a vacuum assisted resin infusion process. In addition, the consequence of halloysite nano‐clay addition on the above properties were explored. The outcomes disclosed that the arrangement of fiber layer notably influences the FT and low‐velocity impact strength of the composites. Particularly, the addition of more carbon fiber layers played a key role in enhancing the FT of hybrid composites, while a reverse trend was observed for low‐velocity impact strength of composites due to the elastic nature of glass fibers, which absorbs more energy through global deformation. Additionally, the incorporation of halloysites enhanced the FT and impact strength of hybrid composites due to increased interfacial adhesion between composite elements. In addition, morphological analysis was conducted to evaluate the damage morphologies and failure mechanisms of tested laminates, which offers crucial information for the structural design of these laminates as well as for the enhancement of their performance. Highlights: Fracture toughness and impact strength of hybrid composites were investigated.Arranging carbon fibers on the extreme layers enhanced the fracture toughness.Glass fiber used in hybrid composite supports to increase their impact strength.Addition of halloysite improved the overall performance of hybrid composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dried leaves are the outstanding origin of cellulosic plant matter, and it is securing reputation as a renewable resource. Dried leaves fiber is suggested to possess the capability to substitute synthetic fibers in polymer laminates as a reinforcing component. The novelty of the present study reveals the effect of dried leaves fiber, cobalt, nickel, and ferrous reinforcement on the physical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics of epoxy, vinyl‐ester, and polyester polymers using artificial neural network (ANN) technique. These composites were fabricated using ultrasonication bath‐assisted wet layup method under ambient condition. The outcomes of this research exhibit that the dried leaves‐cobalt fillers reinforced in all three polymers possess higher mechanical and thermal stability characteristics when compared with other samples. The reason may be assigned to producing novel hydroxyl functional groups and strong interfacial bonding of fillers within the matrix as observed from Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectra and scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs, respectively. Moreover, as observed from the thermogravimetric analysis, the dried leaves‐ferrous filler‐reinforced polymer hybrid composites provided higher thermal stability. Statistical analysis was performed using the one‐way ANOVA technique and found that outcomes were significant statistically under the confidence level of 95%. Hence, this investigation not only emphasize the significance of investigating new polymer composites but also highlight the benefits of engaging advanced modeling to forecast the material characteristics precisely. Highlights: Dried leaves and cobalt/nickel/ferrous are applied reinforcement to polymers.Composites fabricated using ultrasonication bath‐assisted wet layup technique.LM Algorithm‐based ANN selected for predicting the best composite.Higher mechanical and thermal stability with dried leaves‐cobalt filler.One‐way ANOVA proved statistically significant within the material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prime objective of this research study was the investigation the new natural cellulosic fiber extracted from the stem of Abutilon Indicum plants as an alternative reinforcement in greener composite materials for structural applications. Abutilon Indicum a flowering plant with unique medicinal values are abundantly found in India and other south Asian countries. The fibers extracted from the stem of the Abutilon Indicum plant are proven to be sustainable, ecofriendly, and novel and hence this fiber is chosen for characterization study. In this experimental investigation the physical, chemical, thermal, morphological, crystallinity, chemical constituents, and surface characteristics of raw Abutilon Indicum fibers (AIF) were analyzed. Chemical analysis results convey the presence of higher cellulose content of (56.12 wt.%) in AIF. The diameter (175 μm) and density (1.170 g/cm3) of AIFs are determined by physical analysis of the raw fibers. Such lower density values observed in AIF make it as a perfect material for lightweight applications. Crystalline properties of AIFs are determined from X‐ray diffraction tests with a crystalline index of 77.35%, and crystalline size of 2.20 nm, which attributes to the presence of cellulose‐1β and the crystallites are ordered in nature. Thermal stability of 175°C, maximum degradation temperature upto 302.6°C and kinetic activation energy of 86.95 kJ/mol of AIF are established based on thermo gravimetric analysis. Morphological and surface characteristics of AIF through a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) analysis revealed that the raw fibers display a relatively finer surface. Research findings of the AIF mentioned above conclude that the AIFs prove to be an ideal, alternative reinforcement in greener composite materials for sustainable and cleaner production of components in structural applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fiber industry develops materials with good physical and mechanical characteristics, but it also generates a lot of waste that is difficult to degrade. Glass fibers can be extracted from waste glass fiber reinforced polymers because of advancements in grinding and sorting technologies. The objective of the current paper is to use waste glass fiber along with new woven glass fiber mat in structural application. Composites were manufactured using the hand layup method using virgin and discorded woven glass fibermats with different fiber weight fractions such as 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Composites were then investigated for the influence of the recycled fiber on mechanical and vibration behavior using appropriate tests. Theoretical models were used to predict the mechanical behavior of the composites. Scanning electron microscopic technique was used to analyze the failure surface morphology of the composite specimen. Results portrayed that the composites with 40 wt% of new woven glass fiber mats exhibited better mechanical strength (tensile and flexural strengths and modules of 243 MPa, 1752 MPa, and 1244 MPa, 946 MPa, impact strength of 12.13 J). The combined effect of new and recycled glass fiber composites exhibited tensile and flexural strength of 211 MPa and 1734 MPa, modulus of 1222 MPa and 925.7 MPa, impact strength of 10.43 J. The natural frequency of both composites was very close to all other volume fractions. The theoretical model also ended up with the same result and the margin of difference between predicted results and experimental results was very minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]