Development of Epoxy-Based Particulate Composite Cladding from Prosopis africana Pods
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56919/2543.008Keywords:
Epoxy, Prosopis Africana, Iron tree pod, Flexural strength, Flexural modulus, TGAAbstract
The high maintenance and procurement costs of wood wall claddings in building construction have created a need for an alternative material that is more durable, stiffer, tougher, and thermally stable. To develop a cost-effective, lightweight, and eco-friendly cladding material, this study aims to fabricate an epoxy-based composite using lignocellulosic fillers, such as waste pods from the iron tree, with varying filler dosages between 10% and 40% weight and particle sizes between 100 µm and 200 µm. The composites were tested for flexural, impact, and thermal properties according to ASTM standards. Results showed that the composites achieved a peak bending strength of 40.5 MPa with the finest particle sizes (100 µm) and a 10 wt% filler dosage. The highest stiffness of 2.58 GPa was observed at the maximum filler dosage. Impact resistance decreased with increased filler dosage and particle size, while thermal stability also declined as filler dosage increased. Comparing these composite properties with those of commercial cladding revealed that AMP/ER composites could be suitable for interior wall cladding applications in building construction
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