Bio-Based Composite Materials with Enhanced Mechanical Strength and Good Flame Retardancy
Category
Sciences and Technology
Department
Polymer Chemistry
Student Status
Graduate
Research Advisor
Dr. Ram K. Gupta
Document Type
Event
Location
Governors
Start Date
10-4-2025 9:30 AM
End Date
10-4-2025 9:50 AM
Description
Composite materials are widely used in healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and construction due to their high mechanical strength. While petroleum-based epoxy resins are commonly used, researchers are increasingly turning to renewable resources for composite material development. Therefore, vegetable oils (VOs) are the promising alternative for epoxies and polyols derived from petroleum. VOs have an unsaturated double bond that is amenable to chemical modification. This study synthesized bio polyol using castor oil, a non-edible vegetable oil. A ring-opening reaction was used to modify castor oil, producing castor oil polyol (COP). Using FT-IR and GPC, the synthesized COP was described. Three distinct flame retardants (FRs), COP, and TiO2 as an inorganic filler were used to create composite materials. Melamine phosphate (MP), melamine (MA), and melamine phytate (MPHT) were employed as FRs. Here, bio-based phytic acid was used to create melamine phytate. Compared to all synthetic composite materials, MPHT 3wt% had a greater compression strength of 52 MPa. Additionally, the hardness and tensile strength were 70 and 22 MPa, respectively. Crucially, out of all the manufactured materials, the MPHT 5wt% sample showed the least amount of weight loss, just 2%. Although these composite materials are thermally robust, they degrade significantly at temperatures close to 400 C. Additionally, the composite materials' chemical compatibility in toluene and water was assessed. With advantages including renewable sourcing, less environmental effect, and good mechanical strength, these bio-based composite materials provide a sustainable substitute for conventional petroleum-based products.
Bio-Based Composite Materials with Enhanced Mechanical Strength and Good Flame Retardancy
Governors
Composite materials are widely used in healthcare, automotive, aerospace, and construction due to their high mechanical strength. While petroleum-based epoxy resins are commonly used, researchers are increasingly turning to renewable resources for composite material development. Therefore, vegetable oils (VOs) are the promising alternative for epoxies and polyols derived from petroleum. VOs have an unsaturated double bond that is amenable to chemical modification. This study synthesized bio polyol using castor oil, a non-edible vegetable oil. A ring-opening reaction was used to modify castor oil, producing castor oil polyol (COP). Using FT-IR and GPC, the synthesized COP was described. Three distinct flame retardants (FRs), COP, and TiO2 as an inorganic filler were used to create composite materials. Melamine phosphate (MP), melamine (MA), and melamine phytate (MPHT) were employed as FRs. Here, bio-based phytic acid was used to create melamine phytate. Compared to all synthetic composite materials, MPHT 3wt% had a greater compression strength of 52 MPa. Additionally, the hardness and tensile strength were 70 and 22 MPa, respectively. Crucially, out of all the manufactured materials, the MPHT 5wt% sample showed the least amount of weight loss, just 2%. Although these composite materials are thermally robust, they degrade significantly at temperatures close to 400 C. Additionally, the composite materials' chemical compatibility in toluene and water was assessed. With advantages including renewable sourcing, less environmental effect, and good mechanical strength, these bio-based composite materials provide a sustainable substitute for conventional petroleum-based products.
