Mechanical, morphological, and elemental analysis of bio-hybrid epoxy composites reinforced with areca husk fiber and seed filler

This study examines the mechanical, physical, water-absorption, and elemental characteristics of epoxy composites reinforced with Areca husk fiber and included with Areca nut seed filler. Five distinct composites were fabricated using compression moulding techniques, maintaining a constant 70 wt.% epoxy while varying the fiber/filler ratios from 30/0 to 20/10 wt.%. Areca fibers were treated with 5% NaOH to enhance surface roughness and strengthen the fiber-matrix adhesion. The mechanical characteristics, including tensile, flexural, impact, interlaminar shear strength, and hardness were determined. Also, examined the structure and components by water absorption, SEM, and EDAX analyses. The composite containing 22.5% areca husk fiber and 7.5% areca nut seed filler (22.5AF7.5AFI) exhibited superior performance, achieving a tensile strength of 14.35 MPa, a flexural strength of 43.19 MPa, an impact strength of 11.43 kJ/m², and compression strength of 4.7 MPa. The composite with 20% of areca husk fiber and 10% of areca seed filler has maximum hardness value of 78.17, and a low water absorption rate of 5.89%. EDAX indicated the presence of carbon, oxygen, and other elements, signifying effective dispersion of the filler and optimal interaction with the matrix. The findings indicate that hybrid composites derived from Areca fiber are suitable for application in the field of light weight automotive and aerospace industries.