The Chestnut Shell/Kaolin -Reinforced Hybrid Polyester Composite: Preparation, Characterization

Abstract

The developing world comes to face with unconscious consumption and waste formation as a result of industrialization and urbanization. Urban and food factories bulky food waste is a very heterogeneous material flow usually destined to landfill. Many researchers have been changing their research direction is to improve the end-of-life and disposal of the complex products. Many food processing wastes are suitable to treatments to increase the quantity and quality of recovered materials with highest environmental impact. In this work, one such industrial food waste, chestnut shell fiber and 2 different kind of kaolin were tested comprehensively for their potentiality as reinforcement in polyester matrix to optimize the mechanical properties. Samples not only with chestnut shell and without kaolin but also with kaolin and without chestnut shell exposed for many tests to determine the effect of chestnut shell/kaolin contents on the mechanical, microstructural, thermal and water absorption properties of polyester composites. The polymer composites were characterized by scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetry analysis