Self-extracted corn-stalk cellulose/epoxy resin composites

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Science
• Biocomposites

Background:

• Crop waste, specifically corn-stalk cellulose (CSC), presents an underutilized resource.
• Epoxy resins are widely used but can be brittle, limiting their applications.
• Developing sustainable and high-performance composite materials is a key research area.

Purpose of the Study:

• To extract corn-stalk cellulose (CSC) from crop waste.
• To utilize CSC as a modifier for epoxy resin (E51) to create novel composites (CSCEC).
• To investigate the impact of CSC on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of epoxy resin composites.

Main Methods:

• Acid-base extraction of cellulose from corn stalks.
• Preparation of corn-stalk cellulose/epoxy resin composites (CSCEC).
• Characterization using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetry (TG), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and mechanical testing.

Main Results:

• Composites with 20 wt% CSC exhibited a 127.2% increase in impact strength (2.50 kJ/m²).
• The glass transition temperature (Tg) of the epoxy resin decreased by 11.3 °C to 167.4 °C at 20 wt% CSC, indicating altered thermal properties.
• SEM analysis revealed a rougher fracture surface with folds, characteristic of ductile fracture, suggesting improved toughness.

Conclusions:

• Corn-stalk cellulose (CSC) effectively modifies epoxy resin, enhancing its toughness.
• The addition of CSC leads to a ductile fracture mechanism in epoxy resin composites.
• This study demonstrates a sustainable approach to valorizing crop waste into advanced composite materials.