Title of research:

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Summary
The study seeks to represent the first output of the scoping study of
organic/inorganic materials filled bioresin composite. The intention is to asses
critically the current potential for biorsins in composites industry and how they
might contribute to an enhanced sustainability profile for the future. A new hybrid
organic / inorganic composite system in which all or part of the synthetic material
is replaced by a bioresin is an attractive and real opportunity for the composite
industry. The need is to deliver this environmentally improved system without
sacrificing the mechanical and thermal properties, a movement away from
conventional synthetic resins made from petrochemical feedsdtocks.
Keywords: organic/inorganic fillers, composite bioresin, hybrid, mechanical and
thermal properties.
Introduction
In the throes of climatic changes due to green house effect and to global warming
of the upward trend in the cost of fossil raw materials , in particular of oil from
which plastics are derived, of the state of public opinion in search of sustainable
development, more natural, cleaner, healthier and more energy efficient products,
it is necessary to provide a composite material derived from renewable resources,
which is designed from the outset to have only few or no negative impacts on the
environment, and technically as high performance as the polymers prepared from
raw materials of fossil origin.
Natural materials have played a key role in the development of mankind,
civilization and technology for centuries. Today, we have a considerable advantage
over our ancestors, we can not only use the natural materials as required but also
we use the current knowledge of science and technology to manufacture metallic
materials and fibre (natural or manmade) raw forced composites that are as
efficient as natural materials.
Due to great demand for new type of composite materials that can compensate for
the limitations as well as add advantages to conventional composite materials,
much interest has been shown towards the development of composites matrix to
obtain diverse properties in the composites. Combination of organic and inorganic
fillers should offer synergistic effects in a polymer matrix in view of their
individual advantages.
Coir Fibre (CF) is a natural extracted from the husk of coconut fruit. The husk
comprises coir fibre and a corky tissue called pitch. Coir fibres contain cellulose,
hemicelluloses and lignin on major compositions and these compositions after the
different properties of the fibres. Its high lignin content makes it more duralable
with better resistance to weathering when compared to other natural fibres.
Cashew nut shell liquid (CNSL) is a phenolic based range of compounds pressure
as a protective barrier of the cashew nut, which grows outside of the cashew apple.
The liquid is extracted from the shell of cashew nut as a by-product of the nut
industry. It consists of two naturally occurring unsaturated phenolic compounds,
anarcardic acid and cardol with trace amounts of 2-methyl cardol. The CNS liquid
has an aromatic structure , is a six-member ring. This ring enables shared electron
throughout the structure resulting in high rigidity and thermal stability. Again,
because of the liquid from CNS is a non-edible agricultural by-product, food
supplies are not impacted. More importantly, end-use products benefit from its
unique properties that have been already been engineered by nature.
Problem Statement
The production of organic substance from raw materials containing carbon is
important to the chemical industry.
In the past few decades, this design was greatly fulfilled by the emergence of fossil
raw materials (oil, natural gas and coal) with less than 10% of renewable raw
material of plant and animal origin used by developed countries.
The constantly increasing prices of these petroleum based raw materials as well as
the associated harmful effects of their use on the environment have necessitated the
interest in the use of renewable raw materials.
Replacement of fossil feedstocks with renewable ones has seen as one of the major
achievements of modern plastics industry. Thermosetting plastics (such as
polyesters, phenolics and epoxies) have been successfully reinforced with plants
fibre to produce composites that are fitting for general structural applications,
housing and panels for the construction industry. However, one of the problems
associated with thermosetting polymer are pollution due to non-biodegradability
and emission of some toxic volatiles that pose serious challenges (relating to health
and safety) in the course of usage. To circumvent these problems, the use of
alternative cheap biodegradable polymeric matrix without compromising the
properties of the composites is adopted. one of such matrix is cashew nust shell
liquid (CNSL). CNSL is a good natural alternative to chemically developed
phenol. this approach eliminates the use of formaldehyde and design a new class of
formaldehyde-free phenolic novalac resin for composites making.
in this project, coconut (coir) fibre and native clay will be used as reinforcing
agents in the preparation of biodegradable composites. CNSL resin will be taken as
matrix. both the reinforcing agents and the resin are renewable, abundantly
available and are economically very cheap and friendly.
projects objectives.
the objective of the proposed investigation is to develop a completely
biodegradable material from a biodegradable polymeric matrix and biodegradable
reinforcement. in addition to its complete biodegrdability, the present investigation
seeks
(i) The concentrate on the progress of biomaterials in the field of polymer
composites, an effort to utilize the advantages offered by renewable
resources for the development of totally biodegradable composite material.
(ii) To focus on the enhance properties of natural fibres a challenge to the
creation of better materials for the improvement of quality of life.
(iii) To propose the preparation of natural fibre reinforce hybrid composite which
comprise coir fibre, clay and CNSL matrix as basic components.
(iv) That the reinforced hybrid composite polymeric material undergoes various
tasks such as mechanical tasks, physical tasks and characterization using
SEM, FTIR and TGA.
(v) Another object of the present project is that selected modified and
unmodified hybrid composite undergoes biodegradability tasks and its
effect mechanical properties of the composites.


Relevance of Study
The use of natural fibre as material for biodegradable plastic ran has the
advantages as being relatively cheap, easily available and can be degraded by the
environment.
Most of the developing countries are very rich in Agricultural fibres and a large
part of agricultural wastes is either being used as fuel or outrightly discarded.
Nigeria as a developing and tropical is endowed with natural fibre and abundant
clay deposits that can be utilized as raw materials to make biodegradable plastics.
The need to use alternative cheap and natural polynesic matrix without
compromising the properties of the composites is considered. In this project,
attention is on the preparation of hybrid composite in which the components (coir
fibre, clay and CNSL)
Scope of Study
Modification of the coir fibre and clay surface will be carried out using NaOH
solution and difallow dimethylamonium chloride respectively. Further work to be
done in this project will include;
i. Preparation of coir fibre/clay/CNSC composites are different fibre and clay
contents of 0 to 60 wt.% and 0 to 20 wt% respectively.
ii. Preparation of modified coir fibre/clay/CNSC composites at same fibre and
clay contents above.
iii. Evaluation of tensile, flexural, impact and hardness properties of the
composites
iv. Characterization of the resultant composites using SEM, FTIR and TGA
techniques.
v. Determination of the biodegradation behavior of selected composites in
different soil media (Simple soil, urea enriched soil, composite soil) and
aqueous media (waste, saline) end its effects on mechanical properties.

Experimental Plan
In order to prepare coir fibre/clay/CNSL nano composites hard lay-up method will
be aphid. A stainless steel mould with dimensions 200mm x 200mm x 3mm
3
will
be used.