Özet:

Abstract Natural and synthetic cellulose-based composites have been used widely as they have many advantages, the most significant of which are lightweight, durable, strong, flexible, and resistant to corrosion. Although several studies have reviewed the characteristics of these composites, only limited research has investigated combining both natural and synthetic cellulose together. In this study, the thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy resin reinforced with different additives (sawdust and industrial cellulose) will be explored. To do this, four samples of different materials were prepared at room temperature. The first sample consisted of 100% epoxy, whilst the next sample contained 95 wt.% epoxy and 5 wt.% industrial cellulose. The third sample contained 95 wt.% epoxy and 5 wt.% natural cellulose (sawdust), and the final sample contained 95 wt.% epoxy, 2.5 wt.% natural cellulose and 2.5 wt.% industrial cellulose. The findings indicated that mechanical properties and thermal insulation can be enhanced by adding natural cellulose to the mixture. Compared to the pristine epoxy, the improvement ratios for mechanical properties were as follows: tensile strength 25%, impact strength 16.6%, and hardness 6.9%, while the results were negative for bending resistance (3.9% less). In terms of thermal properties, the sawdust/epoxy composite showed better insulation (29% higher) than neat epoxy resin. These promising findings suggest the proposed composite can be a good alternative in numerous applications such as automotive parts and building construction that require superior mechanical characteristics and thermal insulation.

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