Characterization of peanut husk-derived Si3N4 basalt fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester resin composites

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of adding peanut husk-derived Si3N4 on load-bearing, time-dependent and thermal properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polyester composites. The fine Si3N4 particles are synthesized from the discarded peanut husk waste via thermo-chemical process. The composites are meticulously crafted using the hand layup method and undergo thorough characterization following the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Results revealed that the addition of fiber and particle marginally improved the density and water content; however it is not much deviated from the base values. However, among the fabricated composites, RBS3 produced improved wear resistance, reduced creep strain, enhanced flame retardance and high thermal stability as it has higher tensile strength up to 130 MPa. It demonstrates a specific wear rate of 0.009 mm(3)/Nm, coefficient of friction of 0.31 and a low creep strain of 0.0086 mm at 10,000 s. It also exhibits a notably high initial decomposition temperature of 410 degrees C and a lower flame propagation speed of 6.72 mm/min. In terms of fatigue, RBS2 performs exceptionally well, with high values at 25%, 50% and 75% of its ultimate tensile strength. However, RBS3 experiences a slight reduction in fatigue due to localized stress concentrations. The statistical analysis done on wear, fatigue and creep behavior revealed that the obtained p value is 7.144E - 10; thus, the null hypothesis is rejected, and the results obtained are statically significant. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the composite's suitability for diverse engineering applications, where a balance between wear resistance, fatigue strength, creep resistance, and thermal and flame stability is crucial. The domains such as automotives, drone, marine and domestic sectors could benefit out of this material. However, as future work the same materials thermal stability could be improved by adding other engineering ceramics to bring its application in high level engineering domains.