Effect of Pretreatment on the Mechanical Properties of Orange Peel Particulate (Bio- Waste)-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Effects of chemical treatments with benzoyl chloride, acetone, and alkali on the physical and mechanical properties of orange peel particulate (OPP) reinforced epoxy composite materials have been studied. Hand lay-up technique was applied to manufacture the composites. The experimental results illustrate that chemical treatment with benzoyl chloride has a considerable impact. The properties of OPP-reinforced composite material have been enhanced by 15% (for tensile test) and 30% (in case of flexural test) due to benzoyl chloride treatment as compared to raw OPP composites. It is evident from Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) that non-cellulosic content was removed from the surface of the fiber due to benzoyl chloride treatment. After chemical treatment, there was good interfacial bonding between matrix and filler material as observed in SEM micrographs. From the experimental observations, it can be seen that among all fabricated composites, set of composites with 30% filler loading yields excellent mechanical properties.