Enhanced Mechanical properties Characterization of General Purpose Unsaturated Polyester Resin using Nano Cellulose Particles: Industrial Application.

Abstract

Though the unsaturated polyester resin is highly versatile with a wide range of application, its low impact strength, low elongation at break and low toughness constrain its applications. In this article, study of an unsaturated polymer resin was conducted by adding optimum amount of nanocellulose fillers extracted from sugarcane bagasse. Mechanical and microstructural properties were characterized by testing the composite with 0.5 %, 1 %, 2 %, and 3 % fiber weight fraction of the nanocellulose. Mechanical properties such as tensile, compression, impact, flexural, as well as X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA) were performed. The results indicate that 10 nm particle size and 2 % nanocellulose by weight fraction is best, which gives enhanced mechanical properties of the composite material up to 45 % tensile strength, 38 % flexural strength, 13 % compression strength and 8 % impact strength improvement. The composite material also shows improved thermal stability and bond stretching due to the incorporation of nanocellulose particles.