Effect of surface treatment and fiber loading on the physical, mechanical, sliding wear, and morphological characteristics of tasar silk fiber waste-epoxy composites for multifaceted biomedical and engineering applications: fabrication and characterizations

In the present study, waste of tasar silk fiber was used as reinforcement in the epoxy resin. Tasar silk fiber waste (TSFW) was pre-treated with NaOH coupling agent before reinforcing it with epoxy matrix. Treated and untreated TSFW-epoxy composites were made using the compression moulding technique. Composites were characterized for physical, mechanical and wear properties. Effect of NaOH coupling agent and fiber loading were examined on TSFW-epoxy composite. Comparatively, lower void fraction of 5.1% was obtained at 30% reinforcement of treated TSFW composite as compared to 5.8% as obtained for untreated TSFW composites. The tensile strength, flexural strength and impact strength were observed to be 68.47 MPa, 41.18 MPa, and 2.2 J for untreated TSFW where as these properties exhibites marginal increment of 70.86 MPa, 43.52 MPa and 2.35 J respectively. Hardness of composite experienced enhancement of 6% upon using treated TSFW. Overall, 10% reduction in specific wear was observed upon using treated TSFW as compared to untreated one. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis suggested that the tensile specimen undergoes ductile fracture while flexural specimen failed in brittle manner. Fiber agglomeration and large deformation of tasar silk resulted in improved strength as observed in SEM analysis.