Preparation and characterization Of bamboo flour reinforced epoxy composites

In this study, bamboo flour reinforced epoxy composites with different particle sizes of bamboo flour 75, 150 and 300 pm and different weight percentage of bamboo: epoxy (30:70%, 40:60% and 50:50 %) was prepared using cold compression. The effect of weight percentage and particle size of bamboo flour on the mechanical and physical properties of bamboo flour reinforced epoxy composites was conducted. The properties that have been carried out were tensile strength, Young modulus, hardness and density. The result showed that tensile strength of composites decreased with increased of weight percentages and particle sizes of bamboo flour. Tensile strength decreased with increased of weight percentages due to poor filler -matrix interaction. Tensile strength decreased with increased particle size of bamboo flour was due to inefficient stress transfer between bamboo particles - matrix interface due to poor interface adhesion The Young modulus increased with increased of weight percentages and particle sizes of bamboo flour. The increased of Young Modulus was due the presence of bamboo that improves stiffness of the composite. Hardness increased with the increased of weight percentages and decreased of particle size of bamboo flour. Hardness increased with the increased of weight percentage due to presence of bamboo flour that decrease the compression valve of the composites and also bamboo flour had filled the gap between matrixes, thus increased hardness of the composite. Hardness increased with decreased of particle sizes of bamboo flours due to smaller particle size that prevent void creation and uniform distribution of small sized filler in the matrix. Density increased with increased of weight percentages and decreased particle sizes of bamboo flour. Density increased with increased of weight percentages due to increase of bamboo flour content in the composite that fill gap between matrixes, thus forming denser structure hence increase the density of the composite. Density increased with decreased particle size of bamboo flour due to greater uniform distribution of smaller sized bamboo flour in the matrices.