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Item Epoxy-based composites with size-fractionated waste Areca sheath: an experimental investigation on the macroscopic and vibrational properties(Gruppo Italiano Frattura, 2025) Varghese, L.; Kumar, G.C.The use of Areca sheath in developing a newer composite material is proposed in this article. The Areca sheath particulates are extracted by pulverizing long sheaths into different sizes of particulates and are reinforced into the epoxy to process the composites. The study evaluated these composites' macroscopic and vibrational properties, revealing that those with coarse particulates demonstrated superior tensile and flexural strengths, impact strength, hardness, and natural frequency. Notably, the coarse epoxy composite with a 10% weight fraction of particulates exhibited tensile strength and modulus values of 24 MPa and 1050 MPa, respectively. These findings suggest that incorporating a 10% weight fraction of coarse Areca sheath particulates into epoxy resin significantly enhances the composite's macroscopic and vibrational properties, making it a promising material for various building applications like Partition panels, Ceiling Panels, and similar applications. © 2024, Gruppo Italiano Frattura. All rights reserved.Item Thermal stability and sound absorption in perforated areca sheath-epoxy composite materials(Springer Science and Business Media B.V., 2025) Varghese, L.; Kumar, G.C.The present work emphasizes developing epoxy composites using areca sheath particulates, focusing on improving the thermal and acoustic properties. These composites are developed using conventional methods, and followed by surface modification by different types of perforations using pin perforation techniques. The sound absorption characteristics of these specimens were evaluated using an impedance tube, while thermal stability through thermogravimetric analysis and microstructural properties were analyzed. The results indicate that composite specimens with only half of the area perforated with 1 mm diameter holes demonstrate a superior sound absorption range compared to other specimens. The influence of perforation patterns on specimen surfaces was also studied. Additionally, the thermogravimetric analysis of composites reveals that the developed materials possess significant thermal stability, making them more suitable for thermal and acoustic applications in public buildings and auditoriums than other lightweight composites. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2025.
