Enhancement of mechanical properties of pineapple leaf fiber composites using eggshell powder

Abstract Natural-based composites are gaining preference among manufacturers and consumers due to their biocompatibility, affordability, and widespread availability. This study uniquely investigates the use of eggshell powder as a filler in pineapple-epoxy composites, addressing a gap in research on their mechanical properties and failure mechanisms. Here different percentages of eggshell powder (ranging from 4 wt% to 8 wt%) was studied for their mechanical properties like Tensile, Flexural, Impact, Inter-laminar Shear Strength (ILSS), and Hardness of the pineapple-epoxy composite. The composites were fabricated using hand layup followed by a hot-press method. The findings showed that the composite containing 6 wt% eggshell powder (ES-6) exhibited superior performance compared to other configurations across Tensile, Flexural, Inter-laminar Shear Strength, and Impact strengths, showing improvements in the range of 7% to 29%. Meanwhile, the composite with 8 wt% eggshell powder (ES-8) outperformed other configurations in terms of hardness, showing enhancements in the range of 13% to 15%. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) images of the fractured specimens revealed that the composite with 6 wt% eggshell powder ensures excellent bonding between fibres and the matrix, thereby enhancing the overall mechanical properties of the composite.