Hybridization of biocomposites with oil palm cellulose nanofibrils/graphene nanoplatelets reinforcement in green epoxy: A study of physical, thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties

Abstract With the rising demand for sustainable and high-performance materials, biobased nanocomposites have gained considerable attention as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional polymers. In this research, the effective incorporation of the oil palm cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as nanofillers into biopolymer matrices made by biomass with 28% carbon content resulted in notable improvements in mechanical properties. The study aimed to fabricate green/bioepoxy hybrid nanocomposites by using acetone as the solvent in a solution blending procedure with varying CNF loadings (0.1, 0.25, and 0.5 wt%). The resulting nanocomposites were thoroughly analyzed and compared to unfilled green epoxy. The mechanical test results were consistent with previously published studies, demonstrating a 77% increase in tensile strength and 23.46% improvement in hardness when evaluated against unfilled green epoxy. However, the green epoxy hybrid nanocomposites' thermal degradation temperature ( T d ) revealed a drop in temperature between 0.1 wt% of CNF/GNP loading and unfilled green epoxy (neat). Overall, the results demonstrated a significant improvement in the mechanical performance of green epoxy hybrid nanocomposites and showed the potential of using low-loading nanofillers in green epoxy. The hybrid composites can be used in electronics, marine, and biomedical applications.