Waste Peanut Shell‐Derived Biochar as a Reinforcement Filler in Nylon‐6 Composites

ABSTRACT This study investigates a sustainable approach to producing nylon‐6 composites by incorporating biochar as an eco‐friendly reinforcing filler to reduce the overall carbon footprint while enhancing material performance. Biochar was derived from waste peanut shells through pyrolysis at 1000°C under ~88 bar autogenic pressure, followed by 1 h of ball milling to obtain particles < 2 μm. X‐ray diffraction analysis (XRD) confirmed the nanocrystalline structure of the biochar with identified (002), (100), and (101) carbon planes, and Raman spectroscopy revealed a highly disordered carbon arrangement with a graphitization ratio of 1.45. Nitrogen adsorption analysis showed a microporous texture with a BET surface area of 267 m 2 g −1 . Nylon‐6/biochar composites were fabricated at varying loadings using an APSX‐PIM V2 injection molding system. Mechanical and thermal characterization demonstrated notable enhancements in strength, elasticity, thermal stability, and crystallinity. An optimal composition of 0.5 wt% biochar exhibited the highest improvements, achieving a 14% increase in tensile strength and elasticity and a 50% increase in crystallinity, while also retaining the maximum strain‐to‐fracture among all tested formulations.