Study on the effect of ZnO nanoparticles embedded ramie fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite – A novel material for sustainable development

¹ Department of Mathematics, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Avadi, Chennai 600 062, India.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mahendra Institute of Engineering and Technology, Namakkal. India.
³ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai 600069, India.
⁴ Instituto de Alta Investigación, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica - 1000000, Chile
⁵ Department of Structurals Techniques engineering, College of technical engineering, The Islamic University, Najaf, Iraq
⁶ Department of Structurals Techniques engineering, College of technical engineering, The Islamic University of Al Diwaniyah, Al Diwaniyah, Iraq
⁷ Research & Incubation Centre Rayat Bahra University, Greater Mohali, Punjab, INDIA – 140103

^* Corresponding author: drelevarasank@veltech.edu.in

Abstract

This study explores the potential of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles as fillers in ramie fiber reinforced epoxy composites to develop materials that align with sustainable development goals. We systematically varied the ZnO nanoparticle content across three distinct samples are 5g, 10g, and 15g to investigate their effects on the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites. Mechanical testing included tensile, flexural, and impact strength assessments, while thermal stability was evaluated through thermal analysis. Additionally, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was employed to analyze the microstructural changes induced by varying nanoparticle concentrations. Preliminary results indicate that increasing the concentration of ZnO nanoparticles enhances both the thermal stability and mechanical strength of the composites, suggesting a reinforcing effect in the polymer matrix. The 15g sample displayed the most significant improvement in performance, confirming the potential of ZnO nanoparticles to create more durable and thermally stable materials.