Browsing by Author "Sarker, Rahul"

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    Development of High-Strength Composites with Sustainable Fibers for Structural Applications
    (2024-09-18) Sarker, Rahul; Kibria, Md Golam; Hu, Jinguang; Sumon, Kazi Z; Trifkovic, Milana
    Despite Canada's abundant biomass resources, a significant portion remains underutilized due to a lack of large-scale industrial applications. This research explores the utilization of low-value biomass, specifically aspen fiber, in fused filament fabrication (FFF) to develop biocomposites. Various chemical treatments (NaOH, silane, and maleic anhydride (MA)) were applied to improve fiber compatibility with polylactic acid (PLA). Both untreated and treated fibers at 10% loading were blended with PLA and extruded into 3D printable filaments. Results showed that MA-treated fiber-based composites had around 15% higher tensile strength and modulus, along with a 30% enhancement in storage modulus than untreated ones. Additionally, a 25% reduction in water uptake was witnessed in MA-treated aspen-derived composites. Successfully 3D-printed biocomposites with up to 30% fiber loading were achieved without nozzle clogging, though higher fiber loading negatively impacted mechanical properties. This study also investigates the potential of CNT incorporation in asphaltene-derived carbon fibers and the impact of carbon fiber reinforcement to enhance the mechanical properties of biocomposites. This research contributes to the development of sustainable and high-performance composite materials by exploring the potential of underutilized resources and advanced manufacturing techniques.