ETD

• Epoxy
• Graphene
• natural composites

Environmental pollution and its consequences are becoming increasingly prevalent in the world. With the increasing demand for environmentally friendly and high-performance composites, the development of sustainable materials has attracted great attention. This study examines the integration of natural fibers with graphene-modified green epoxy to improve the mechanical and structural properties of bio-based composites. The focus of the research is to optimize the interaction between these composite components while promoting environmental sustainability and increasing their durability, strength and functionality.
Graphene stands out as one of the most significant two-dimensional materials due to its exceptional gas impermeability, remarkable mechanical strength, large specific surface area, optical transparency, and outstanding electrical conductivity. This study investigated the effects of different amounts of graphene addition on epoxy-based composites reinforced with natural fibers. Tensile, flexural, Charpy, and HDT tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical and thermal performance of the composites. The findings showed that graphene addition increased the mechanical integrity and thermal stability of the composites up to a certain level, but this improvement decreased at higher levels. Therefore, the optimum amount of graphene was determined, demonstrating that the performance of natural fiber-reinforced epoxy composites could be most effectively enhanced.
While previous studies examined natural fibers or graphene separately, this study presents an effective method to reinforce graphene-added epoxy-based composites formed with natural fibers and aims to create biobased composites with enhanced performance by examining the synergistic integrations of sustainable materials. The results provide valuable information for future applications, especially in sectors such as automotive, aerospace and construction, where lightweight, yet durable and environmentally friendly materials are in high demand.