Impact of Reinforcement on Environmentally Green Bio-Composites of HDPE/Mixed Agro-Waste: Via Mechanical, Surface Morphology, Water Absorption, and Biodegradable Properties

Wastes like cow pea husk, rice husk, bread fruit husk, peanut husk, sugarcane bagasse, corn cobs, and the rest, emanating from agricultural produce are naturally very vital materials. They could be used as replacement of wood flour/wood fiber. Because of the inadequate resources in forest and enhanced pollution in the environment, utilization of fillers is very paramount. This research work intends to assess the impact of mixing sugarcane bagasse with corn cob in the proportion of 50:50 as hybrid fillers on the morphological and mechanical features of high-density polyethylene composites. The work also determined their biodegradability and water absorption rate. The resulting mixture were again mixed vigorously with the HDPE resins in varying amount such as 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%. The composites were fabricated with the aid of a molding technique called injection. Based on the reported data, the mechanical property test showed reduction in percentage elongation and tensile stress at the break. The results showed raise in compressive strength, shear modulus, and hardness of the developed bio-composition. Since the fillers exhibits better dispersive ability in the polymer matrix, the morphological features assessment showed a very good interfacial bond and adhesion between the polymer matrix and the fillers. After burying the composite for a period of 90-days, the results of biodegradation showed a decrease in composite's mass, confirming that the composite is friendlier ecologically. The water absorption results showed that, there was no any noticed enlargement in the mass of the composite when immersed in water, suggesting that, the composite materials can be utilized in a moist condition.