Investigation of the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Carbon Fiber Impregnated with Groundnut Shell Bio-composite
Korede J. OGUNDARE, Felix ALEX, Olatunbosun T. YUSUF, John A. MOMOH & Ilesanmi A. DANIYAN
The growing demand for sustainable materials for aerospace and transportation industries has prompted significant interest in bio-composites that blend natural and synthetic components. This study investigates the mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid composites made from carbon fiber and groundnut shell, an agricultural by-product. Five composite samples with varying ratios of carbon fiber (CBF) and groundnut shell (GNS) were prepared using epoxy resin as the matrix. Standard tests were conducted to measure tensile strength, impact resistance, hardness, thermal conductivity, and degradation temperature. Results showed that increasing the carbon fiber content significantly enhanced tensile strength between 120.63 to 300.31 MPa, impact resistance from 29.98 to 70.04 J/m², and hardness from 70.23 to 90.23 D. Therefore, higher carbon fiber concentrations also improved thermal conductivity (0.21–0.41 W/mK) and degradation temperature (263.52–339.65°C). In contrast, groundnut shell contributed to sustainability but demonstrated lower mechanical properties. The findings suggest that carbon fiber-groundnut shell composites can be tailored for applications requiring high strength and thermal stability, or for eco-friendly solutions where performance is less critical. This study provides a foundation for future development of high-performance sustainable composites.
Keywords: Composite, carbon fiber, epoxy resin, groundnut shell, tensile strength, thermal conductivity, degradation temperature