Sustainable Composite of Cardanol Based Phenalkamine Cured Epoxy Systems: Fabrication, Characterization and Mechanical Performance Evaluation for Emerging Applications

Aswinraj Anbazhagan¹, Piyali Roy Choudhury¹, Sahila Sambandam², Jayakumari Lakshmanan Saraswathi^1,*
1 Department of Rubber & Plastics Technology, MIT Campus, Anna University, Chennai, 600044, India
2 Department of Chemistry, Madras Christian College (Autonomous), Affiliated to University of Madras, Tambaram East, Chennai, 600059, India
* Corresponding Author: Jayakumari Lakshmanan Saraswathi. Email: email

Journal of Polymer Materials https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2024.056261

Received 18 July 2024; Accepted 20 September 2024; Published online 28 October 2024

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Abstract

Petroleum-based cured epoxy polymers, used widely in aerospace, marine, and automotive industries, pose environmental threats due to their toxicity. Therefore, developing alternative curing systems for epoxy resin is crucial. This study explores the use of bio-based phenalkamines as curing agents for epoxy resin to enhance the mechanical properties of polymer composites and fiber-reinforced laminates. The functional groups, morphology, and thermal properties of the composites were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Mechanical properties of two epoxy systems—EP-TETA (triethylenetetramine-cured) and EP-PA (phenalkamine-cured)—were evaluated according to ASTM standards. EP-PA exhibited approximately 318% greater elongation, indicating improved ductility, and 16% higher ultimate force and stress compared to EP-TETA, suggesting its suitability for load-bearing applications. Additionally, phenalkamine-cured epoxy resin composites with adequate thickness demonstrated excellent performance. Glass fiber-reinforced GEP-PA showed 5.3 times greater toughness and adhesion in end notch tests compared to GEP-TETA. These results offer valuable insights for material selection in aerospace and automotive applications.