Effect of a Small Amount of Synthetic Fiber on Performance of Biocarbon‐Filled Nylon‐Based Hybrid Biocomposites
Boon Peng Chang, Mohamed A. Abdelwahab, Alper Kızıltaş, Deborah F. Mielewski, Amar K. Mohanty, Manjusri Misra
Abstract
Abstract Advanced hybrid biocomposites are engineered from nylon 6, waste wood biosourced carbon (biocarbon) with a low content of synthetic fiber for lightweight auto‐parts uses. The novel engineering process through direct injection molding of only 2 wt% synthetic fibers in the form of masterbatch with 20 wt% biocarbon, results outstanding performance of the resulting nylon biocomposites. Such uniquely developed biocomposites show tensile strength of 105 MPa and tensile modulus of 5.14 GPa with a remarkable heat deflection temperature (HDT) of 206 °C. The direct injection molding of synthetic fiber retains the length ≈3 times higher as compared to traditional extrusion and injection molding; resulting greater degree of entanglement and composite reinforcement effectiveness in the hybrid biocomposites. Highly dimensionally stable nylon 6 biocomposites with a very low coefficient of linear thermal expansion results through reinforcing ability of the sustainable biocarbon and small amount of synthetic fiber.