Investigation of Hardness, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties of Goat Horn Powder–Reinforced Wood-like Polyurethane Composites

Streszczenie

Brak zatwierdzonego streszczenia. Przeczytaj abstrakt poniżej lub otwórz oryginalną publikację.

Abstrakt

This study investigates the effect of goat horn powder (GHP) reinforcement on the hardness, microstructure, and mechanical properties of wood-like polyurethane composites. GHP, a keratin-based animal waste, was incorporated into the polyurethane matrix at weight fractions of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt.%. The mechanical behavior was evaluated through tensile, three-point bending, Charpy impact, and Shore D hardness tests, complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analyses. Results indicate that GHP significantly enhances impact resistance, with 10 wt.% loading achieving a 140% improvement in impact energy compared to the neat matrix. Tensile stress improved by 12.89% at 5 wt.% loading. However, reinforcement levels exceeding 10-15 wt.% led to a decline in tensile and flexural performance due to particle agglomeration and weak interfacial adhesion. Shore D hardness increased systematically with higher GHP content across all ratios. The study demonstrates that GHP is a functional, sustainable reinforcing element that improves toughness and hardness while supporting environmental waste management.

Abstrakt w wersji dostarczonej przez źródło. Pełny tekst może być ograniczony przez wydawcę.