Thermo-physical and fire properties of sustainable bio composites: Experimental and computational analysis

Bio-composites were prepared by incorporating broom grass, fishtail palm, sansevieria fibers as reinforcement in unsaturated polyester resin using hand lay-up method. The thermo physical and fire properties of bio-composites has been examined by varying the fiber content (0 to 39 wt. %) and temperature (30–120°C). The thermal insulation and heat storage capability of samples was assessed using guarded heat flow meter and differential scanning calorimeter. The experimental results reveal that, as the weight fraction of fiber increased, the insulation capability of composites increased, whereas it decreased with the temperature. The response of specific heat and thermal diffusivity of composites with temperature was analyzed. Temperature distribution and heat transfer through the composite materials was computed using ANSYS fluent solver. The rate of heat transfer through the fishtail palm fiber composite is 14.02% lesser than glass fiber composite. Cone calorimeter was used to measure fire behavior of the samples and the results reveal that the broom grass fiber composite material possesses better fire resistance characteristics against fire hazard. Morphological study of composites was performed with the help of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for the visualization of homogeneity of surfaces. Developed bio-composites are the potential materials to replace petrochemical-based products.