Development and characterisation of TPU/JUTE CNFs Nanocomposites reinforced geopolymer concrete
Polymers are increasingly used in many industrial sectors due to their high specific strength and stiffness, durability, versatile fabrication and lower maintenance cost. This has won the attention of structure and construction engineers in their attempt to improve the current construction materials...
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| Format: | Thesis |
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2024
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| Summary: | Polymers are increasingly used in many industrial sectors due to their high specific strength and stiffness, durability, versatile fabrication and lower maintenance cost. This has won the attention of structure and construction engineers in their attempt to improve the current construction materials. Currently, the construction industry is seeking materials with low absorption rates, excellent durability, and physical and mechanical properties while being low cost in terms of production to improve the currently used construction materials specifically concrete. This requirement naturally led to the production of a new material known as composite material. In this research, the thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix has been reinforced with cellulose nanofiber extracted from agricultural waste material known as jute fibre through the melt compounding method. FESEM-EDX analysis showed that the surface structure of the prepared TPU nanocomposites was improved with a rougher surface than neat TPU with the existence of jute Cellulose Nanofiber (CNFs) (small dots) thus enabling the energy-dissipating mechanisms in the surface of TPU nanocomposites. Small dots structure continues to increase with the increase of Jute CNFs added with the optimum amount of CNFs being 4wt%. The tensile test also revealed that the prepared nanocomposites with 4wt.% of Jute CNFs achieved the highest strength at 32MPa with 59% enhancement. Due to the excellent properties exhibited, prepared TPU nanocomposites with 4wt% of Jute CNFs were chosen to be reinforced in geopolymer concrete. The geopolymer matrix was reinforced with prepared TPU/Jute CNFs Nanocomposites (0, 3, 6 and 9 wt.%) through normal mixing method and was cured at 4 different temperatures (room temperature, 60o , 100o and 140oC). Microstructural analysis of the prepared geopolymer/TPU nanocomposites concrete showed that the geopolymer matrix of geopolymer/TPU nanocomposites (6wt%) appeared highly dense at 100oC of curing temperature. A similar trend occurred in the compressive and split tensile strength where the highest strength was exhibited by the geopolymer/TPU nanocomposites (6wt%) at 100oC curing temperature with 76.1 MPa and 4.85 MPa respectively. It is found that the prepared geopolymer/TPU nanocomposites concrete with 6wt% of TPU nanocomposites was able to meet the requirement of the construction industry (ACI 318 and ACI 369.1M-17). |
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