UV Weathering of Green Composites Based on Polyamide 6 (PA6) and Sunflower Seed (Helianthus Annuus L.) Husk, Pistachio (Pistacia Vera L.) Shell and Walnut (Juglans Regia L.) Shell Flour

Year 2025, Erken Görünüm, 1 - 1

Emel Kuram , Fatih Aydınlı , Ömer Faruk Akkuzu , Babür Özçelik

https://doi.org/10.29109/gujsc.1568629

Abstract

Current research aims to evaluate agricultural shells' potential for use at outdoor applications by determining the ultraviolet (UV) ageing of agricultural shell filled composites. Therefore, in current work, three different agricultural shells were utilized as natural fillers in the production of polyamide 6 (PA6) based composites. Dakota type sunflower seed husk, walnut shell and pistachio shell were employed as natural fillers. It was concluded that the tensile behavior of PA6 altered from ductile to brittle after the loading of pistachio shell, sunflower seed husk and walnut shell flour. Although the agricultural shell flour decreased tensile strength of pure PA6 polymer, the strength values were still acceptable in some applications and low price of agricultural shell flour filled PA6 composites made them feasible. In general, tensile strength increased slightly after UV ageing in agricultural shell flour filled PA6 composites. The highest increase was found with the 24-hour UV aged walnut shell flour filled PA6 composite. Although agricultural shell loading led to decrement in tensile strength of PA6 polymer, fact that these composites cause little change or even an increment in the tensile strength after exposure to UV ageing indicated that agricultural shell filled composites can be utilized in outdoor conditions. UV ageing increased the flexural strength of all agricultural shell flour filled PA6 composites and this result indicated that agricultural shell filled composites can be used in outdoor conditions. Among green composites, the greatest flexural strength was achieved by the 24-hour UV aged walnut shell flour filled PA6 composite.

Keywords

Agricultural shell, waste management, polymer composite, mechanical properties, ageing

Project Number

123M800

Thanks

Corresponding author (E.K.) would like to thank interventional neurologist Prof. Hasan Hüseyin Karadeli for saving her life, who performed her operation and treatment after her brain disease in August 2019 and provided a miracle to her life by giving second life opportunity. This research was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Project Number : 123M800. The authors thank to TUBITAK for support. The authors also thank Önder Gedik for helping with the injection and extrusion processes, Adem Şen for helping with the flexural and tensile tests and Ahmet Nazım for helping with the SEM observations.

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