This study presents a systematic investigation of the structural, thermal, and morphological characteristics of starch–PVA reinforced cactus bio-based composite films using FTIR, DSC, XRD, TGA, DMA, and SEM analyses. FTIR results suggested enhanced intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions among starch, PVA, and cactus-derived polysaccharides, with possible minor ester-link formation in the presence of citric acid. DSC analysis showed a glass transition temperature (Tg) in the range of 38–40 °C and a minor endothermic transition near 83 °C associated with bound moisture relaxation. The thermal transitions observed using the PerkinElmer DSC 9 were reproducible across replicate measurements, indicating good thermal consistency of the developed composite system. XRD analysis indicated a predominantly amorphous morphology with limited semi-crystalline domains and a crystallinity index of approximately 23.32%. TGA results suggested improved thermal stability relative to plasticized starch systems, while DMA results indicated moderate storage-modulus retention and viscoelastic stability over the investigated temperature range. SEM observations of tortuous crack propagation pathways and localized deformation mechanisms. The combined results indicate that the developed composite exhibits balanced thermal and structural performance and potential for sustainable flexible bio-based material applications. However, additional mechanical, durability, water-resistance, and comparative performance studies are necessary to evaluate its suitability as a leather substitute.
K. Ramesha, Jangam Sasidhar, H. Naresh et al.· Journal of Materials Science...· 0 citations
This research focuses on how basalt macrofibers and microfibres affect the durability and Mechanical properties of M60 high-strength concrete. Compressive, split tensile, flexural strength, and acid resistance tests were employed to assess the performance of fiber-reinforced concrete at various fibre volume fractions. The findings demonstrate that the addition basalt fibres greatly enhanced the overall behaviour of concrete compared with the conventional control mix. The greatest compressive strengths were attained at a fibre dosage of 0.75%, reaching 68.42 MPa for microfibres and 63.86 MPa for macrofibres, compared to 58.81 MPa for conventional concrete. Additionally, split tensile strength increased as the fibre content increased to 0.75%, beyond which a slight reduction was observed, likely due to reduced matrix uniformity. Flexural performance showed substantial enhancement, with peak values of 8.78 and 7.88 MPa for microfibre- and macrofibre-reinforced concrete, respectively, demonstrating improved crack resistance and ductile behaviour. Durability evaluation through acid resistance testing revealed comparable performance at the optimum fibre dosage, although a marginal increase in weight loss was observed at higher fibre contents. Microstructural investigations confirmed effective fibre–matrix interaction and crack-bridging mechanisms, while XRD analysis verified the presence of stable crystalline phases that contributed to matrix integrity. Overall, basalt fibre reinforcement enhanced strength, toughness and durability characteristics of concrete. Furthermore, the experimental dataset was integrated with a model of an artificial neural network that accomplished high prediction accuracy. To validate and extend the predictive capability, additional Machine learning approaches were used, and strong agreement was shown with the experimental observations.
Shylaja N, K. Praveen, D. Chethan et al.· Discover Mechanical Engineer...· 0 citations