World Journal of Engineering Research and Technology

Ajibola K. A.*, Kareem M. O., Aderonmu M. A. and Ghazali A.

ABSTRACT

Coconut shell and husk are farm byproducts from processed seeds of coconut palm trees. They are produced in large quantities with very little usage thereby causing pollution and environmental hazards to the communities. Thus, this research investigated and compared physical and mechanical properties of both coconut shell and husk. The two farm byproducts were collected from different dumping sites, sorted, sundried, grinded, sieved and mixed with epoxy resin and hardener in ratio 2:1. The mixtures were preheated at 120 0C for 2 minutes, pressedunder 5 MPa for 2 minutes and cured at 100 0C for 3 minutes. Three samples each from the two composites were subjected to various mechanical tests. Coconut husk showed higher moisture content with a value of 45.83% than coconut shell (17.5%). The mechanical properties investigated were; compressive strength with values of 27.87 MPa and 26.8 MPa, hardness (4.58 BHN and 3.51 BHN), impact (7.58 J and 7.59 J) for coconut shell and husk, respectively. Conclusively, coconut shell and husks can be used as reinforcements and fillers whenever the strength ranges obtained from the experiments are required. Moreover, they can be substituted for other materials in the mixture of concrete and polymers especially; pet bottles, polythene bags, plastics and others waste materials, which are capable of standing as matrix in matrix-fibre composites.

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