Multidisciplinary Composites

A special issue of Journal of Composites Science (ISSN 2504-477X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (7 August 2021) | Viewed by 28886

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Department of Mechanical Engineering, Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering & Technology, Telangana 500090, India
Interests: metal forming; material modelling; bio-composites; finite element method; green composites
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Guest Editor
Savan Green Energy Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Telangana 500051, India
Interests: renewable energy; PV cell composites; composite materials for sustainable energy; reliability

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Guest Editor
Gokaraju Rangaraju Institute of Engineering & Technology, Telangana 500090, India
Interests: machinability; composites; biocomposites; nanomaterials

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Guest Editor
Department of Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK
Interests: metal matrix composites; fiber-reinforced polymer composites; nanocomposites; composites in dentistry; tribology; surface engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The remarkable combination of properties that one can obtain from cutting-edge composites, viz., high stiffness and/or strength-to-weight proportions, corrosion resistance, design flexibility, item flexibility, and so forth, focuses on development in the utilization of these materials. The need for extended applications in mechanical, electrical, electronic, car, airplane, building development, and process industries has been hugely demanding for engineers, with expansive-feature preparation of the material choice, creation, planning, and testing of composites being a major requirement. Indeed, even the arising regions in biomechanics utilize a ton of composite innovation to make innovatively huge advances.

Among the cutting-edge underlying materials, there has been enormous progression in the science and innovation of materials. Lately, nanostructure materials and nanocomposites have become progressively significant, considering their wonderful properties and forever-developing regions for down-to-earth applications. Different mechanical properties of nanomaterials, with scientific or computational application, are yet to undergo far-reaching test examination of mechanical conduct. Despite the quick advancement in this field, certain mechanical properties of nanomaterials and composites are yet to be fully explored in materials science. In the field of gigantic and complex assembling, we are currently needing materials, with properties, that can be controlled by our necessities.

This Special Issue will mainly focus on all the above-mentioned points to cover composites in all fields of engineering.

Prof. Dr. Swadesh Kumar Singh
Dr. Suresh Kumar Tummala
Dr. Satyanarayana Kosaraju
Dr. Julfikar Haider
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • Nanocomposites
  • Mechanical behavior of composites
  • Composite materials and processing
  • Material selection and design
  • Additive manufacturing
  • Morphological structures
  • Material characterization.

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 172 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial for the Special Issue on Multidisciplinary Composites
by Swadesh Kumar Singh, Suresh Kumar Tummala, Satyanarayana Kosaraju and Julfikar Haider
J. Compos. Sci. 2024, 8(5), 166; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs8050166 - 30 Apr 2024
Viewed by 1092
Abstract
The remarkable blend of features that advanced composites can provide, such as high stiffness, good strength-to-weight ratio, good corrosion resistance, design freedom, and product variety, has expanded their applicability [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)

Research

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15 pages, 4431 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Incorporating Ag-Zn Zeolite on the Surface Roughness and Hardness of Heat and Cold Cure Acrylic Resins
by Ali M. Aljafery, Ola M. Al-Jubouri, Zena J. Wally, Rajaa M. Almusawi, Noor H. Abdulrudha and Julfikar Haider
J. Compos. Sci. 2022, 6(3), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs6030085 - 9 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2776
Abstract
One of the most widely used materials for the fabrication of prosthetic dental parts is acrylic resin. Its reasonable mechanical and physical properties make it a popular material for a wide range of dental applications. Recently, many attempts have been made to improve [...] Read more.
One of the most widely used materials for the fabrication of prosthetic dental parts is acrylic resin. Its reasonable mechanical and physical properties make it a popular material for a wide range of dental applications. Recently, many attempts have been made to improve the mechanical and biological properties of this material, such as by adding fibres, nanoparticles, and nanotubes. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of adding an antimicrobial agent, Ag-Zn zeolite, on the surface roughness and hardness of the denture base resins. Ag-Zn zeolite particles were chemically prepared and added at different concentrations (0.50 wt.% and 0.75 wt.%) to the heat cure (HC) and cold cure (CC) acrylic resins. Zeolite particles were characterized and confirmed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) attached with a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Sixty disk shape specimens (40 mm diameter and 2 mm thickness) were fabricated from the HC and CC resins with and without the zeolite. All the specimens were divided into two main groups based on the acrylic resins, then each was subdivided into three groups (n = 10) according to the concentration of the Ag-Zn zeolite. A surface roughness and a hardness tester were used to measure the surface finish and hardness of the specimens. The analysed data showed that the surface roughness values significantly decreased when 0.50 wt.% and 0.75 wt.% zeolite were incorporated in the HC resin specimens compared to the control group. However, this reduction was not significant in the case of CC resin, while the surface hardness was significantly improved after incorporating 0.50 wt.% and 0.75 wt.% zeolite for both the CC and HC resins. Incorporating Ag-Zn zeolite with acrylic resin materials could be beneficial for improving their surface finish and resistance to surface damage as defined by the higher hardness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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20 pages, 4900 KiB  
Article
Influence of Heat Treatment on the Corrosion Behaviour of Aluminium Silver Nano Particle/Calcium Carbonate Composite
by Omolayo Michael Ikumapayi, Esther T. Akinlabi, Olayinka Oluwatosin Abegunde, Precious Ken-Ezihuo, Henry A. Benjamin, Sunday Adeniran Afolalu and Stephen A. Akinlabi
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(10), 280; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5100280 - 16 Oct 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2017
Abstract
Corrosion is one of the leading sources of material failure and deterioration in society. Scholars have proposed different techniques to mitigate corrosion. This research study explores and validates one of these techniques. An Aluminium metal matrix (AMC) was produced using the stir casting [...] Read more.
Corrosion is one of the leading sources of material failure and deterioration in society. Scholars have proposed different techniques to mitigate corrosion. This research study explores and validates one of these techniques. An Aluminium metal matrix (AMC) was produced using the stir casting method with various weight percentages of AgNp and CaCO3 reinforcements. Heat treatment was performed on the samples to enhance the metallurgical and corrosion properties of the materials. The corrosion rate of the AMC samples was tested in different corrosive media (neutral and acidic) with different concentrations using the weight loss analysis technique for several days. It was observed that the corrosion rate of the AMC relies on the nature of the electrolyte and the percentage concentration of this electrolyte. The heat treatment improves the corrosion resistance of the AMC samples. In addition, an increase in the % weight composition of the reinforcement (AgNp + CaCO3) results in a reduction in the corrosion rate of the AMC in both corrosive media. The optimal %weight composition was found to be 4% for the hybrid reinforcement of AgNp + CaCO3 and 6% for the CaCO3 reinforcement in both the untreated and heat-treated samples. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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12 pages, 4885 KiB  
Article
Carbonization Temperature and Its Effect on the Mechanical Properties, Wear and Corrosion Resistance of Aluminum Reinforced with Eggshell
by Ndudim H. Ononiwu, Chigbogu G. Ozoegwu, Nkosinathi Madushele and Esther T. Akinlabi
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(10), 262; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5100262 - 1 Oct 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2183
Abstract
In this paper, the effect of the carbonization temperature on the mechanical properties, density, wear and corrosion resistance of AA 6063 reinforced with eggshells was investigated. The selected fabrication route for this investigation was stir casting while the weight fraction of the eggshells [...] Read more.
In this paper, the effect of the carbonization temperature on the mechanical properties, density, wear and corrosion resistance of AA 6063 reinforced with eggshells was investigated. The selected fabrication route for this investigation was stir casting while the weight fraction of the eggshells was kept constant at 5 wt.%. The carbonization temperature was varied at 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 °C. The microstructure revealed that the eggshells were fairly uniformly dispersed on the individual grains and along the grain boundaries of the base metal. It was also shown that the presence of agglomeration increased with increasing carbonization temperature. The densities of the eggshell-reinforced AMCs were lower than that of the base metal. The analysis of the microhardness showed an improvement of 40.79, 22.93, 25.70, and 29.43% for the 900, 1000, 1100, and 1200 °C carbonized eggshell samples, respectively. The compressive strength studies showed that the addition of carbonized eggshells improved the compressive strength of the composites compared to the base metal. The tribology studies showed that the wear resistance improved for the 900 and 1200 °C samples, while the electrochemical studies revealed that the corrosion resistance improved for the 900 and 1000 °C samples only. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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10 pages, 1903 KiB  
Article
Optimization of Milling Parameters of Unmodified Calotropis Procera Fiber-Reinforced PLA Composite (UCPFRPC)
by Hassan K. Langat, Fredrick M. Mwema, James N. Keraita, Esther T. Akinlabi, Job M. Wambua and Tien-Chien Jen
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(10), 261; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5100261 - 1 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1964
Abstract
This study involves the optimization of the milling parameters of unmodified Calotropis Procera fiber-reinforced PLA composite (UCPFRPC). The material is prepared from the combination of 20% Calotropis-Procera and 80% of PLA by weight. The experiments are designed using the Taguchi methodology, where 16 [...] Read more.
This study involves the optimization of the milling parameters of unmodified Calotropis Procera fiber-reinforced PLA composite (UCPFRPC). The material is prepared from the combination of 20% Calotropis-Procera and 80% of PLA by weight. The experiments are designed using the Taguchi methodology, where 16 experiments are obtained using the spindle rotational speed, depth of cut, and feed rate as the parameters. These experiments were conducted while obtaining thermal images using an infrared camera and recording the machining time. The change in mass was then determined and the material removal rate computed. The machined workpieces were then investigated for surface roughness. The study shows that the optimal milling parameters in the machining of UCPFRPC for the lowest surface roughness are 400 rpm, 400 mm/min, and 0.2 mm, for the rotational spindle speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The parameters were 400 rpm, 100 mm/min, and 1.2 mm for the largest MRR, and 400 rpm, 400 mm/min, and 0.2 mm for the least average milling temperature. In all the responses, the depth of cut is the most significant factor. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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13 pages, 2147 KiB  
Article
Improving the Combustion Properties of Corncob Biomass via Torrefaction for Solid Fuel Applications
by Segun Emmanuel Ibitoye, Tien-Chien Jen, Rasheedat Modupe Mahamood and Esther Titilayo Akinlabi
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(10), 260; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5100260 - 1 Oct 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2935
Abstract
The overdependence on fossils as the primary energy source has led to climate change, global warming, and the emission of greenhouse gas. As a result, the United Nations, while setting the goals for the year 2030, has made the provision of a green [...] Read more.
The overdependence on fossils as the primary energy source has led to climate change, global warming, and the emission of greenhouse gas. As a result, the United Nations, while setting the goals for the year 2030, has made the provision of a green environment and energy one of the top priorities. In this study, the suitability of corncob for green energy production was investigated. The improvement of corncob’s thermal and combustion properties via the torrefaction process was considered for solid fuel applications. The raw corncob was collected, sorted, and dried for seven days before being used for the torrefaction experiment. Different torrefaction temperatures (200, 240, and 260 °C) and residence times (20, 40, 60 min) were studied. There was no particle reduction—samples were torrefied as collected (whole corncob). The results show that torrefaction temperature and residence time affect the torrefaction products yields along with their properties. Thermal and combustion properties were improved with an increase in torrefaction temperature and residence time. The higher heating value and energy density of the torrefied corncob varied between 17.26 and 18.89 MJ/kg, and 3.23 and 5.66 GJ/m3, respectively. High torrefaction temperature and residence time lead to low solid yield; however, liquid and gas yields increase with torrefaction temperature and residence time. The solid yields varied from 27.57 to 52.23%, while the liquid and gas yields varied from 31.56 to 44.78% and 16.21 to 27.65%, respectively. The properties of corncob improve after torrefaction and are suitable for solid fuel application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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10 pages, 2745 KiB  
Article
Laser Butt Welding of Thin Ti6Al4V Sheets: Effects of Welding Parameters
by Peter Omoniyi, Rasheedat Mahamood, Nana Arthur, Sisa Pityana, Samuel Skhosane, Yasuhiro Okamoto, Togo Shinonaga, Martin Maina, Tien-Chien Jen and Esther Akinlabi
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(9), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5090246 - 14 Sep 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2552
Abstract
Titanium and its alloys, particularly Ti6Al4V, which is widely utilized in the marine and aerospace industries, have played a vital role in different manufacturing industries. An efficient and cost-effective way of joining this metal is by laser welding. The effect of laser power [...] Read more.
Titanium and its alloys, particularly Ti6Al4V, which is widely utilized in the marine and aerospace industries, have played a vital role in different manufacturing industries. An efficient and cost-effective way of joining this metal is by laser welding. The effect of laser power and welding speed on the tensile, microhardness, and microstructure of Ti6Al4V alloy is investigated in this paper. Results show that the microhardness is highest at the fusion zone and reduces towards the base metal. The microstructure at the fusion zone shows a transformed needle-like lamellar α phase, with a martensitic α’ phase observed within the heat affected zone. Results of tensile tests show an improved tensile strength compared to the base metal. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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10 pages, 2040 KiB  
Article
Mechanical and Durability Characteristics Assessment of Geopolymer Composite (GPC) at Varying Silica Fume Content
by Ankur Gupta, Nakul Gupta and Kuldeep Kumar Saxena
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(9), 237; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5090237 - 5 Sep 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 2327
Abstract
The present study aimed at assessing mechanical and durability characteristics of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)-based geopolymer composites at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% replacement proportion of silica fume at 12 molarity of NaOH. Mechanical properties were assessed using compression [...] Read more.
The present study aimed at assessing mechanical and durability characteristics of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS)-based geopolymer composites at 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% replacement proportion of silica fume at 12 molarity of NaOH. Mechanical properties were assessed using compression and tension tests, whereas durability characteristics were evaluated using ultrasonic pulse velocity test (UPV), acid test, and rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT), and water absorption (WA) test. Additionally, reduction in mass and strength were also determined due to the acid action on the developed composites. A correlation of compressive strength was also established with the splitting tensile strength, UPV, RCPT, and WA. The presence of silica fume and high NaOH concentration in GPC tends to improve the mechanical strength up toa certain level. UPV values obtained were falling in the range of medium to good category. Chloride ion penetration and water absorption values were reduced by around 23% and 26%, respectively, at 10% silica fume replacement. Mass loss and strength loss were reduced as the % of silica fume increased. A good correlation of compressive strength was obtained with tensile strength, UPV, and RCPT with a coefficient of determination of 0.9681, 0.9665, and 0.9208, respectively. Poor correlation was obtained between compressive strength and water absorption. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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10 pages, 3157 KiB  
Article
Development, Testing and Characterization of Al NanoTiCp Composites through Powder Metallurgy Techniques
by Gaurav Bajpai, Anuradha Tiwari, Rajesh Purohit, Vijay Panchore, Rashmi Dwivedi and Kosaraju Satyanarayana
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(8), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5080224 - 22 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1738
Abstract
In the present scenario, weight diminution and strength enrichment are the main requirements for escalating the application of a nano composite material in different sectors. Several industrial sectors, such as automobile, defense and aerospace, are making various components of nano composites with the [...] Read more.
In the present scenario, weight diminution and strength enrichment are the main requirements for escalating the application of a nano composite material in different sectors. Several industrial sectors, such as automobile, defense and aerospace, are making various components of nano composites with the help of powder metallurgy processing. In this study, Al nanoTiCp composites (2, 4 and 6 wt %) were contrived through modified powder metallurgy (PM) techniques with the help of Cold Isostatic Compaction process (CIP). The mechanical properties such as density, porosity, micro-hardness, compressive strength and indirect tensile strength were increasing with the reinforcement of nanoTiCp particles up to 4 wt % in Al metal matrix composites. Nevertheless, clustering of nanoTiCp particles were found at 6 wt %, which is also observed in SEM images. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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Review

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22 pages, 3027 KiB  
Review
A Comprehensive Review of Polymeric Wastewater Purification Membranes
by Rasmeet Singh, Mandeep Singh, Nisha Kumari, Janak, Sthitapragyan Maharana and Pragyansu Maharana
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(6), 162; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5060162 - 21 Jun 2021
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 4802
Abstract
Synthetic membranes are currently employed for multiple separation applications in various industries. They may have been prepared from organic or inorganic materials. Present research majorly focuses on polymeric (i.e., organic) membranes because they show better flexibility, pore formation mechanism, and thermal and chemical [...] Read more.
Synthetic membranes are currently employed for multiple separation applications in various industries. They may have been prepared from organic or inorganic materials. Present research majorly focuses on polymeric (i.e., organic) membranes because they show better flexibility, pore formation mechanism, and thermal and chemical stability, and demand less area for installation. Dendritic, carbon nanotube, graphene and graphene oxide, metal and metal oxide, zwitter-ionic, and zeolite-based membranes are among the most promised water treatment membranes. This paper critically reviews the ongoing developments to utilize nanocomposite membranes to purify water. Various membranes have been reported to study their resistance and fouling properties. A special focus is given towards multiple ways in which these nanocomposite membranes can be employed. Therefore, this review provides a platform to develop the awareness of current research and motivate its readers to make further progress for utilizing nanocomposite membranes in water purification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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Other

12 pages, 1401 KiB  
Concept Paper
Random Forest Modeling for Fly Ash-Calcined Clay Geopolymer Composite Strength Detection
by Priyanka Gupta, Nakul Gupta, Kuldeep K. Saxena and Sudhir Goyal
J. Compos. Sci. 2021, 5(10), 271; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcs5100271 - 13 Oct 2021
Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1821
Abstract
Geopolymer is an eco-friendly material used in civil engineering works. For geopolymer concrete (GPC) preparation, waste fly ash (FA) and calcined clay (CC) together were used with percentage variation from 5, 10, and 15. In the mix design for geopolymers, there is no [...] Read more.
Geopolymer is an eco-friendly material used in civil engineering works. For geopolymer concrete (GPC) preparation, waste fly ash (FA) and calcined clay (CC) together were used with percentage variation from 5, 10, and 15. In the mix design for geopolymers, there is no systematic methodology developed. In this study, the random forest regression method was used to forecast compressive strength and split tensile strength. The input content involved were caustic soda with 12 M, 14 M, and 16 M; sodium silicate; coarse aggregate passing 20 mm and 10 mm sieve; crushed stone dust; superplasticizer; curing temperature; curing time; added water; and retention time. The standard age of 28 days was used, and a total of 35 samples with a target-specified compressive strength of 30 MPa were prepared. In all, 20% of total data were trained, and 80% of data testing was performed. Efficacy in terms of mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), coefficient of determination (R2), and MSE (mean squared error) is suggested in the model. The results demonstrated that the RFR model is likely to predict GPC compressive strength (MAE = 1.85 MPa, MSE = 0.05 MPa, RMSE = 2.61 MPa, and R2 = 0.93) and split tensile strength (MAE = 0.20 MPa, MSE = 6.83 MPa, RMSE = 0.24 MPa, and R2 = 0.90) during training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Multidisciplinary Composites)
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