Enhancing Mechanical and Biodegradable Properties of Natural Fiber Composites using Coconut Shell Bio-Filler

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nandha Engineering College, Perundurai 638052, Tamil Nadu, India

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Published online: 26 September 2025

Abstract

An eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fiber composites is natural fiber composites, which are gaining popularity. One such material is polymer composites, which have investigated using coconut shell bio- filler. Natural fiber composites were created in this study using cotton, coir, and flax fibers. Epoxy resin with varying percentages of coconut shell powder (CSP) added as fillers resulted in polymer composites with 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15 wt. % concentrations of CSP. The biodegradability and mechanical characteristics of the synthetic composites were studied. Composites with an ideal filler proportion of 9 % CSP considerably enhanced mechanical properties in all triple fiber composites, according to the test results. Coir fiber that had 9 % CSP added to it had the most significant improvement in hardness strength qualities (36.05 %), impact strength (30.85 %), flexural strength (62.06 %), and tensile strength (33.13%). When it comes to biodegradability tests, the coir fiber composites' percentage weight loss at 9 weeks is also remarkable. Thus, epoxy composites with fillers made of coconut shell could be used for tasks that demand higher hardness, flexural, impact, and tensile strengths.