Experimental investigation on the performance of epoxy/tamarind fiber/silica/tamarind fruit seed particle enriched composites

Abstract

Epoxy-based composites reinforced with natural fibers and particulate fillers are gaining attention as sustainable alternatives to metallic components. This study investigates tamarind fiber–epoxy composites enhanced with silica (SiO ₂ ) and tamarind fruit seed (TS) particles to evaluate their mechanical, and water absorption properties. Composites were fabricated by the hand lay-up process, and their tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness properties were systematically analyzed. The ET (70:30) composition showed superior baseline performance, achieving tensile, flexural, and impact strengths of 56 MPa, 65 MPa, and 12 kJ/m ² , respectively, with minimal water absorption (15 %). Reinforcement with 3 wt% SiO ₂ further improved performance, yielding the highest tensile (67 MPa), flexural (77 MPa), and impact (18 kJ/m ² ) strengths, along with reduced water absorption (10 %). SiO ₂ proved more effective than TS due to its higher stiffness, barrier properties, and interfacial compatibility with the epoxy matrix. These results demonstrate that SiO ₂ -reinforced ET (70:30) composites offer excellent strength, toughness, and moisture resistance, making them promising candidates for engineering applications such as automotive components, structural panels, and moisture-prone environments.