Innovative use of encapsulated EDM brass wire waste for enhancing glass fiber composite performance

This study examines a hybrid glass fiber (GF) composite made up of waste EDM brass wire placed within flexible silicone tubes (GFEDMWM), which are bonded together using epoxy resin (LY556) and hardener (HY951). The composite design features a central layer of brass wire encased in silicone tubes arranged at a 90° orientation with glass fiber (GF) mats positioned on both the top and bottom layers. The hand layup technique was used to assemble these materials, and various mechanical tests were performed to evaluate their properties. The GFEDMWM composite exhibited superior mechanical performance at the 90° orientation, achieving a peak tensile strength value of 117 MPa, a flexural strength value of 108.69 MPa, and an impact value of 18.7 J, highlighting its excellent load-bearing capability also Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) reveals that the GFEDMWM composite maintains thermal stability up to 250°C, undergoes primary degradation between 300 and 400°C, and exhibits notable residual mass at higher temperatures due to stable char formation and inorganic reinforcement effects. Furthermore, field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) imaging and X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests were conducted to further investigate the structure and characteristics of the composite, providing deeper insights into its morphology, crystalline, and overall performance.