Investigating the effect of cashew nutshell liquid and aluminum powder on the mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy resins

This study focuses on developing hybrid polymer composites by incorporating cashew nut shell liquid (CSNL) and aluminum powder into LY556 epoxy resin. The objective was to enhance the material's mechanical properties, specifically tensile strength, thermal stability, and flexural strength, while promoting sustainability using agricultural by-products. The materials were blended in various proportions with aluminum particles of micron and nano sizes to identify the optimal composition. A thorough characterization was performed
using tensile and flexural testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Results indicated that a composition of 2.5% aluminum powder and 30% CSNL yielded significant improvements in tensile and flexural properties, achieving tensile strength values of 64 MPa and a flexural strength of 45 MPa. SEM analysis revealed a homogenous distribution of aluminum particles, while FTIR confirmed successful bonding between the components. These findings suggest that the integration of CSNL and aluminum particles into epoxy resin provides a feasible method for producing sustainable hybrid
composites with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties.