SHORT NOTES: THE LOW-VELOCITY IMPACT RESPONSE OF BIO-COMPOSITES

Abstract

In this paper, an experimental investigation on the low-velocity impact response of wood-based bio-composites is presented. This study is to map the suitability of plant-based materials instead of petroleum-based plastic as a constituent raw material in composites. Wood-basedcomposites panels were made from southern yellow pine (SYP), corn starch (CS), and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) using a Diefenbacher hot press. The impact performance of thespecimens was evaluated in terms of energy absorption capacity. Five types of bio-composites were prepared with varying compositions with SYP: 4% MDI; 2% CS and 2% MDI; 2% CS and 4% MDI; 4% CS and 4% MDI. These samples were prepared at two different manufacturing pressures. The bio-composite produced with higher manufacturing pressure had the highest absorbed energy among five different types of bio-composites, this shows that material behavior at impact loading is strongly dependent on the manufacturing pressure during fabrication.