Studies on Hardness of Polymer HybridSilica/NRHA Nanocomposites by Burnishing Process

Polymer composites have attracted the attention of researchers all over the world in the last decade. There are several advantages, environmental and economical, in various applications such as structural and food packaging of using bio composites over ordinary composites, especially those based on thermoplastic articles. Perhaps the biodegradability feature of such composites offers a natural solution for the problem in agricultural and marble waste management.

Properties of composites are improved using fillers in the size of nanolevel as reinforcement. Filler like nano rice husk ash and silica with some treatment like chemical modification to the surface with 3aminopropyltriethoxysilane provides better performance than its natural structure. Hybrid nanocomposite laminates are prepared by hand layup method. The laminates are prepared using 5layers of glass woven roving mates of 610gsm and nanofiller content varied from 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4wt%.

Burnishing is the plastic deformation of a surface due to sliding contact with another object. Visually, burnishing smears the texture of a rough surface and makes it shinier. Burnishing processes are used in manufacturing to improve the size, shape, surface finish, and/or surface hardness of a workpiece.