Synergizing mechanical properties and vibrant aesthetics: Nanosilver-treated flax woven fabric reinforcement for polymeric composites

Abstract

Innovation and research in the field of natural fiber-reinforced composites have garnered significant attention in recent times due to the pursuit of sustainable materials for diverse applications in the automotive, building and construction, marine, defense, and aviation industries. Woven fabric lamination has emerged as a crucial reinforcement technique for fabricating structural composites using thermosetting polymers. Advanced characteristics of nanoparticles renders them instrumental in enhancing the thermomechanical and physical properties of composites. Researches are actively going on to explore alternative approaches to develop AgNPs that are safe, environmentally friendly, and conducive to their integration into composites. In this study, hornbeam leaves (Carpinus betulus), abundant in central European countries like Hungary, were employed as a stabilizing and reducing agent to in situ synthesize AgNPs onto flax woven fabrics at varying concentrations. The resulting nanosilver-coated and uncoated fabrics were then laminated with MUF (melamine urea formaldehyde) resin using five layers of flax, thereby producing nanocomposites. Extensive analyses were conducted on the compositted products, encompassing inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (iCP-OES), morphological examinations of both fractured and intact samples, assessment of mechanical properties, evaluation of physical characteristics (including water absorption, moisture content, and thickness swelling), thermal stability using TGA (Thermogravimetric analysis)/DTG (Derivative thermogravimetry) study, FTIR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), and colorimetric data. The nanocomposites treated with AgNPs exhibited vibrant colors and uniform dispersion of nanoparticles across the surface compared to the control samples. These results suggest that AgNPs were successfully incorporated into flax-woven fabrics, facilitating the production of sustainable composite production.