Characterization of peanut husk-derived Si3N4 basalt fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester resin composites

The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of adding peanut husk-derived Si3N4 on load-bearing, time-dependent and thermal properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polyester composites. The fine Si3N4 particles are synthesized from the discarded peanut husk waste via thermo-chemical process. The composites are meticulously crafted using the hand layup method and undergo thorough characterization following the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standards. Results revealed that the addition of fiber and particle marginally improved the density and water content; however it is not much deviated from the base values. However, among the fabricated composites, RBS3 produced improved wear resistance, reduced creep strain, enhanced flame retardance and high thermal stability as it has higher tensile strength up to 130 MPa. It demonstrates a specific wear rate of 0.009 mm3/Nm, coefficient of friction of 0.31 and a low creep strain of 0.0086 mm at 10,000 s. It also exhibits a notably high initial decomposition temperature of 410 °C and a lower flame propagation speed of 6.72 mm/min. In terms of fatigue, RBS2 performs exceptionally well, with high values at 25