Water Absorption Behaviour Of Epoxy-Based HybridComposites Reinforced With Glass Fiber And Industrial WasteFillers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64252/gwm31382Keywords:
Epoxy-based hybrid composites, E-glass fiber reinforcement, Industrial waste fillers (CD, CFA, MP, CBPD), Water absorption (ASTM D570), Moisture resistance, Filler porosity and interfacial bonding, Marine and structural applications.Abstract
The present work examines the water absorption behavior of epoxy-based hybrid composites reinforced with E-glass fiber
and modified with industrial waste fillers such as Coal Dust (CD), Coal Fly Ash (CFA), Marble Powder (MP), CDCFA
(Coal Dust + CFA), CDCBPD (Coal Dust + Cement Bypass Dust), and CDMP (Coal Dust + Marble Powder).
Laminates were fabricated using the hand lay-up technique with filler additions of 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 wt.%, and their
moisture uptake was evaluated in distilled, mineral, ground, and sea water in accordance with ASTM D570 standards.
The results reveal that water absorption strongly depends on the type of filler, its proportion, and the immersion medium.
Distilled water produced the highest overall uptake, where GE50 absorbed 9.64%, while GECDCBPD5 showed the
lowest at 0.56%. In mineral water, GECFA7.5 exhibited the least absorption (0.52%), whereas GECD10 recorded the
maximum (2.47%). Ground water led to the greatest variation, with GE50 reaching 14.56% and GECFA2.5
maintaining the lowest at 0.52%. In sea water, GE60 demonstrated superior resistance (0.66%), while GECD10
absorbed the most (2.71%). These outcomes highlight the roles of filler porosity, interfacial bonding, and matrix
hydrophilicity. The study establishes that industrial waste fillers can effectively reduce moisture ingress in epoxy composites,
enabling their use in structural, marine, and humid-environment applications.
