Elaboration and Characterization of Composite Material Based on Epoxy Resin and Cynara Scolymus Fibers: Weibull Statistics Analysis

Abstract

The research will fill the increasing demand of sustainable composite materials by designing and characterizing an epoxy based biocomposite that is reinforced with natural fibers that are derived through the Cynara scolumus (artichoke stem) agricultural waste. The study methodically examines how fiber reinforcement influences the performance of the composite under a controlled extraction of the fibers, and also the unidirectional laminates of the composite were produced with single, double, and triple ply. The fibers were methodologically described in physical properties with the help of water absorption kinetics based on the Peleg equation, and mechanical performance with tensile tests and impact tests according to the ASTM standards, including SEM and EDX tests. The most important findings include the fact that the mechanical properties are greatly increased with the number of fiber plies: single-ply composite reached the ultimate tensile strength of about 15 MPa, double-ply composite tensile strength was 32 MPa, and the triple-ply composite tensile strength was 60 MPa with better strain at break (about 2.2%). The resistance to impact also improved with the number of ply and the adhesion of fibers to the matrix was also confirmed by SEM with a small number of voids and EDX gave a fiber composition of 56.49% carbon and 34.05% oxygen. The paper presents the new application of the Cynara scolymus fibers, which are an untested agricultural waste, in epoxy composites, and is the first use of Weibull statistical analysis to describe the consistency and reliability of these fibers as a sustainable reinforcement. The paper concludes that Cynara scolymus fibers are an effective, renewable reinforcement, with a very good balance of low density, better specific strength, and acceptable moisture uptake, thus contributing to the valorization of agricultural residues to support the eco-friendly structural and semi-structural composites.