About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Natural Fibers and Biocomposites
|
| Presentation Title |
MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BROOM SORGHUM STALKS FOR USE IN POLYMER COMPOSITES |
| Author(s) |
Pedro Huang, Graziele Medeiros Cosme , Felipe Perisse Duarte Lopes, Noan Tonini Simonassi, Sergio Neves Monteiro |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Pedro Huang |
| Abstract Scope |
Agricultural residues such as broom sorghum stalks are often burned, contributing to environmental pollution despite their potential as renewable reinforcement for polymer composites. This study investigated the morphology of broom sorghum stalks using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the pith, rind, and fracture surfaces after impact testing. The pith exhibited a honeycomb like structure with numerous interconnected voids, explaining the low density of the material. In contrast, the rind presented a smoother and more compact surface morphology. Fractographic analysis revealed stronger interfacial adhesion between the pith and the epoxy matrix than between the rind and the matrix, indicating that surface morphology influences composite performance. The porous architecture of the pith contributes to the lightweight nature of the stalk, while its rougher surface favors mechanical interlocking with the polymer matrix. These findings demonstrate the potential of broom sorghum stalks as a sustainable reinforcement for lightweight polymer composites. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Characterization, Composites, |