Plastic is an amazing material, and wonderful invention, it has changed the world. Plastic is used everywhere and every day across the globe. But despite its varied uses, its disposal has threatened the environment. Biodegradable plastics can meet these needs and can easily be disposed to the environment. This work focuses on the characterization and performance analysis of starch bioplastics and composite bioplastic to reduce the plastic pollution by its various uses. TGA, DSC, SEM, FTIR, and surface roughness analyses were used to characterize, the mechanical properties, thermal properties and the morphology of the starch bioplastics and composite bioplastic. Starch bioplastics were fabricated using starch vinegar and glycerol. Composite bioplastics ware fabricated using starch, vinegar, glycerol and titanium dioxide. The addition of titanium dioxide improved the tensile strength of the bioplastics from 3.55 to 3.95 MPa and decreased elongation from 88% to 62%. According to Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) Test, the melting point (T
m
) and Glass Transition Temperature (T
g
) significantly affected by the presence of titanium dioxide (TiO
2
). The degree of nano-composite crystallinity was formed by the strong interfacial interaction between the titanium dioxide nanoparticles and the amorphous region of the chain. The decomposition temperature of starch bioplastic was increased by mixing with titanium dioxide nanoparticles. The results gained from SEM showed that better compatible morphologies in composite bioplastic compared to starch bioplastic for its fewer voids, holes, and crack. The functional group O–H, C–H, C=O, and C–O indicate the formation of starch bioplastics and composite bioplastics has already occurred which was confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. The result is also verified with the available results of other researchers. Therefore, composite bioplastic is a modified elevation of a starch bioplastic with a modified upgrade feature. It can be an alternative to existing conventional plastic, especially packaging applications.
Aluminium-based metal matrix composites play a significant role in the field of aerospace, automobile, structural, and military applications due to their enhanced mechanical and tribological properties that contrasted to monolithic materials. Severe metal service conditions, such as cutting, grinding, and drilling and demand tribological and mechanical properties, must be improved. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) reinforced with filler particles are covenant materials for rectifying these issues. This study experimentally investigated the effect of normal load and sliding velocity on the friction and wear properties of Al-6063-based MMC embedded with filler particles. Experiments were conducted under normal loads of 5 N, 7.5 N, and 10 N and velocities of 0.5 m/s, 1 m/s, and 1.5 m/s. The experimental results revealed controlling friction and wear rate of aluminium-based MMC. The friction coefficient and wear resistance were improved by the aluminium-based MMC. The morphology of the metal matrix composites was analysed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDS). The applied load, sliding velocity, SiC, Al 2 O 3 , and TiO 2 significantly affect the friction coefficient and wear loss. Chemical properties were investigated through Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis, and the peak values were identified. The analysis can be used to predict the tribological properties of Al-6063 MMC in engineering applications.
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