Present work deals with tensile characterization of walnut shell (WS) powder (20, 40 and 60 volume %) reinforced High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) thermoplastic composites synthesized using injection molding. Composite density and tensile modulus increases with increasing WS content wherein tensile strength of composite samples is lower as compared to neat HDPE. Specific modulus and strength show increasing and decreasing trend with higher WS loading respectively.

There are basic two phase of composite material, which one is known as matrix material and another one is called reinforcing material. The reinforcing material is embedded over matrix material. The matrix material is continuous phase and reinforcing is discontinuous phase. The reinforcing phase is muc harder than matrix phase. In composite material matrix phase removes the stresses between reinforcing phase and also protect from mechanical and environmental damage. The function of reinforcing material is to improve mechanical and thermal properties of composites. Composite are hybrid of two or more material such as reinforced polymer, metal or ceramics. The aim of the present work is to fabricate E-glass epoxy composite and Scomposite with polypropylene as filler material. The fabricated laminates are then tested for mechanical properties with varying percentage of filler material. The results obtained for E-glass epoxy composite and S-glass epoxy composites are then compared. The composites with optimum results are recommended.

This research work presents a comprehensive review and experimental studies on current trends in the development of proton exchange membrane (PEM) for fuel cell applications. The study focusses on fuel cells, types and their advantages when compared to convention energy conversion devices. Furthermore, research is essential for development of durable membrane resources/materials. Various aspects of PEM fuel cells have been reviewed to realize change in the membrane performance through characterization techniques adopted in this works. This study also focuses on gaps in already published literature which in turn limits our knowledge of characterization mechanism associated and the correlation existing between them. In addition, it needs to understand more appropriately to yield durable mechanisms. Further recent works on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells has been critically reviewed and in this direction two case studies have been presented as a part of experimental works carried out. Further Polymer based PEMs were developed using polyvinyl alcohol as a base matrix reinforced with different nano-particles viz., Multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and Carbon nano fibers (CNFs). The membranes were subjected to solubility and swelling tests and were characterized by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) for feasibility studies on their fuel cell applications.

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