Bio-based polybenzoxazine composites for oil-water separation, sound absorption and corrosion resistance applications

In the present work, an attempt has been made to develop bio-based composites using cardanol and eugenol based benzoxazine matrices with bio-silica as well as natural fibrous materials (coir felt, kapok fabric, jute felt and rice husk) as reinforcements. The bio-composites developed were studied for different applications viz., dielectric, water repellent, oil-water separation, sound-absorption including corrosion resistance use. Among the bio-silica reinforced benzoxazine composites, 7 wt% bio-silica reinforced cardanol composites possesses the highest value of water contact angle (147°) and the lowest value of dielectric constant (2.0) than those of other bio-silica reinforced composites. Further, the cotton fabric was coated with cardanol and eugenol based polybenzoxazines separately, whose values of water contact angles are found to be 159° and 157° with oil-water separation efficiency as 96% and 95% respectively. Furthermore, the cardanol based benzoxazine was separately reinforced with jute felt, coir felt, kapok fabric and rice-husk. The corresponding sound absorption efficiency was found to increase in the following order, Neat polybenzoxazine < rice husk < coir felt < kapok fabric < jute felt. Data resulted from corrosion studies, it was noticed that the mild steel specimen coated with bio-based benzoxazine matrices and bio-silica reinforced benzoxazine composites coated specimens exhibit an excellent resistance to corrosion. Data resulted from different studies, it is suggested that the cardanol and eugenol based bio-composites can be considered as an effective materials for microelectronics insulation, water repellent, oil-water separation, sound absorption and corrosion resistant applications.