Studies on thermal characteristics of cow dung powder filled glass-polyester hybrid composites

In the present work Studies on thermal characteristics of cow dung powder filled glass polyester hybrid composites were prepared. Cow dung is a animal based fiber which is also biodegradable and glass fiber is a synthetic fiber. These two natural and synthetic fibers are combined in the same matrix (unsaturated polyester) to make cow dung powder filled glass polyester hybrid composites and the thermal characteristics of these hybrid composites was studied. A significant improvement seen in decrease thermal conductivity of cow dung filled glass-polyester hybrid composites has been found. The cow dung powder is added to the resin (unsaturated polyester) in proportions of 3%, 6%, and 9% by weight of resin respectively and cow dung/glass fiber hybrid composites were prepared by using this resin to study the effect thermal resistivity character of cow dung on heat capacity of these hybrid composites. It is also observed that as the cow dung powder quantity decreases thermal conductivity. A good co-relation between surface morphology and thermal conductivity of composite is derived from scanning electron microscopy. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.