Thermal and Morphological Characterization of Rice Starch–Charcoal Composites for Eco-Friendly Engineering Applications

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 02 | Page :
    By

    Vemuri Manohar Theodore,

  • Bondala Ramakrishna,

  • Raghuveer Dontikurti,

  • Dumpala Bhanuchandra Rao,

  • Apparao Damarasingu,

  1. M. Tech Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  2. Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India
  5. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Aditya Institute of Technology and Management, Tekkali, Andhra Pradesh, India

Abstract

This work focuses on the development and evaluation of rice starch–charcoal–based composite materials to overcome the limitations of natural composites with low thermal properties. In order to examine the impact of filler concentration on thermal and structural performance, eight composite specimens were created by altering the ratios of rice starch and charcoal. TGA, DTA, AFM, SEM, and measurements of thermal conductivity and effusivity were used to thoroughly characterize the composites. Because of its high carbon content and porous structure, which may offer significant heat absorption and be helpful for boosting thermal stability and transmitting heat alongside the starch matrix, charcoal was selected to serve as functional reinforcement. Due to their weak thermal resistance, most traditional starch-based composites are not suitable for energy storage applications and cannot tolerate high temperatures. Due to the higher degradation temperature in TGA and higher heat absorption peaks in the DTA studies, the addition of charcoal improved the thermal resistance deficiencies in these composites. Improved particle dispersion and interfacial bonding within the starch matrix were suggested by the surface morphology obtained by SEM and AFM, which demonstrated a more uniform microstructure and decreased porosity with increased charcoal loading. Fill concentration was further shown to be advantageous over heat transfer characteristics in thermal analysis. With increasing charcoal content, the thermal effusivity of the composites grew steadily until specimen 8, which had the greatest bamboo charcoal content, reached its maximum of 1075 Ws½/m²K. Similarly, the trend of thermal conductivity and stability confirmed that adding more charcoal improved the composite’s capacity to absorb and store heat. Therefore, the rice starch-charcoal composite with a greater filler amount generally received improved thermal responsiveness, dimensional stability, and surface integrity. Therefore, our results present the creation of charcoal-reinforced starch composites as extremely interesting candidate materials for applications in packaging, energy management systems, and thermal insulation that can be handled economically and sustainably. As a result, the project opens the door for potential environmentally friendly thermal composites made from inexpensive, renewable natural materials.

Keywords: Charcoal Composites, Rice Starch, Thermal Analysis, SEM, AFM.

How to cite this article:
Vemuri Manohar Theodore, Bondala Ramakrishna, Raghuveer Dontikurti, Dumpala Bhanuchandra Rao, Apparao Damarasingu. Thermal and Morphological Characterization of Rice Starch–Charcoal Composites for Eco-Friendly Engineering Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):-.
How to cite this URL:
Vemuri Manohar Theodore, Bondala Ramakrishna, Raghuveer Dontikurti, Dumpala Bhanuchandra Rao, Apparao Damarasingu. Thermal and Morphological Characterization of Rice Starch–Charcoal Composites for Eco-Friendly Engineering Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=240567


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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
02
Received 12/11/2025
Accepted 21/11/2025
Published 23/04/2026
Publication Time 162 Days
100

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