Biochar-Filled Soy Protein Composites: Evaluating Thermal and Mechanical Properties for Sustainable Polymer Applications

Year : 2025 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 03 | Page : 60-71
    By

    R. Sathyamurthy,

  • Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,

  • Prafull Hishikar,

  • G. Devi,

  • T. Magesh,

  • Anu Swedha Ananthan,

  • K. Manimekalai,

  • M. Mathiyarasi,

  • R. Sathyamurthy,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Sri Sairam Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Assistant Professor, Department of Automobile Engineering, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  3. Assistant Professor, Department of Automobile Engineering, Parul Institute of Technology, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
  4. Professor, Department of Physics, RMK College of Engineering and Technology, Puduvoyal, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  5. Professor, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, R.M.K. Engineering College, Kavaraipettai, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  6. Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, Justice Basheer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  7. Associate Professor, Department of Physics, St. Joseph’s Institute of Technology, OMR, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  8. Assistant Professor, Department of Aeronautical, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  9. Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran,Dammam, , Saudi Arabia

Abstract

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The growing demand for environmentally sustainable and biodegradable materials has intensified interest in alternative solutions for thermal insulation. This study explores the development of composite materials using mango seed shell biochar (MSSB) and soy protein isolate (SPI) as a biodegradable matrix-filler system. Mango seed shells, an abundant agro-industrial waste, were subjected to pyrolysis at 500°C for 2 hours to produce biochar. The resulting MSSB was incorporated into SPI with glycerol as a plasticizer to fabricate composite sheets containing 10%, 20%, and 30% biochar by weight Thermal conductivity tests showed that increasing MSSB content led to a notable reduction in thermal conductivity, with the 30% MSSB composite achieving a value of 0.035 W/mK—comparable to commercial synthetic foams such as expanded polystyrene. Mechanical analysis revealed a trade-off between tensile and compressive properties. While tensile strength decreased from 1.8 MPa for pure SPI to 0.7 MPa at 30% MSSB, compressive strength improved with increasing biochar content, peaking at 1.5 MPa.Biodegradability was evaluated through an 8-week soil burial test, which demonstrated accelerated degradation in composites with higher MSSB content, reaching up to 55% weight loss at 30% loading. These findings highlight the potential of MSSB-SPI composites as eco-friendly insulation materials suitable for green building and packaging applications. Future work will focus on mechanical property enhancement to expand the material’s structural utility.

Keywords: biodegradable insulation, thermal conductivity, sustainable materials, mango seed shell biochar (MSSB), Soy protein isolate (SPI) composites.

[This article belongs to Journal of Polymer and Composites ]

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How to cite this article:
R. Sathyamurthy, Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Prafull Hishikar, G. Devi, T. Magesh, Anu Swedha Ananthan, K. Manimekalai, M. Mathiyarasi, R. Sathyamurthy. Biochar-Filled Soy Protein Composites: Evaluating Thermal and Mechanical Properties for Sustainable Polymer Applications. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(03):60-71.
How to cite this URL:
R. Sathyamurthy, Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Prafull Hishikar, G. Devi, T. Magesh, Anu Swedha Ananthan, K. Manimekalai, M. Mathiyarasi, R. Sathyamurthy. Biochar-Filled Soy Protein Composites: Evaluating Thermal and Mechanical Properties for Sustainable Polymer Applications. Journal of Polymer and Composites. 2025; 13(03):60-71. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2025/view=0

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 03
Received 10/04/2025
Accepted 16/04/2025
Published 25/04/2025
Publication Time 15 Days
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