Sustainable Recycled Cotton Fabric and Clay Powder Composites for Improved Thermal and Mechanical Performance in Home Furniture

Alhayat Getu Temesgen; Sofia Kemal

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Section

Research Articles

Issue

Volume 1 Issue 1 (2025)

How to Cite

Temesgen, A. G., & Kemal, S. (2025). Sustainable Recycled Cotton Fabric and Clay Powder Composites for Improved Thermal and Mechanical Performance in Home Furniture. Climate-Adaptive Materials Engineering, 1(1), 12-27. https://journals.explorerpress.com/index.php/came/article/view/45

Authors

Alhayat G. Temesgen*

Wollo University, Kombolcha Institute of Technology, Kombolcha, Ethiopia

Sofia Kemal

Federal Technical & Vocational Training Institute School of Graduate Studies, Textile and Apparel Fashion Technology Division Master of Textile Technology, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

The rapid growth of non-degradable plastics with poor management of waste is a major international challenge for the environment; thus, prompt development of high-performance sustainable materials is demanded. In this work, the epoxy-based composites reinforced by waste cotton fabric and clay powder were developed to improve mechanical and thermal properties for home furniture. The impacts of different cotton fabric content and clay powder loading on tensile strength, flexural strength, impact resistance, and thermal conductivity were systematically investigated. The results show that the addition of waste cotton fabric leads to a marked improvement in the mechanical properties with an efficient load transfer and stress distribution. The addition of clay powder also improves strength, stiffness, thermal stability, and flame retardancy. Tensile strength and impact strength increased from 12.5 MPa to 24.7 MPa and from 2.3 kJ/m² to 4.5 kJ/m², respectively, for materials with an optimal composition of 30 g cotton/3% clay powder component percentage ratio. For heat dissipation, thermal conductivities were from 0.12 to 0.28 W/m·K. With a medium content of clay (3%), better composite bonding and thermal properties were achieved, while high loadings (5%) resulted in agglomeration, thereby degrading the composite. These results indicate that recycled cotton fabric and clay powder have potential as eco-friendly reinforcements for sustainable, durable, and thermally insulating furniture material.

Keywords:

Waste cotton fabric, Clay powder, Physical barrier, Heat Dissipation, Mechanical property

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