Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: FRANCINE BENELLI MOREIRA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : FRANCINE BENELLI MOREIRA
DATE: 30/03/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Remota - Google Meet
TITLE:

STUDY AND CHARACTERIZATION OF EPOXY COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH NATURAL FIBERS USING MEDICINAL CANNABIS SATIVA L. WASTE AND THE INFLUENCE OF FUNCTIONALIZATION WITH NANOMATERIALS.

KEY WORDS:

Medicinal Cannabis; Natural Fibers; Polymer Composites; Graphene Oxide; Interface.

PAGES: 52
BIG AREA: Engenharias
AREA: Engenharia de Materiais e Metalúrgica
SUBÁREA: Materiais Não-Metálicos
SPECIALTY: Polímeros, Aplicações
SUMMARY:

The increasing demand for sustainable and high-performance materials has driven the development of polymer composites reinforced with natural fibers as alternatives to conventional synthetic reinforcements. In this context, this study aims to investigate the application of medicinal cannabis residue as fibrous reinforcement in epoxy-based polymer composites, evaluating the effects of fiber surface treatment and graphene oxide functionalization on the mechanical, microstructural, and interfacial properties of the material. Fibers will be extracted from medicinal cannabis stalk residues through a water immersion process, followed by washing, drying, and alkaline treatment to remove impurities and enhance fiber–matrix adhesion. After treatment, the fibers will be divided into two groups: untreated fibers and fibers functionalized by immersion in graphene oxide (GO). Epoxy composites reinforced with approximately 30 vol.% of fibers will be manufactured by manual molding, producing standardized specimens for mechanical testing. Mechanical characterization will include tensile, flexural, impact, and pull-out tests, with particular emphasis on evaluating fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion. After mechanical testing, fracture surfaces and interfacial regions will be analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while structural characterization will be performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results are expected to enable correlations between alkaline treatment, graphene oxide functionalization, and the mechanical performance and microstructural behavior of the composites. This study is expected to contribute to the valorization of medicinal cannabis residues, providing a sustainable and technically viable alternative for the development of advanced polymer composites with potential structural and functional applications.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 1148731 - KETLY PONTES SOARES
Interno - 3103346 - JOAO VICTOR NICOLINI
Externo à Instituição - LUCIO FABIO CASSIANO NASCIMENTO - IME