This paper deals with the evaluation of water absorption properties of natural fibre composites consisting of bamboo fibre as reinforcement, epoxy as matrix and cenosphere as particulate filler at different environmental conditions. Hand lay-up technique is used to fabricate the composites with varying number of layers of bamboo fibre and cenosphere filler content. Water absorption kinetics of the composites is presented in this paper. It is observed that the rate of water absorption depends on the fibre content as well as filler content. Addition of filler in the layered bamboo–epoxy composite decreases the moisture absorption capacity and maximum reduction is observed to be 21% and 32% for distilled and sea water conditions, respectively, in seven-layered composite with 3.0 wt% filler.

Cenosphere is a ceramic-rich industrial waste produced during burning of coal in thermal power plants. This study deals with the effect of cenosphere as particulate filler on mechanical behaviour of natural fibre composites. The natural fibre composite consists of bamboo fibre as reinforcement and epoxy as matrix. The bamboo fibre is treated with alkali to improve its surface properties. The conventional hand lay-up technique is used to prepare different composite specimens. Twenty numbers of different composite specimens are prepared with varying number of laminae and filler content. The samples are analysed for their mechanical properties to establish the effect of varying filler content and the number of laminae. It is found that the mechanical properties are significantly influenced by addition of this waste-based ceramic filler.

In the present manuscript, authors have made an attempt to find the effect of aluminium powder on the electric discharge machining (EDM) of EN-19 alloy steel. Brass metal is used as electrode material to conduct the experiments. The novelty of paper lies in machining of EN-19 steel using aluminium powder mixed EDM, which is not attempted so far. During experimentation, peak current, pulse on time, gap voltage and concentration of powder are considered as input process parameters for investigating their effect on material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR). Using the surface response modelling, a relationship has been established among the responses and process parameters in EDM. Optimisation of the machining parameters that are responsible for the best combination of MRR and TWR are determined with the help of fuzzy-grey relational analysis. Furthermore, the Micro structural and chemical composition analysis were characterised through Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffraction, respectively. Abbreviations: CCD: Central Composite Design; DF: Degree of Freedom; EDM: Electrical Discharge Machining; EDS: Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy; GRA: Grey Relational Analysis; GRC: Grey Relational Coefficients; GRG: Grey Relational Grade; MRR: Material Removal Rate; MS: Mean of Squares; PMEDM: Powder Mixed Electrical Discharge Machining; RSM: Response Surface methodology; SEM: Scanning Electron Microscope; SR: Surface Roughness; SS: Sum of Squares; TEM: Transmission electron microscopy; TWR: Tool Wear Rate; XRD: X- Ray Diffraction