Summary
This document is an experimental protocol and research framework titled Feasibility Study of Hemp-Derived Carbon Nanosheet Reinforcement in Epoxy and Bio-Based Vitrimer Composites, identified as version 1.6 with an added laboratory scope note. The principal investigator and author of the protocol is Marie-Soleil Seshat Landry, operating under Landry Industries Inc. and Seshat’s Composites located in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada. The document is structured as a pre-experimental protocol designed to guide future laboratory investigations rather than to report completed experimental results. Its central focus is exploring whether porous carbon nanosheets derived from hemp bast fibre can serve as effective reinforcing fillers when incorporated into conventional thermoset epoxy systems and bio-based epoxy vitrimer matrices.
The stated primary objective of the study is to determine whether epoxy-impregnated hemp-derived carbon nanosheets provide measurable improvements in composite properties compared to untreated nanosheets. Secondary objectives include quantifying epoxy uptake, evaluating compatibility, establishing baseline mechanical performance, mapping properties across a full loading range, screening interphase bonding agents, and extending comparisons to additional matrix classes in a secondary phase. The research is built upon five explicit core hypotheses, positing that pre-impregnation improves filler dispersion and matrix adhesion, that epoxy-impregnated nanosheets maintain vitrimer functionality, that porous structures permit measurable resin uptake leading to enhanced interfacial load transfer, and that nanosheet morphology yields greater reinforcement than conventionally carbonized hemp char from the same biomass lot.
The materials section outlines the preparation route for hemp carbon nanosheets via hydrothermal carbonization followed by chemical activation, alongside a companion control group utilizing conventionally carbonized hemp char. Matrix systems include conventional thermoset epoxies and bio-based epoxy vitrimers, supplemented by optional dispersion aids such as anhydrous ethanol and the reactive diluent furfuryl glycidyl ether. The experimental design incorporates multiple distinct experimental groups comparing neat matrices, untreated nanosheets, ambient-soaked impregnated nanosheets, vacuum-infused nanosheets, and hemp char controls across loading sweeps spanning from dilute concentrations up to sixty weight percent and the determination of maximum loading limits using resin absorption measurements.
Methodological procedures detail two distinct nanosheet impregnation techniques, namely ambient soaking at various durations and vacuum-assisted impregnation, alongside explicit equations for calculating epoxy uptake percentages and theoretical void contents based on filler skeletal densities and formulation mass fractions. Composite manufacturing steps govern mixing speeds, mechanical stirring, vacuum degassing, and curing schedules, while matched control requirements ensure that any dispersion aids like ethanol or reactive diluents are accounted for identically in unfilled reference samples. Mechanical testing standards reference ASTM protocols for tensile properties, flexural testing, compression strength, Shore D hardness, and displacement density measurements, paired with optical and scanning electron microscopy to evaluate filler distribution, interfacial adhesion, fracture surfaces, and porosity infiltration.
Advanced sections of the protocol address bio-based vitrimer evaluation through stress relaxation measurements to determine apparent activation energies of dynamic bond exchange, reprocessability assessments via grinding and remolding, and self-healing potential quantifications. A comprehensive phase two extension maps out parallel investigations across alternative matrix classes including unsaturated polyesters, thermoplastics, elastomers, cementitious binders, ceramics, and metals, each paired with class-specific dispersants such as silane coupling agents, maleic anhydride grafted polyolefins, and superplasticizers. Data analysis guidelines enforce baseline acceptance criteria requiring control matrices to reach at least ninety percent of manufacturer published strength and modulus values before comparative groups are evaluated.
Risk management and safety instructions are thoroughly integrated, covering hazardous conditions such as fine carbon combustible dusts, skin sensitization risks associated with furfuryl glycidyl ether, strict mechanical press guarding protocols, and rigorous per-batch nanomaterial standard operating procedures and traceability requirements. The document concludes with detailed reference lists citing foundational literature on hemp carbon supercapacitors, vitrimer polymer networks, and bio-based composites, alongside blank record sheets for tracking epoxy uptake logs, formulation batches, and cure schedules. This detailed protocol is exceptionally useful for materials scientists, composite engineers, and academic researchers seeking a standardized, replicable framework for testing bio-derived nanomaterials across diverse polymer and industrial matrices.
