The valorization of wood waste as reinforcement in polymer composites offers a sustainable pathway for developing environmentally responsible engineering materials. This study investigates epoxy composites reinforced with coconut, teak, and silver oak sawdust fabricated through compression molding. A comprehensive evaluation involving FESEM, AFM, FTIR, tensile testing, flexural testing, TGA/DSC, and water absorption analyses was performed to establish structure–property–thermal–moisture relationships. The teak sawdust–epoxy composite exhibited the highest average tensile strength (∼10.8 MPa) and the lowest water absorption (2.10% after 14 days), indicating improved dimensional stability. The coconut sawdust–epoxy composite demonstrated the highest peak flexural strength (∼20.4 MPa), glass transition temperature (∼132 °C), and residual char content (∼10.56%), reflecting enhanced thermal stability. The silver oak sawdust–epoxy composite showed balanced mechanical performance and the highest onset degradation temperature (∼300 °C), indicating superior resistance to thermal decomposition. All composites exhibited adequate thermal stability for moderate-temperature applications, with glass transition temperatures ranging from 122 °C to 132 °C. The results reveal that each sawdust species provides distinct performance advantages depending on the targeted application. The developed composites offer potential for lightweight panels, automotive interior components, and sustainable construction boards while promoting wood waste utilization, resource efficiency, and environmentally sustainable material development.
Kennedy et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
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