Vinyl Ester-Based Biocomposites

Vinyl Ester-Based Biocomposites provides a comprehensive review of the recent developments, characterization, and applications of natural fiber-reinforced vinyl ester biocomposites. It also addresses the importance of natural fiber reinforcement on the mechanical, thermal, and interfacial properties.

The book explores the widespread applications of natural fibre-reinforced vinyl ester composites ranging from the aerospace sector, automotive parts, construction and building materials, sports equipment, to household appliances. Investigating the moisture absorption and ageing on the physio-chemical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the vinyl ester-based composites, this book also considers the influence of hybridization, fibre architecture, and fiber-ply orientation.

The book serves as a useful reference for researchers, graduate students, and engineers in the field of polymer composites.

Senthil Muthu Kumar Thiagamani, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE), Tamil Nadu, India. In 2004, he earned a Diploma in Mechanical Engineering at the State Board of Technical Education and Training, Tamil Nadu. In 2007, he graduated from Anna University, Chennai with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering. In 2009, he obtained his Master’s degree in Automotive Engineering at Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore. In 2018, he earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Biocomposites, at KARE. He completed postdoctoral research in the Materials and Production Engineering Department at the Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), KMUTNB, Thailand in the year 2019. He started his academic career in 2010 as a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at KARE. He is a member of the International Association of Advanced Materials. His research interests include biodegradable polymer composites and their characterization. He has authored several articles in peer-reviewed international journals, book chapters, and in conference proceedings. He has edited books on the different themes of biocomposites published by CRC Press, John Wiley, and Springer. He is an Editorial Board Member of the ARAI Journal of Mobility Technology and a Reviewer Editor in the journal Frontier in Materials. He also serves as a reviewer for various journals, including the Journal of Industrial Textiles, Journal of Cleaner Production, Materials Today Communications, Journal of Polymers and the Environment, SN Applied Sciences, Mechanics of Composite Materials, and International Journal of Polymer Science.

Chandrasekar Muthukumar, PhD, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautical Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science, Chennai, India. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore, India. He earned a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University – TUM Asia, Singapore, and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Malaysia. His PhD was funded through a research grant from the Ministry of Education, Malaysia. During his association with the UPM, he obtained internal research funding from the university worth 16,000 and 20,000 MYR. He has 5 years of teaching and academic research experience. His interests include fiber metal laminates (FMLs), natural fibers, biocomposites, additive manufacturing, and nondestructive testing. His publications are based on the fabrication and characterization techniques of biocomposites. He has authored and co-authored research publications in SCIE journals, book chapters, and articles in the conference proceedings. He is a peer reviewer for the Journal of Industrial Textiles, Polymer Composites, Materials Research Express, Journal of Natural Fibres, etc.

Senthilkumar Krishnasamy, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering at Anna University, Chennai, India, in 2005. He earned a Master’s degree in CAD/CAM at Anna University, Tirunelveli, India, in 2009. He earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Kalasalingam University, Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu, India, in 2016. From 2010 to 2018, Dr. Senthilkumar Krishnasamy worked in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE), India. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia and King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) under the research topics of experimental investigations on mechanical, morphological, thermal, and structural properties of kenaf fiber/mat epoxy composites and sisal composites and fabrication of eco-friendly hybrid green composites on tribological properties in a medium-scale application. His area of research includes the modification and treatment of natural fibers, nanocomposites, 3D printing, and hybrid reinforced polymer composites. He has published research papers in international journals, book chapters, and at conferences in the field of natural fiber composites. He also edited books for several publishers.

Suchart Siengchin, PhD, is the President of King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB), Thailand. He earned a Dipl-Ing in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Applied Sciences Giessen/Friedberg, Hessen, Germany, in 1999; an MSc in Polymer Technology at the University of Applied Sciences Aalen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany, in 2002; an MSc in Materials Science at the Erlangen-Nurnberg University, Bayern, Germany, in 2004; a PhD in Engineering (Dr-Ing) at the Institute for Composite Materials, University of Kaiserslautern, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, in 2008; and a postdoctoral research at Kaiserslautern University and the School of Materials Engineering, Purdue University, USA. In 2016, he received the habilitation at the Chemnitz University in Sachsen, Germany. He worked as a Lecturer for Production and Material Engineering Department at the Sirindhorn International Thai-German Graduate School of Engineering (TGGS), KMUTNB. He has been a full-time professor at KMUTNB and became the President of KMUTNB. He received the Outstanding Researcher Award in 2010, 2012 and 2013 at KMUTNB. His research interests include polymer processing and composite materials. He is the Editor-in-Chief of KMUTNB International Journal of Applied Science and Technology and the author of more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles. He has participated with presentations at more than 39 international and national conferences on materials science and engineering topics.