Slip Behaviour of Epoxy-Based Safety Shoe Soles Manufactured with Mango Dry Leaf and Olive Dry Leaf Powders for Workplace Applications

Abstract

Abstract

Ensuring safety in laboratory environments is crucial due to frequent slip-related hazards caused by water, oil, and chemical spills. This study investigates the development and performance of epoxy-based safety shoe soles reinforced with mango dry leaf (MDL) and olive dry leaf (ODL) powders derived from agricultural waste. The fillers (10 wt.%) were prepared through washing, drying, grinding, and sieving, and uniformly incorporated into the epoxy matrix before curing at room temperature for 48 hours. The static slip resistance of the resulting composites was evaluated under four representative laboratory conditions: dry, water-wet, oil-lubricated, and mixed water–oil contaminated surfaces, using a calibrated friction testing apparatus.

The results showed that the ODL-filled epoxy composite exhibited the highest static coefficient of friction under dry conditions μ = 0.99 ± 0.03, while the MDL-filled epoxy achieved superior performance under water-wet conditions μ = 0.51 ± 0.01. Under the most challenging mixed water–oil condition, the unmodified epoxy demonstrated the highest friction μ = 0.59, followed by the MDL μ = 0.45 and ODL μ = 0.40 composites. The incorporation of natural leaf powders significantly enhanced surface roughness and micro-mechanical interlocking, leading to higher slip resistance compared with neat epoxy and conventional ceramic flooring. These findings confirm the potential of MDL and ODL bio-fillers as sustainable reinforcements for eco-friendly, high-performance.