Forecasting the Finest Firmness of Biocomposites using Response Surface Design Methodology

Abstract

Natural fibers are considered likely to be used in polymer composite materials as reinforcing agents because of their main advantages such as fine strength and rigidity, low cost, environmentally friendly, degradable and renewable material. A study was conducted to assess the impact of properties of bicomposite made from cardanol resin banana fibers. The banana fiber extracted from the banana stem was treated with alkali to enhance the interfacial linkage around fiber and cardanol resin. Biocomposite was manufactured using formaldehyde mixed with cardanol oil to form cardanol resin mixed with banana fiber using compression moulding Techniques with different process factors such as fiber weight (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) different fiber length (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 in mm) and alkali treatment (varying in 1%, 3%, 5%, 7% and 9%. The developed banana fiber reinforced composite were then characterized by impact testing showing strong significance and association in DOE using 15.2% fiber weight response surface methodology with 15.3 mm fiber length and 4.7% alkaline treated. Thus we examined the effect of the above factors on impact and suggested the best combinations of factors for composite processing.