Banana Fiber Composites Research Articles

Utilization of banana crop ligno-cellulosic waste for sustainable development of biomaterials and nanocomposites.

Banana (Musa spp.) is a tropical fruit cultivated in over 130 countries, producing significant lignocellulosic biomass. However, much of the agro-industrial waste from banana plants is neglected, contributing to environmental pollution. Around 60 % of the plant's biomass is generated after fruit harvesting, representing an untapped resource. This review examines the potential of banana plant waste for developing biocomposite and biodegradable materials. It covers the extraction and modification of banana fibers for composites, with a focus on the fabrication of nano biocomposites using banana fibers as reinforcement and polysaccharides or proteins as matrices. The review also evaluates the biodegradability and environmental impact of these materials through Life Cycle Assessment studies. Future research directions include refining processing methods, improving fiber-matrix compatibility, and enhancing the durability of banana fiber composites for packaging applications.

An analysis of diffusion mechanism and mechanical properties of jute, JUCO, and banana fiber composites in three different mediums

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPC) are the most desirable for their low-cost, eco-friendly, and high-durability properties. Scientists are facing numerous challenges with this type of composite in a wet or high-humid environment. High water absorption and reduced mechanical properties are the main concerns for this type of composite. A new kind of fiber mat called JUCO, which is a mixture of jute and cotton, is introduced here. Banana fiber and jute yarn were used to fabricate unidirectional mats, which were made using a custom-designed handloom. The composite fabrication was done by hand layup with the cold press method. The tensile and flexural strengths decreased after immersion in three mediums (pH 3, pH 7, and pH 8) for 150 days due to the water aging effect. Minimum strength was found when the samples were immersed in pH 3 mediums. Tensile and flexural test results were also evaluated by the finite elemental method (FEM) to validate the experimental results. The main objectives of this study are to investigate the mechanical properties and degradation due to the aging of newly developed JUCO fiber-based composites.

Enhancing mechanical performance and water resistance of Careya-Banana fiber epoxy hybrid composites through PLA coating and alkali treatment

The ongoing research focuses on exploring the potential of Careya arborea (CA) fiber, banana fiber (BF), and epoxy composites as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products and synthetic fibers. The aim is to enhance the interfacial bonding and overall performance of these composites while reducing reliance on traditional materials. The study investigates the adhesion between CA fiber, BF (both chemically treated), and epoxy with polylactic acid (PLA) coating. Specifically, it examined how the PLA coating affects the mechanical properties, including tensile strength, flexural strength, impact resistance, and water absorption behavior, of the fabricated composites. Mechanical characterizations of the composite specimens are conducted following ASTM standards. The PLA-coated and NaOH-treated specimens significantly improved their tensile strength (20.56%) and flexural strength (16.7%), and significantly reduced their water absorption capacity (by 47.6%) compared to the untreated ones. These findings highlight the promise of using treated natural fibers and PLA coatings to create more sustainable and high-performance composite materials.

Comparative investigation of mechanical properties in banana fiber and ramie fiber composites enhanced by SiC nanoparticles

This research explores into analyzing the mechanical characteristics of banana fiber and ramie fiber composites bolstered with silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles. The integration of SiC nanoparticles aims to amplify the mechanical robustness and endurance of these natural fiber composites. Through water absorption assessments, we evaluated the composites’ resistance to moisture. In addition, we assessed the mechanical performance via hardness, impact, and three-point bending tests. The results indicate a significant enhancement in the mechanical attributes of both banana and ramie fiber composites due to SiC nanoparticle inclusion. The results reveal a notable enhancement in mechanical characteristics following the incorporation of SiC nanoparticles. Notably, composites containing 8% SiC nanoparticles demonstrated the highest hardness value of 102 HV and the lowest water absorption percentage of 1.5%. In addition, these composites exhibited a superior flexural strength (80 MPa) and modulus of elasticity (4.3 GPa), alongside a maximum impact energy absorption of 18 J. These findings underscore the beneficial influence of SiC nanoparticles on the mechanical properties of the composites, including increased strength, reduced water absorption, enhanced hardness, and improved impact resistance.

Exploring the use of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites in electronic circuit boards

Sustainable banana fiber has become potential alternative reinforcement materials instead of synthetic fibers for the development of the polymer composites. These natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites can be utilized for numerous applications. The current study aims to fabricate the epoxy/banana fiber composites under varying fraction of banana fibers. Compression molding process was employed to fabricate the composites since it is frequently used for production of large-scale composite parts like automotive components. Various weight percentages of banana fiber (50%, 60%, 70%, and 80% by weight) and epoxy (50%, 40%, 30%, and 20% by weight) were utilized for the development of the composites. Results revealed that the combination of the epoxy (40 wt. %)/banana fiber (60%) has the higher tensile strength of 22.67 MPa, flexural strength of 39.56 MPa, impact strength of 2.97 kJ/m2, and Barcol hardness of 35.24 among the various combinations of the epoxy and banana fiber composites. This work highlights the viability of sustainable materials within the materials engineering field, promoting the development of eco-friendly alternatives in composite fabrication.

Exploring acoustic properties of banana fiber composites with elastomeric filler through a computational approach

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the use of natural fibers as reinforcements in composites. This trend is mainly driven by their eco-friendly nature and wide availability. The objective of this research is to explore the extensive potential of combining Banana Fiber with Tyre Rubber Particles (TRP) as elastomeric fillers in natural fiber composites, focusing primarily on their applications in the automotive and aeronautical industries, particularly in terms of acoustic response. The composite sequences were named as NFC-I to NFC-V, where NFC represented Natural Fiber Composites. To thoroughly investigate the acoustic properties of these innovative composites, experimental analysis on the impedance tube was conducted along with numerical simulations on the Ansys Harmonic Acoustics® module with Transmission Loss (TL) as the key parameter. An orthotropic material model based on the chopped fiber RVE (Representative Volume Element) was developed on the Ansys 2022 R1® Material Designer Module which could be deemed as the novelty of the current work. From the results, it was seen that within the designated frequency bands, specifically the low (67–400 Hz), medium (400–1900 Hz), and high (1900–6300 Hz) ranges, the NFC-4 (15 wt% of TRP) composite consistently demonstrated the lowest average TL values. Conversely, NFC-3 (27 wt% of TRP) consistently showcased the highest TL values, reaching a peak of 27.13 dB in the low-frequency range and 46.73 dB in the high-frequency range. The results obtained from the impedance tube experiments align remarkably well with the numerical simulation outputs, demonstrating the reliability of the numerical model in estimating the transmission loss of composite laminatesa crucial parameter for evaluating acoustic performance.

Matrix-Material Fabrication Technique and Thermogravimetric Analysis of Banana Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

From the environmental consideration, it would be very interesting to use natural fibers such as banana, jute or coir as reinforcement materials instead of artificial fibers or any kind of synthetic materials. Natural fibers have many advantages over synthetic ones. Polypropylene banana fiber composites (PPBC) are prepared using untreated and alkalitreated banana fibers at 10-25% by weight of the fiber loading. The thermal properties of polypropylene natural fiber composites are very important for technological uses. Thermogravimetric measurements show that the incorporation of banana fiber into PP enhances the thermal stability of composites containing treated fibers, in comparison with untreated fibers. A composite of biodegradable polypropylene (PP) reinforced with short banana natural fibers was prepared by melt blending followed by a hot press molding system. The thermal properties of matrix materials were studied using thermogravimetric analyzers TGA units. It is observed that the introduction of short banana fibers slightly improved the thermo oxidative stability of PP-banana composites. Physical and chemical changes occurred through dehydration, phase transition, molecular orientation, crystallinity disruption, oxidation and decomposition, and incorporation of several functional groups. Systematic investigations of the thermal behavior of polymers in gas, vacuum or inert atmosphere give the knowledge of how change takes place in polymers. To understand such changes thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and thermal analysis (TG) were performed. It is observed reinforcement of short banana fiber leads to little improvement in the thermooxidative stability of PPBC. Due to the enhancement of thermo-mechanical properties, such composites may be used as building materials namely roof materials, selling materials and many other engineering applications.

Mechanical Performance of Rotationally Molded Multilayer mLDPE/Banana-Fiber Composites.

The incorporation of materials different from the polymer within the rotational molding process usually results in lowered mechanical properties, where impact strength is of particular concern. In order to overcome this issue, multilayer structures of virgin polyethylene (PE) and banana fiber composites were prepared to determine the impact of the different layers on the performance of the final part. Cycle time has been studied to identify the influence of the addition of fibers in the process. The tensile, flexural and impact properties have been analyzed, finding improvements in Young's modulus of up to 13%, although at the expense of significant decreases in impact strength. A reduction in the fiber size due to the pulverization process was observed, which affected the rheological and mechanical behavior of the composite. The beneficial effects of working in multiple layers have been demonstrated in this work, where composites with up to 5% of banana fiber have been produced in two-layer structures. Finally, the need to add neat polyethylene in the external layer is also highlighted as a way to counteract the reductions in mechanical properties, particularly for flexural elastic modulus and tensile strength, and this also helps with the drop in impact behavior to a lower extent.

Study on Preparation and Application of Banana Fiber-Based Composites

Banana fiber is a natural fiber that has gained popularity as an eco-friendly product because it is practical, long-lasting, and biodegradable. The primary source of banana fiber is the stalk, which is an agricultural waste that is typically discarded in a careless way that harms the environment. As a result, a major topic today is how to properly utilize the value of banana fiber and turn it into a treasure. In this exploration, experts have accumulated new information on the examination and utilization of banana fiber. The paper focuses on different composites based on banana fiber, including hybrid fiber composites, thermosetting resin composites, and reinforced thermoplastic polymer composites, which can be synthesized by blending and compounding techniques and exhibit high elasticity, good tensile strength, and good impact resistance. Based on this, banana fiber composites can be used in applications, such as home textiles and household products, where they have good water absorption and abrasion resistance.

Realization of mechanical and tribological properties of hybrid banana, sisal, and pineapple fiber epoxy composites using naturally available fillers

In recent days the use of Natural fiber-reinforced composites in all sorts of consumer goods. A wide variety of technologies necessitate the use of materials with unusual property combinations, such as high strength-to-weight and stiffness ratios. Traditional metal alloys fall short of these quality standards, which has led to a significant increase in the applications of natural fibers. Hence, an effort has been made to investigate the effect of fillers like Coconut shell (CS), Saw dust (SD), Kolam (KP), and Fly ash powder (FA) on the mechanical and wear properties of Epoxy reinforced hybrid Sisal, Banana, and Pineapple fiber composites in this work. The Natural fibers weight percent was taken around 45 wt%, with the same quantity of epoxy blended with 10 wt% Naturally available fillers. The findings revealed that the CS fillers in the composite have a more positive influence on tensile strength and modulus than the composite with other fillers which are used in this study. SEM analysis of tensile-fractured CS specimens also reveals an improved fiber-matrix bonding. Similarly, the CS-filled composite also exhibits better flexural strength, modulus, and Impact strength maximum of up to 18% higher than the BS, SD, KP, and FA-filled Hybrid composites. Further, CS-filled composite has reduced weight loss against wear and friction due to higher lignin content.

A Comprehensive Review of Banana Fiber-Reinforced Composites: Properties, Processing and Applications

Banana fiber-reinforced composites are a promising area of research due to their sustainable and renewable nature and physical and mechanical properties. This comprehensive review article analyzed the physical structure, chemical composition, and mechanical properties of banana fibers and the processing methods and challenges associated with their use. The review also covers the different variants of banana fiber-reinforced composites, including their thermal and mechanical properties, current and future applications, and the implications for researchers, engineers, and manufacturers interested in exploring the potential of these materials. The study found that the mechanical properties of banana fiber composites depend on various factors, such as fiber length, diameter, and loading, as well as the type of matrix used. However, more research is needed to understand the full potential of banana fiber-reinforced composites and to address challenges such as the inconsistent quality of fibers and the lack of standardization in processing methods. Despite these challenges, the review highlights the potential for these composites to play an important role in sustainable and eco-friendly construction and manufacturing applications.

Effect of Composite Composition on Mechanical Properties of Banana Fiber Composites with Epoxy Matrix for Functional Materials

Technological developments and the influence of globalization have an impact on increasing the need for the amount of material for industry. The many disadvantages of metal materials due to their large mass, difficult manufacturing processes, corrosive properties, and high production costs have resulted in reduced use of metal materials in various products. Nowadays, there are many replacement materials with mechanical properties that can resemble metal materials such as composites. The role of composites is very important in the development of today's industrial world. This study wanted to determine the effect of the composite composition of rias banana fiber and teak sawdust with epoxy resin on the mechanical properties of the composite. The results showed that the comparison of the composition of the composite using rias banana fiber and teak sawdust with an epoxy matrix had an effect on the mechanical properties. Increasing the percentage of resin composition increases the value of the surface hardness of the composite. The highest level of Rockwell hardness with a value of 117 HRB in sample D and the lowest 109 HRB in sample A. While the highest max strength value was produced by sample C with a composition of teak sawdust: rias banana fiber: epoxy is 20% : 40% : 40 %. The conclusion of this research is the more resin composition will increase the composite hardness test value.

Banana Fiber Extraction and Surface Characterization of Hybrid Banana Reinforced Composite

ABSTRACT For many engineering applications, especially in case of automobiles, natural fibers are a better replacement for artificially made fibers when it is reinforced as polymer composite materials. Here, banana fiber, a socio-economic natural fiber was used in higher volume fractions for reinforcement with the synthetic carbon fiber. Four different specimens, namely S1, S2, S3, and S4 consisting of 80%, 70%, 60%, and 50% volume fraction of banana fiber, were reinforced with the carbon fiber by hand lay-up method. The banana fibers used were chemically treated using a 5% NaOH solution to enhance their mechanical properties. Various mechanical-oriented properties like flexural, tensile, and impact strength of the prepared specimens were analyzed. The samples S1, S2, S3, and S4 could survive 243, 246, 249, and 253 MPa of flexural strength, a tensile strength of 173.2, 175.5, 177.1, and 179.3 MPa, elongation of 14.11%, 13.92%, 13.72%, and 13.51% and impact strength of 16, 16.5, 16.9, and 17.3 J, respectively. SEM investigation has been obtained for specimen S1 with optimal mechanical properties for further study on voids and fracture over the surface of the reinforced matrix composite material. The study shows that epoxy incorporation over banana fiber composites improved the fiber-matrix adhesion and compatibility.

The Combined Effect of Banana Fiber and Fly Ash Reinforcements on the Mechanical Behavior of Polyester Composites

ABSTRACT The mechanical behavior of banana fiber (BA) reinforced polymer composites filled with fly ash (FA) is analyzed in this present investigation. Polyester matrix is used to produce composites with 30% of banana fiber volume and fly ash with three separate volume fractions (1%, 3% & 5%). The failure mechanisms were identified through a scanning electron microscope using the fractured surfaces of the specimen after mechanical testing. The addition of 3% vol of fly ash results in an increase in the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of 46.3%, 24%, and 88.4% when compared with the banana fiber composites without fly ash (BAP). 5% vol of higher fly ash addition indicates a drop in the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of approximately 31.4%, 9.38%, and 30.61% when compared to 3% vol of fly ash added composites, respectively. Owing to weak interfacial bonding caused by the agglomeration of fillers, the higher filler loading results in subdued mechanical properties. With the help of SEM fractography, the parameters, including poor interfacial adhesion, defective surfaces, and fractures, were described.

Failure Studies on Adhesive Bonded and Bolted Joints of Natural Fiber Composites

Composites with natural fibers as reinforcements are playing a vital role in recent developments. The present work deals with the fabrication of okra and empty fruit bunch banana fiber polyester matrix composites with varying reinforcement content (5%, 10%, and 15%). Composites were fabricated by using the hand layup technique. After the fabrication process, composites were then adhesively bonded and also joined with bolts. The main objective of this work is to analyse the failure studies on adhesive bonded and bolted joints of okra and empty fruit bunch banana composite specimens. The specimens were tested under tensile load, flexural creep studies, and SEM analysis. It has been observed that empty fruit bunch banana fiber composites exhibited better joint strength properties under tensile loading when compared to the okra fiber composites. To estimate the flexural creep behaviour, all the samples were tested at a constant load of 2.5kg and 5kg. The deflections obtained during regular time intervals (four months) were noted. The presence of internal defects and void content was observed by using the scanning electron microscope. The results showed that adhesive-bonded composites were exhibited less deflection compared to the bolted joints. The empty fruit banana fiber composites exhibited higher creep than okra fiber composites. Decreased creep with the increased fiber has been observed in both cases. SEM Adhesively bonded joints possessing better sustainability as compared to the bolted joints in both the fiber-reinforced composites.

A comparison and analysis of mechanical properties of glass fiber and banana fiber composite

Natural fibers are plentiful and offer a significant cost savings over fully manufactured composite materials. The usage of natural fibres is widespread in many technological applications requiring great strength and stiffness with little weight. Banana fibre has high mechanical properties and minimal deformation during testing. Comparison of glass fiber and banana fiber with different fibre volume fraction to get the best fibre. In this work, both fibres are prepared using hand lay-up method. The impact of fibre volume fraction on composite fracture toughness and tensile strength is studied. Comparing fracture toughness will help to choose the best composite material for different automotive applications.

Experimental comparative study of banana fiber composite with glass fiber composite material using Taguchi method

In this research, the mechanical properties of banana and glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite is examined. The unidirectional banana and glass fiber composite are produced using the hand lay-up method. The Tensile strength and fracture toughness are measured to compare their mechanical characteristics. The thickness, length, and percentage of fiber volume fraction have been considered as the process parameters. The experiments were conducted using Taguchi L9 orthogonal array. The analysis of variations is conducted to find the significant parameters and contribution of parameters. It was found that the volume fraction of fiber with matrix polyester has a higher contribution than other factors. It is also observed that the tensile strength and fracture toughness of glass fiber reinforced composite is 36.54% and 33.34% higher than banana fiber composite respectively.

CONDUCTION MECHANISM AND CONDUCTIVITY BEHAVIOUR OF PURE POLYPROPYLENE (PP) AND POLYPROPYLENE-BANANA FIBER (PP-B ) COMPOSITES

Fibers reinforced composite materials offer a combination of strength and modulus that are either comparable to or better than many traditional metallic materials. The research on natural fiber based composite materials fit well into this ecological image. This paper reports the conduction mechanism and ac conductivity, activation energy behavior of Polypropylene and banana fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites. Polypropylene [-CH2-CH2-CH2-]n and different fiber content (wt. %) of polypropylene-banana fibers (natural fiber) composites were fabricated using a hot-press molding system. The optimum fabrication parameters were established (initial pressure, temp. etc.). These composite test samples were fabricated so the short fibers were randomly oriented in the matrix. The detail investigation of the a. c. conductivity and conduction mechanism of polymer composites would provide information about the relaxation processes, activation energy etc. which are dependent on frequency, temperature and time. The activation energy involved in the above processes can also be estimated from this study. The measurements were performed over a wide range of frequency of 60 Hz to 3 MHz and temperature range from 30°C (303°K) to 110°C (383°K). Experimental results of the ac properties of pure polypropylene and polypropylene-natural banana fiber composites were compared. It has been established that the fabricated composition changes its insulating property after adding the natural fibers and gives the better conductivity properties.

Experimental studies on water absorption properties of acetic acid treated banana fiber composites

Mostly, agricultural residues and fibers are incinerated or dumped into the land after cultivation. Disposal of these waste not only occupy more useful space in land but also spoiled energy resources. It causes pollution to the environment, release of greenhouse gases, etc. Lignocellulosic fibers are rich in cellulose which is abundant in nature. In this work, Banana fiber which was extracted from the bast of the plant is used to make an alternate for synthetic fibers. The polyester based composites were manufactured by with different weight concentration of fibers from 1 to 10%. Tensile and water absorption values of composites were conducted as per the ASTM standards. When the fiber addition increases, water absorption properties also increased due to the characteristics of lignocellulose fibers. From the results, it was understood that the obtained composites can be used in various commercial and bio medical application.

Anatomical, Mechanical and Fractographic Characterization of Needle Punched Musa sapientum Cellulosic Fiber/UPE Composites

Abstract This study focuses on the evolution of a new biodegradable material sourced from agro-waste, and how it plays a vital role in replacing nonbiodegradable material. In the present work, new fibers were extracted from the pseudo stem of the Nendran variety of the banana plant. Initially, anatomical studies were carried out on raw fibers to investigate cellulosic and noncellulosic structures to prove its reinforcement potentiality. Later the cellulosic fibers were needle punched and reinforced with unsaturated polyester matrix (UPE) to fabricate a needle-punched banana fiber composite (NPBFC). Subsequently, 30 mm of chopped banana fiber and chopped glass fiber was reinforced randomly with the UPE to fabricate random banana fiber composites (RBFCs) and random glass fiber composites (RGFCs), respectively. Tensile, flexural, hardness, and impact tests were conducted on different fiber wt.% of NPBFC, RBFC, and RGFC to compute the mechanical properties. The results revealed superior mechanical properties at 40 wt.% fiber content. However, beyond 40 wt.% (i.e., 50 wt.%), abrupt failure due to inferior interfacial bonding between the composite constituents was noted. Furthermore, the increases in tensile, flexural, hardness, and impact strength of optimized NPBFC were 26.17, 24.73, 53.41, and 19.54 %, respectively, which are more supercilious than RBFC and comparable with RGFC. Moreover, the thermal stability of optimized NPBFC was evidenced up to 260°C. Finally, field emission scanning electron microscopy observation inferred that the interfacial bonding failure in NPBFC is less significant than the RBFC and RGFC. This study concludes that the synthesized NPBFC can be used for the application of lightweight structural components.