STUDY ON PROPETIES BANNANA FIBER COMPOSITIONS

Abstract: This study investigates the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of banana fiber extracted from the pseudostem of the Musa sapientum plant as a sustainable alternative to synthetic reinforcements. Banana fibers are primarily composed of cellulose (47.1%–63.4%), hemicellulose (15%–27.8%), and lignin (9.8%–27.7%) [1], [2], [3]. While these fibers demonstrate high specific strength, their inherent hydrophilicity often results in poor interfacial bonding with polymer matrices [3], [4]. Experimental results indicate that raw fibers exhibit a crystallinity index of approximately 52% and a density range of 0.22 g/cm³ to 1.03 g/cm³ [2], [5]. Mechanical characterization reveals tensile strengths varying from 69.99 MPa to 743.9 MPa, depending on cultivation conditions and extraction methods [1], [2], [6]. To address performance limitations, this research highlights the impact of surface modifications, specifically 5% NaOH alkali treatment, which has been shown to enhance tensile strength by up to 52% and reduce moisture absorption by 39% by removing non-cellulosic impurities [7]. The findings suggest that with optimized chemical treatments, banana fiber is a viable, eco-friendly resource for high-performance applications in the automotive and textile industries [1], [8].

Keywords: Banana fiber; Musa sapientum; Cellulose; Alkali treatment; Mechanical properties; Natural fiber composites; Sustainability.