Natural Fibers from Plantain Pseudostem (Musa Paradisiaca) for Use in Fiber-Reinforced Composites |
| |
| Authors: | Edith M Cadena Ch J Manuel Vélez R J F Santa Viviana Otálvaro G |
| |
| Affiliation: | 1. Departament of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia;2. Department of Materials and Minerals, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia;3. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Medellín, Colombia;4. Department of Mechatronics Engineering, Instituto Tecnolágico Metropolitano, Medellín, Colombia;5. Department of Industrial Design, Instituto Tecnolágico Metropolitano, Medellín, Colombia |
| |
| Abstract: | Agricultural crops from plantain produce a significant amount of wastes and they are currently considered worthless. Accordingly, in this study, non-wood fibers from pseudostem of plantain plants were extracted through mechanical processing to be used as reinforcing material in polyester composites. Bio-based composites were obtained using a 4% wt. of lignocellulosic reinforcement and were prepared after the fibers underwent alkaline and acetylation treatments in order to enhance the compatibility of organic loads with the polyester matrix. The higher cellulose content of plantain fibers indicates that they can be used to reinforce composites with a polymeric matrix. The plantain fibers have bast fiber bundle of around 120 µm; single fibers of around 5 µm; and mesofibers with a diameter between 0.5 and 1 µm. The results showed that plantain fibers can be used as a filler material to obtain an alternative polymer composite. The flexural strength of composites (polyester with acetylated plantain fibers) was improved 28% when the properties are compared to control composite. |
| |
| Keywords: | Chemical treatments composites mechanical testing plantain pseudostem |
|
|
