| Abstract [eng] |
In view of the growing concern about global pollution, sustainable composites made from food waste products are emerging as a key direction for the development of new materials. Banana plants are cultivated primarily for fruit production, and after the fruits are harvested, the plants become waste. However, banana plants contain a significant amount of fiber, which can be used for industrial applications. While banana fibers are not of sufficient quality for clothing manufacturing, they can be useful for technical applications, such as composites. In this work, several types of banana fibers were used for composite reinforcement, sourced from different parts of the banana plant: outer bark, middle bark, inner bark, and midrib. It was found that fibers from different parts of the banana plant exhibit distinct properties, and the mechanical properties of composites made from these fibers also varied. Two types of polymer matrices-bio-based epoxy resin and unsaturated polyester resin-were used for composite manufacturing. Various surface treatments were applied at different stages of material development to enhance the properties of the nonwovens and composites. These included alkali treatment to improve the mechanical properties of the fibers, water-repellent treatment to enhance the hydrophobicity of the nonwoven surfaces, and gamma radiation to further improve the mechanical properties of the composite. The results showed that composites made from outer bark banana fibers exhibited superior mechanical properties and water absorbency compared to others. Additionally, the epoxy-based composites demonstrated significantly higher mechanical properties and hydrophobicity compared to polyester-based composites. The developed composites have potential applications in various technical fields, such as packaging materials, construction panels, and more. |
