Study on the Development of Banana Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites for Industrial and Tribological Applications: A Review

Abstract

Fibres form one of the basic tenets of the human society. Fibres are used as the building block of human existence and thrive. The fibre technology is mostly comprised of artificial fibres in the present day due to their longevity, stability and inertness. However, these fibres destroy the integrity of nature as they are non biodegradable and pollutant in nature. This has led to an increase in the usage of natural fibre based composites. These composites add to the effectiveness of the artificial composites. One such fibre is banana fibre. Banana fibre is obtained from the trunk of the banana tree (Musa acuminata) which is a plant native to Southeast Asia. Effectively considered as a waste material after the harvest of the fruit, banana fibre has shown remarkable properties as an additive in the preexisting fibres. The addition of banana fibres in the materials have shown to produce a remarkable improvement in the chemical, mechanical and physical attributes of the fibres. This paper gives the overall view in the field of banana fibre reinforced polymer composites and its physical, mechanical and tribological properties of the composites. Emphasis is laid in evaluating all the factors of the advantage of banana fibre. Banana fibre reinforced composites, in turn, enable the development of industrial and tribological components having excellent wear, friction and lubrication properties which finds numerous applications.