Plant Fibre Constituents and Impact of Environmental Degradation on the Physical, Hardness and Thermal Properties of Banana-Sisal Fibre Hybrid Reinforced Epoxy

Abstract

Environmental factors such as moisture, microbial action, UV radiation, and temperature variations can significantly impact the performance and durability of natural fibre-based polymer composites in automobile components. This study investigated the fallout of environmental degradation on the physical, hardness and thermal properties of banana-sisal fibre-reinforced epoxy composites. Composite samples were developed by reinforcing epoxy resin with alkali-treated banana and sisal fibre by the hand lay-up method. Effect of environmental degradation was evaluated by determining the physical, hardness and thermal attributes of the composites subjected to soil burial and atmospheric degradation for a period of 6 and 12 months. Results showed that all the composites samples had specific densities within 1.0 and 1.2 g/cm3. The hardness of the composite samples subjected to atmospheric conditions showed increase with increase in time of exposure while samples that were buried in soil revealed reduction in hardness with time due to enzymatic activity of soil microorganisms. Also, thermal insulating properties of the samples showed high resistance to thermal conductivity except the samples that were subjected to soil degradation within 6 months. Thus, the effects of the studied environments on selected properties are acceptable to the composites within the period of investigation. This implies that, this material will not fail in service if exposed to these adverse environmental conditions within the period of research.