Compressive characteristics of unmodified and nanoclay treated banana fiber reinforced epoxy composite cylinders

The objective of this work was to prepare a natural fiber reinforced composite product by using nanoparticle technique method. Nanoclay particles were infused into the banana fiber and these modified banana fibers were then reinforced in epoxy polymer composites. A short banana fiber reinforced epoxy polymer composite cylinder was prepared by resin impregnation method, and the compressive, tensile, interfacial and energy absorption characteristics were studied. The properties of nanoclay infused banana fiber reinforced composites were compared with alkaline (NaOH) treated and untreated banana fiber reinforced epoxy composites. It was observed that the nanoclay infused banana fiber composites has resulted in 17%, similar to 2 times and 43% improved compressive yield stress, modulus and strength when compared with untreated banana fiber reinforced epoxy composite cylinder. However, nanoclay infusion induces brittleness into the fiber affecting the elongational properties. Tensile, flexural and short beam properties show that the reinforcement effect of nanoclay was higher in flexural and short-beam modes when compared with tensile mode, due to higher level of surface interaction of nanoclay particles in flexural and short-beam modes. About 2 times improved energy absorption properties were obtained in nanoclay infused banana fiber reinforced epoxy composites when compared with untreated banana fiber reinforced epoxy composites. Microscopy examination revealed that the nanoclay infusion in fiber improved fiber-matrix interfacial and load transfer characteristics leading to the higher level of property improvement in nanoclay infused banana fiber reinforced epoxy composites. The outcome of the result suggest that the nano-technique is very much useful and can be simply applied onto the natural fibers to realize the potential application of these materials.