Impact of fiber length on the mechanical and thermo-physical attributes of banana fiber reinforced gypsum composites

Abstract

In recent year, considering the growing ecological concerns, environmentally responsible solutions have key importance including the use of natural fiber composites. This study focusses on impact of fiber length on the thermo-physical and mechanical properties of banana fiber composites reinforced with gypsum. For the preparation of composites, banana fibers were added in the gypsum at three variations i.e. 2.5%, 5% and 7.5%, while length variations were also done in 25mm long and 100mm long fibers. Mechanical properties in terms of compressive and flexural strength were measured, while thermos-physical properties were examined by calculating bulk density, water absorption, and thermal conductivity. The results demonstrated that though fiber length has no significant influence on thermal efficiency while it improves structural integrity of composited by enhanced flexural capacity by 61%. Ideal results are found in case of 100 mm length with 5% of gypsum weight, showing optimization among thermos mechanical properties. This research promotes the utilization of natural fibers in development of composites and providing sustainable solutions for the building industry.