Environmental durability of banana-fiber-reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites

We explored the environmental aging behavior of banana-fiber-rein forced phenol formaldehyde (PF) composites. The composites were subjected to water aging, thermal aging, soil burial, and outdoor weathering. The effects of chemical modification and hybridization with glass fibers on the degradability of the composites in different environments were analyzed. The extent of degradation was measured by changes in the weight and tensile properties after aging. Absorbed water increased the weight of water-aged composites, and chemical treatments and hybridization decreased water absorption. The tensile strength and modulus of the banana/PF composites were increased by water aging, whereas the strength and modulus of the glass/PF composites were decreased by water aging. As the glass-fiber loading was increased in the hybrid composites, the increase in strength by water aging was reduced, and at higher glass-fiber loadings, a decrease in strength was observed. The tensile properties of the composites were increased by oven aging. The percentage weight loss was higher for soil-aged samples than for samples weathered Outdoors. The weight loss and tensile strength of the glass/PF composites and banana/glass/hybrid/PF composites were much lower than those of the banana/PF composites. Silane treatment, NaOH treatment, and acetylation improved the resistance of the banana/PF composites on Outdoor exposure and soil burial. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.