Lignocellulosic composite

Banana pseudostem fiber which is a lignocellulosic material, relatively inexpensive, and abundantly available was assessed in terms of its fiber-matrix adhesion and dispersion in composites. Different types of adhesives were used. The mechanical and water absorption properties were investigated. Overall, for the produced composites, the incorporation of sawdust-urea-formaldehyde resin into prehydrolyzed banana fiber resulted in the best mechanical properties. Good adhesion-fiber interaction is believed to be responsible for the good ultimate performance. The superior reinforcing characteristics of sawdust resin were shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed better fiber-matrix adhesion. Water absorption tests revealed that the presence of the adhesives affected the amount of water absorbed. Copyright (C) 2004 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.