Potential of Jamaican banana, coconut coir and bagasse fibres as composite materials

This paper presents an evaluation of the alternative use of three Jamaican natural cellulosic fibres for the design and manufacturing of composite materials. The natural cellulosic fibres under investigation were bagasse from sugar cane (saccharum officinarum), banana trunk from the banana plant (family Musacae, genus Musa X para disiaca L), and coconut coir(1) from the coconut husk (family Palm, genus coco nucifera). Fibre samples were subjected to standardized characterization tests such as ash and carbon content, water absorption, moisture content, tensile strength, elemental analysis and chemical analysis. The banana fibre exhibited the highest ash, carbon and cellulose content, hardness and tensile strength, while coconut the highest lignin content. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc.