Abstract:
Ply tensile properties of banana stem and banana bunch bres reinforced natural rub-
ber composite was studied. Banana stem and banana bunch stalk bres were extracted,
surface treated, uni-directionally matted and laminated with natural rubber latex. The
result of the tensile loading in 0 bre direction of the composite lamina (single ply) of
1.2mm thickness indicated a better performance of the banana stem bres (BSF) than the
banana bunch bres (BBF). Natural rubber composite lamina reinforced with BSF which
were treated with a mixture of NaOH and Na2SO3 had a superior tensile strength of 4.0
MPa and Young's modulus of 147.34MPa over the untreated BSF with tensile strength
and Young's Modulus of 3.7MPa and 84.30MPa respectively. Both the treated and un-
treated BSF and BBF bres exhibited better mechanical properties than the unreinforced
natural rubber. The composite lamina exhibited anisotropic characteristics, having di er-
ent tensile properties of 3.7MPa, 0.6MPa and 1.0 MPa corresponding to 0 , 45 and 90
loading directions with respect to the bre direction. The micrographs of the composite
surface after tensile test indicated a ductile failure of the material with appreciable plastic deformation
