Studies on Mechanical, Microstructural, Morphological and Thermogravimetric Characterization of Bio-Composite Based on Poly Lactic Acid Reinforced with Banana Fibre for its Multifaceted Engineering Applications

The present work elaborates the ongoing work in banana fiber reinforced in bioplastic for the making of green and sustainable composites. Non-woven banana fiber mats were incorporated as reinforcement into polylactic acid (PLA) and processed using a compression-molding hydraulic press. Fiber loadings of 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40% were investigated. The resulting composites exhibited notable improvements in tensile, impact, and flexural properties up to 35% fiber content, with marginal gains at 40%. Maximum tensile strength (64 MPa), flexural strength (49 MPa), and impact energy (2.2 J) were all achieved at 35% reinforcement. Hardness decreased progressively with increasing fiber content. Thermal analysis indicated that adding banana fiber reduced the onset degradation temperature of PLA, leading to earlier composite degradation. Overall, the findings support the potential of banana fiber–reinforced PLA composites as low-cost, eco-friendly materials suitable for everyday products such as basins, baskets, and household accessories, contributing to sustainable material development.