Mechanical, thermal, and surface morphological properties of Musa acuminate peduncle fiber‐reinforced polymeric composite: Effect of alkalization and fiber loading

Abstract This investigation focuses on studying the properties of treated and untreated Musa acuminate peduncle fiber (MAPF)‐reinforced epoxy composites. The effect of fiber weight fraction and alkali treatment on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of MAPF‐reinforced epoxy composites was investigated for the first time. A considerable enhancement in the tensile, impact, and flexural characteristics was observed at 20 wt% fiber; beyond 20 wt%, the properties were found to decrease. The increase in cellulose (from 66.43 to 74.22 wt%) and decrease in lignin (from 16.85 to 7.91 wt%) and hemicellulose (from 13.72 to 8.58 wt%) in alkali‐treated fiber resulted in a more crystalline structure. This led to improved tensile (tensile strength 53.61 MPa and tensile modulus 0.561 GPa), flexural (flexural strength 64.33 MPa and flexural modulus 5.43 GPa), and impact (90.33 J/m) composite properties compared to the untreated fiber composite. After tensile testing, the composite's fractured cross‐sections were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, which revealed that the alkali‐treated MAPF‐reinforced composite had fewer voids and improved fiber bonding. Thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy studies also revealed that alkali‐treated MAPFs area promising reinforcement for the epoxy polymer matrix.