Fabrication and testing of Babassu fiber (Attalea Speciosa) reinforced composites for aerospace applications
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Full Text |
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Author |
Sanatan Ratna, Prem Narayan Vishwakarma and Manish Kumar Ojha
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e-ISSN |
1819-6608 |
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On Pages
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453-456
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Volume No. |
21
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Issue No. |
7
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Issue Date |
June 10, 2026
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.59018/042653
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Keywords |
tensile and flexural properties, natural fibre, low density natural composites, retting.
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Abstract
The tensile and flexural properties of composite materials containing Babassu fiber (Attalea Speciosa) as a novel natural fiber in a polyester resin matrix have been thoroughly investigated. These composite materials were created using fibers that were removed using retting and hand techniques. In order to evaluate their tensile and flexural qualities, these composites have undergone extensive testing. They have also been compared to well-known composites including vakka, sisal, bamboo, and banana, all of which were produced under uniform laboratory circumstances. The composites have been produced with a maximum fiber volume fraction of 0.30 for tensile and flexural evaluations. It has been noted that the tensile attributes enhance in correlation with the volume fraction of Babassu fiber present within the composite and exceed those exhibited by sisal and banana composites. Additionally, the flexural strength of the Babassu fiber composite has been determined to surpass that of vakka, sisal, bamboo, and banana composites. Furthermore, the density of Babassu fiber has been quantified at 587.85 kg/m3, which is significantly lower than that of sisal (1450 kg/m3), bamboo (910 kg/m3), and banana fibers (1350 kg/m3); following chemical treatment, the density of Babassu fibers is noted to decrease to 454.88 kg/m3. This characteristic is crucial as it facilitates the development of low-density natural composites suitable for lightweight applications.
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