The Effects of Gum Arabic Matrix on the Hardness and Water Absorption of Agro-Based (Banana Pseudostem) Hybrid Composites

• Danladi K. GARBA

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Emmanuel O. AWEDA

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Nuhu A. ADEMOH

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria

  Author

• Fredrick NGOLEMASANGO

  DTR I’M/VMS Materials Development Engineer, Wiltshere, United Kingdom

  Author

• Pascal A. UBI

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Calabar, Calabar, Cross Rivers State, Nigeria

  Author

• Akor TERNGU

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Lawal KABIR

  Department of Chemical Engineering, Kaduna Polytechnic, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

• Shuaibu O. YAKUBU

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Nigeria

  Author

This study investigated the effects of gum Arabic and banana pseudostem sap matrix in a 50-50 mix on the water absorption and hardness of a composite reinforced with banana pseudostem ash nanoparticles. The banana pseudostem fibre was first treated with a 0.5% sodium hydroxide solution and dried at room temperature. The treated fibres were then calcinated in a muffle furnace at 800 °C to produce banana pseudostem ash, which was subsequently reduced to nanoparticle size using a ball mill. The resulting ash was characterized using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Composite samples were produced by integrating the banana pseudostem ash as a reinforcement material with a gum Arabic matrix at various mix ratios, and the physical properties of hardness and water absorption were tested. The characterization results confirmed the ash's suitability for reinforcement, showing a crystalline structure largely composed of hanksite (72.9%). The tests on the composite samples revealed that the reinforcement materials improved the hardness of the composites. However, the percentage of water absorbed also increased as the filler content was increased.

• FJET_12_63_56

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