MECHANICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BANANA FIBER-REINFORCED NATURAL RUBBER COMPOSITES FOR COMBAT-GRADE TYRE APPLICATIONS
This study explores the development and characterization of natural rubber (NR) composites reinforced with banana pseudo-stem fibers (BF) and modified with rubber modifiers (RM), aimed at producing cost-effective, environmentally sustainable, and combat-resilient tyres for military applications. The composites were fabricated using a two-roll mill for compounding and compression molding techniques. A range of formulations was developed by varying the content of BF and RM to assess their influence on mechanical, thermal, morphological, and tribological properties. Tensile and compressive strengths peaked at 22.696 MPa and 22.264 MPa respectively for the 50BF/25RM composite. Maximum elongation was recorded in the control sample (NR) (359.470%), while hardness values reached up to 7.63 HV. The wear performance showed an inverse relationship with fiber content, with 50BF/25RM exhibiting the lowest wear rate and highest coefficient of friction (0.978). Visual inspection and SEM analysis confirmed uniform fiber dispersion and matrix-fiber interaction. These results validate the potential of banana fiber-reinforced NR composites for mine-resistant applications, presenting an indigenous solution that supports both national defense and sustainability goals.
Authors : Ajayi, F.I., Akindapo, J.O. and Orueri, D.U.
Category : Open Access Volume (Issue) : 11(2) Date Uploaded : 25th July 2025