MUMBAI, India, Oct. 5 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202641115570 A) filed by Vallurupalli Nageswara Rao Vignana Jyothi Institute Of Engineering And Technology on September 26, 2026, for A Banana Nanofiber Reinforced Epoxy Nanocomposite And Method For Enhanced Mechanical Strength And Moisture Resistance.
Inventor includes Dr. T. Malyadri.
The application for the patent was published on October 02, 2026, under issue no. 40/2026.
Abstract: ABSTRACT [0029] Polymer nanocomposites are one of the important application areas of nanotechnology, as well as naturally derived organic nano phase materials of special interest. Recent years has seen the uses of eco-friendly composites due to its light weight and moderate strength. The potential of nanocomposites in various sections of research and application is promising and attracting increasing investments. The present investigation deals with the synthesis and characterization of banana nanofibers reinforced polymer composites. In this work, nanofibers are extracted from the stem of banana tree and undergoes chemical treatment and mechanical milling process. High energy ball milling is used for preparation of nanofibers to the required dimensions. The most important factor in finding good fiber reinforcement in the composites is the strength of adhesion between matrix polymer and fiber. Due to the presence of hydroxyl groups and other polar groups in various constituents of banana, the moisture absorption is high, which leads to poor wettability and weak interfacial bonding between fibers and the more hydrophobic matrices. Therefore, it is necessary to impart a hydrophobic nature of the fibers by suitable chemical treatments in order to develop composites with better properties. [0030] In the present work, banana nanofibers are reinforced in epoxy polymer in different weight percentages to fabricate nanocomposites using hand lay-up technique. The influence of banana nanofibers reinforcing effect with an epoxy polymer on mechanical properties like tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, hardness are investigated and ASTM standards are followed for preparing the samples. It is observed that the mechanical properties have improved when compared with that of neat composites. The maximum improvement is observed when the weight percentage of the banana nanofiber in the polymer is 4 wt.% and 6 wt.%. In the present work, the effect of alkali treatment on the moisture absorption is investigated. In the present work, it is observed that the alkali treated banana fiber absorbs less moisture than compared to other natural fibers.
Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.
