Weathering Behaviour of Bagasse Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composite

Abstract

In recent years the natural fiber composites have attracted substantial importance as a potential structural material. The attractive features of natural fibers like jute, sisal, coir and banana have been their low cost, light weights, high specific modulus, renewability and biodegradability. Natural fibers are lignocellulosic in nature. These composites are gaining importance due to their non-carcinogenic and bio-degradable nature. The natural fiber composites can be very cost effective material especially for building and construction industry. However in many instances residues from traditional crops such as rice husk or sugarcane bagasse or from the usual processing operations of timber industries do not meet the requisites of being long fibers. Bagasse contains about 40% cellulose, 30% hemicellulose, and 15% lignin. The present use of bagasse is mainly as a fuel in the sugar cane mill furnaces. It is felt that the value of this agricultural residue can be upgraded by bonding with resin to produce composites suitable for building materials.