Investigation of Areca Stem and Banana Stem fibre Hybrid Composites for Improved Strength and Sustainable Applications

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Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | 04 | Page :
By

Sivakumar M,

Kanakarajan P,

Chakravarthi P,

Devaprakash P,

Anandraj S,

Sakthivel M,

Abstract

Research on natural fibre reinforced polymer composites as eco-friendly substitutes for traditional synthetic composites has intensified due to growing need for sustainable engineering materials. This work used the Taguchi L9 orthogonal array to experimentally examine and optimize the mechanical behaviour of hybrid epoxy composites reinforced with areca and banana fibres. The impacts of epoxy matrix composition, areca and banana fibre content on the composite’s tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, and hardness Shore D were methodically assessed. To determine the ideal reinforcement composition and to determine the relationship between the process parameters and the response of mechanical, regression analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and contour plot analysis were used. The findings of the experiment showed that the mechanical attributes of the hybrid composites were considerably improved by increasing the quantities of both areca and banana fibres. Banana fibre offered supplementary reinforcement by enhancing energy absorption and fracture bridging qualities, whereas areca fibre showed the biggest impact on the mechanical attributes among the factors examined due to its greater rigidity and effective load bearing capacity. ANOVA verified the statistical significance of the chosen process parameters, and the regression models showed strong agreement with the experimental findings. The optimal mechanical behaviour was obtained with 30 wt.% areca fibre and 30 wt.% banana fibre, according to contour plot analysis, where the composites showed the tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, and hardness shore D within the examined design space. Improved fibre-matrix interfacial adhesion, effective stress transfer decreased stress concentration, and synergistic hybridization effects between the two natural fibres are all responsible for the improved mechanical attributes. The established hybrid composites show significant promise potential for light weight structural and semi structural applications, such as furniture, construction panels, automotive interior components and protective engineering goods. The results reveal that areca/banana fibre hybrid composites offer a high performing, sustainable substitute for composites from synthetic fibre as well as provide significant direction for the development and improvement of ecologically sustainable composite materials.

Keywords: Areca fiber, Banana fiber, Hybrid composite, Mechanical Properties, Taguchi optimization, ANOVA, Regression analysis,

How to cite this article: Sivakumar M, Kanakarajan P, Chakravarthi P, Devaprakash P, Anandraj S, Sakthivel M. Investigation of Areca Stem and Banana Stem fibre Hybrid Composites for Improved Strength and Sustainable Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):-.
How to cite this URL: Sivakumar M, Kanakarajan P, Chakravarthi P, Devaprakash P, Anandraj S, Sakthivel M. Investigation of Areca Stem and Banana Stem fibre Hybrid Composites for Improved Strength and Sustainable Applications. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(04):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=253981

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Ahead of Print Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
04
Received 13/04/2026
Accepted 25/08/2026
Published 02/09/2026
Publication Time 142 Days

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