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Patil O. M.,
Suryawanshi U. P.,
Borle V. G.,
Jadhav P.D.,
Kolhe A.M.,
- Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
- Assistant Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, MIT Academy of Engineering, Alandi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
Abstract
This study investigates the development and mechanical characterization of fused deposition modeling (FDM) filaments utilizing polylactic acid (PLA) reinforced with untreated banana fibers (BF). To address the brittleness of pure PLA and valorize agricultural waste, composite filaments with fiber loadings of 0, 1, 3, and 5 wt.% were fabricated using a single-screw extruder. A Taguchi L16 orthogonal array was employed to optimize printing parameters, including fiber percentage, raster angle, infill pattern, nozzle temperature, and infill density. Mechanical testing revealed that fiber reinforcement significantly influences performance, with 3 wt.% BF emerging as the optimal loading. The composites achieved a maximum impact strength of 1230 J/m2 and a tensile strength of 45 MPa under optimized conditions (Grid pattern, 100% infill). However, tensile performance decreased at 5 wt.% loading due to fiber agglomeration and weak interfacial bonding. Water absorption tests (ASTM D570) demonstrated a direct correlation between fiber content and hydrophilicity, with 5% BF composites absorbing up to 27.67% moisture over 7 days. This research confirms the feasibility of using untreated banana fibers to enhance the toughness of PLA for low-cost, sustainable 3D printing applications, provided fiber loading is controlled to maintain printability and structural integrity.
Keywords: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM), Polylactic Acid (PLA), Banana Fiber (BF), Bio-composites, Taguchi Method, Mechanical Characterization.
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Journal of Polymer & Composites
| Volume | 14 | |
| 05 | ||
| Received | 24/04/2026 | |
| Accepted | 19/09/2026 | |
| Published | 21/09/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 150 Days |