Ultrasonic Welding of Banana/ Bagasse Based Polypropylene Composites

Abstract

The usage of natural fiber–reinforced composites (NFRCs) may help the global fraternity in achieving their long-term goal of developing sustainable products having minimum effect on ecosystem, during and at the end of their service life. The primary manufacturing processes such as injection molding, hand-layup, and compression moulding have been extensively used to fabricate products with simpler profiles. However, the fabrication of complex products necessitates secondary manufacturing processes. In current investigation, the short fiber (banana and bagasse)–based polypropylene composites (10, 15, and 20 wt.%) were fabricated using extrusion-injection moulding process. Banana fiber–based composites recorded 1.8%, 4.7%, and 3.25%, higher tensile strength than bagasse fiber–based composites at 10, 15, and 20 wt.% fiber loading, respectively. However, bagasse fiber–based composites performed distinctly better in flexural properties. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis were employed to analyze the failure mechanisms and thermal degradation behavior (analyzed at 5%, 25%, 50%, and 75% weight loss) of the fabricated composites. The ultrasonic welded joints of banana fiber–based composites recorded higher failure load prior to the fracture as compared to bagasse fiber–based composites upto 15% fiber loading. It was established that ultrasonic welding can be successfully employed for joining of NFRCs.

Keywords

• banana fiber
• bagasse fiber
• thermoplastics
• injection molding
• fusion joining
• ultrasonic welding