Caracterización térmica, mecánica y microestructural de un material compuesto de matriz poliéster reforzada con fibra natural de banano y su posible aplicación industrial

Abstract

This study investigated the feasibility of using natural banana fiber as reinforcement in a polymeric material made up of polyester resin. The banana fiber was obtained from waste produced from a banana plantation in Ecuador, making it an attractive option due to its easy availability, low cost, and low environmental impact. Three different volumetric proportions were established (80 matrix - 20 fiber, 70 matrix - 30 reinforcement and 60 matrix - 40 reinforcement) to identify the compound with the best mechanical behavior. Mechanical impact, hardness and abrasion tests were carried out, following the ASTM D5628-10, ASTM D2240-15 and ASTM G0195-13a standards, respectively. In addition, microstructure analysis was performed using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and calorimetry with a Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC). The results highlight that the composite material with a proportion of 70 percent polyester resin and 30 percent fiber showed the best mechanical properties, with impact energy values of 0.23J, hardness of 73.1 Shore D, abrasion index of 23.4 (mg/cycle) and a peak temperature of 113.88 degrees Celsius. Banana fiber represents a promising alternative as reinforcement in polyester resin composites, and the composite with the ratio of 70 percent matrix and 30 percent reinforcement demonstrated optimal mechanical behavior. These results have important potential applications in various industries, such as construction, automotive, and aeronautics.