Banana (Musa)
Fibre structure & physical properties
Fibre composition:
Cellulose
Diameter: 14 to 50 μm
Very fine: < 10 μm,
Fine: < 20 μm,
Medium: 20-50 μm,
Course: > 50 μm
Length: Staple
Staple length: 1.5 - 3.5m
short < 26 mm,
medium 26-29 mm,
long: 30-38 mm,
extra long: 39 mm and over
Natural fibre colour: Slightly dull yellowish colour
Microscopic Images (Cross sectional and SEM):
Alavudeen, A, Rajini, N, Karthikeyan, S, Thiruchitrambalam, M, and Venkateshwaren, N. “Mechanical Properties of Banana/kenaf Fiber-reinforced Hybrid Polyester Composites: Effect of Woven Fabric and Random Orientation.” Materials and Design 66 (2015): 246-57. Web.
Caption:Complex, multiple celled structures. A narrow lumens are large in relation to the wall thickness.
Comment:
Cross markings are rare and fiber tips pointed and flat, ribbons like.
Fibre properties (Mechanical, Chemical and Thermal)
Mechanical Properties
Tensile strength (cN/dtex) :
Chemical Properties
Hydrophobicity: Hydrophilic
Moisture regain (%): 13%
Thermal Properties
Flammability: Cellulosic fibres such as cotton, hemp jute etc. burns with a steady flame and smells like burning paper or leaves. The ash is greyish and easily crushed.
Sustainability considerations
End uses
used in handicraft product developments such as mat, rope and twines
Videos
Materials using this fibre
Additional resources
Taylor MA, 2004. Technology of Textile Properties. Third edition. Forbes Publications, London, UK.
Zhong Z and Xiao C, 2008. Fabric composition and testing. In: Fabric Testing. Ed: Hu, J. Woodhead Publishing Limited, Cambridge, UK.
ISO/TR 11827:2012 Textiles — Composition testing — Identification of fibres.
Houck, Max M. Identification of Textile Fibers. Cambridge : Boca Raton: Woodhead Pub. in Association with The Textile Institute ; CRC, 2009. Print.
