EVALUATION OF THE PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF COMPOSITES BOARD MADE FROM BANANA STALK (Musa sapientum) AND POZZOLAN

Abstract

The need to find alternative materials for the production of composites board has led to the use of bio-fibres among which include locally available banana stalk. These wastes are found littering local food markets and constitute environmental pollution. The boards were formed using mixing ratio of cement to pozzolan at 1:0, 1:1 and 2:1.Physical and mechanical properties of boards produced from banana stalk using ordinary portland cement and pozzolan as binders were investigated. The influence of fibre lengths (25 and 50 mm) and mixing ratio on Density, Water Absorption (WA), Thickness Swelling (TS), Linear Expansion, Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) were determined. The mean values for WA, TS and LE showed that, after water immersion for 24, 48 and 72 hours, WA, TS and LE decreased with increase in mixing ratio while observed board density increased with increase in mixing ratio. MOE mean value ranged between 473.21 and 2728.8 N/mm2 while MOR values ranged between 1.46 and 3.49 N/mm2. MOE and MOR increased with increase in mixing ratio. The study has shown that boards produced from banana stalk compared favorably with boards produced from other lignocellulosic materials and has provided avenue for recycling banana waste causing environmental menace