Transforming Agricultural Waste into Sustainable Composite Materials: Mechanical Properties of Tamarindus Fruit Fiber (TFF)-Reinforced Polylactic Acid Composites ^†

Natural fiber-based polymer composite has great potential and is in high demand due to its high specific strength, low carcinogenic nature and economic market value. Tamarindus Fruit Fiber (TFF) has low density, high tensile strength and is easily available. It is one of the industrial waste materials. Polylactic acid (PLA) possesses an entangled coherence with fiber, since it is more compatible. A sample was prepared by integrating TFF as fiber and PLA as the binding agent. The fiber variations in all samples were 10 to 50 wt.% step by 10 wt.%. A pure PLA sample was also fabricated for the purpose of comparison. Mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, impact and hardness have been evaluated. It was revealed that TFF reinforcement increased the mechanical properties of the samples. The highest mechanical properties were observed in Sample S5, which had 40 wt.% TFF and 60 wt.% PLA. Fracture failure was found using fractographic analysis. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potential of utilizing TFF as an agricultural waste product for enhancing the mechanical properties of biodegradable polymer composites. These sustainable compositions of materials have been used for many applications in various industries, including packaging, automotive, and construction, while also providing an environmentally friendly solution for agricultural waste products.