Enhancing the mechanical properties and performance of bio-composites reinforced with palm fibers

In recent years, plant fiber composites have seen growing use in engineering applications and are extensively marketed as industrial goods. In this paper, a novel composite material is developed from palm bark fibers (locally called leaf) and characterized. The study was carried out using long fibers with unidirectional orientation and others randomly oriented. Also, the effect of water immersion on fibers mechanical characteristics was determined, some fibers were immersed in water for a year while others were kept dry. It was found that the mechanical properties of the biocomposite (stress, strain, Young’s modulus, Poisson ratio and shear modulus) increase when the density of fibers increase, they are high for composites with immersed fibers. The findings were promising, the investigated mechanical properties and the light weight of the performed composite allow it to be used in many fields, such as the automotive field, marine and aviation industry, home and office furniture, and other fields. It enables us to minimize palm waste disposal and utilize it in an eco-friendly manner, rather than burning it and exacerbating global warming.