Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 https://doi.org/10.

1088/2631-8695/acf54b

PAPER

Investigation of physical, Di-electric and hydrophobicity properties of

roystonea regia/banana fibre polyester composites in both alkali
RECEIVED
3 May 2023
REVISED
20 August 2023
treated and untreated conditions
ACCEPTED FOR PUBLICATION
30 August 2023
PUBLISHED
H R Anand1, Govardhan Goud2 and B Kuldeep1
7 September 2023 1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Rajeev Institute of Technology, Hassan, Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi,
Karnataka, 590018 - India
2
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bahubali College of Engineering, Hassan, Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi,
Karnataka, 590018 - India
E-mail: [email protected]

Keywords: dielectric strength, roystonea-regia fibre, banana fibre, hydrophobicity, shore D hardness, hand-layup technique

Abstract
Natural fibre-based hybrid composites have attracted a lot of attention in recent years due to their
potential as environmentally friendly substitutes for synthetic fibres. When two or more types of
natural fibres are combined to form a hybrid, the resulting material can have novel electrical
properties. The study of Roystonea Regia fibre with other natural fibres as hybridization is very scarce,
so in this context, the physical, di-electric and hydrophobicity properties of Roystonea Regia/Banana
fibre hybrid composites have been studied. Experiments are conducted to demonstrate the dielectric
strength, hardness, and hydrophobicity of polyester composites reinforced with a hybrid of
Roystonea-Regia fibres and banana fibres in both treated and untreated conditions. This goal is
reached through the fabrication of hybrid composites with varying proportions via the hand-lay-up
technique and subsequent testing. The composition of 15% Roystonea-Regia alkali-treated polyester
composites has a dielectric strength of 2.5 kV mm−1 in air, which is much lower than that of the
untreated composites, which is 12.2 kV mm−1. Due to the increase in soaking time, percentage of
hydroxyl group in treated fibres increases, which in turn reduced the dielectric strength. And also, the
dielectric constant and electrical conductivity vary with the change in frequency. The alkali-treated
fibre shows an increase in Shore D hardness when compared with the untreated fibres. The highest
contact angle of 88.85° for 10% Roystonea-Regia fibre and 5% Banana fibre was observed, whereas the
lowest contact angle of 65.14° was observed for 5% Roystonea-Regia fibre and 10% Banana fibre.

1. Introduction

Cellulose-based natural fibres derived from plants are being considered as a possible reinforcement in the
production of low-cost polymer composite materials due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, low cost,
abundance, and renewability. Hemp, jute, rice straw, wood, and bamboo are just some of the natural fibres that
have shown promise as polymer composite reinforcements [1]. The use of natural fibre as reinforcement in a
polymer matrix is a significant difficulty due to the weak adhesion that exists between the natural fibre and the
matrix [2]. Because of the weak connection that exists between the fibre and the matrix, there will be a reduced
load transfer from the matrix to the fibre. The composites end up having weaker strength as a direct consequence
of this. In order to solve this issue, researchers have proposed modifying the fibre’s surfaces using a variety of
chemical processes [3–8].
Composites are increasingly being used in place of traditional dielectric materials [9]. Therefore, it is crucial
to investigate the dielectric properties of fibre-reinforced polymer composites. Despite the fact that many
reports on fibre-reinforced polymer composites already exist, insulators serve both mechanical and electrical
purposes in electricity distribution networks [10]. The outdoor insulators are built to last in harsh conditions,

© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd

Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

such as high and low temperatures, high and low humidity, and high and low levels of pollution [11]. The natural
fibre composites possess superior levels of flexibility, stiffness, and impact resistance. In comparison to the
synthetic fibres, the natural fibres also possess low density and provide a high level of thermal insulation [12, 13].
These natural fibres are driven into existence with the help of carbon dioxide, and the fibres themselves contain a
wide variety of beneficial properties, like relatively good tensile strength, a high specific modulus, a lack of
toxicity, and a relatively rapid processing time [14]. How well these fibres function depends on their structural
and mechanical properties. Different natural fibres have different characteristics depending on their place of
origin, climate, stage of development, and extraction method [15]. Islam et al [16] investigated the temperature
at which dielectric breakdown occurs in porcelain insulators fired at 1350 °C. The role of the quartz phase as the
origin of the dielectric properties of porcelain insulators has been unequivocally established. There was a
correlation between increased glassy phase content and a decrease in flexural and dielectric strength. This
weakening of the material was seen when there was a glassier phase present. A higher temperature at which the
glass transition occurs enables more unrestricted movement of ions, which in turn increases conductivity. It was
discovered that the material had a dielectric strength of 28 kV mm−1. Jayamani et al [17] investigated the effects
of fibre loading and chemical treatment on the dielectric properties of natural fibre reinforced composites. In
order to produce bio-composites, natural fibres such as luffa, sisal, betel nut, and rice straw were combined with
polypropylene, polyesters, poly-lactic acid, and epoxy. The findings of this study indicate that the insulation
characteristics of composites are influenced by multiple factors, including fibre orientation, fibre type, fibre
loading, chemical treatment, and interfacial polarisation that arises between neighbouring fibres. All these
factors play a role in determining the insulating properties of composites. The dielectric properties were
amplified as a direct result of the application of the chemical treatment and the orientation of the long fibres. It
was also discovered that the dielectric properties improved with increased fibre loading. Srinivasababu et al [18]
investigated how the long fibres of broom grass affected the dielectric and mechanical properties of composite
materials made with polyester. It was discovered that the dielectric strength decreased along with the fibre
volume fraction as a consequence of the interfacial adhesion that exists between the fibres. Fairus et al [19]
investigated the influence of a nano-filler (alumina) on the electrical characteristics of an insulator composed of
50 vol.% silicon rubber and 50 vol.% ethylene propylene diene monomers, focusing specifically on the
properties of the matrix. The dielectric strength and dielectric constant seem to have been two of the electrical
properties that have been investigated. Gurukarthik Babu et al [20] experimented to optimise the alkaline
concentration and soaking time, which affect the dielectric strength of fibres extracted from Phaseolus vulgaris.
It was observed that the increase in the NaOH concentration and soaking time reduced the dielectric strength.
Research into Roystonea - Regia hybridization with other natural fibres is scant, as evidenced by a review of
the relevant literature. The primary focus of earlier efforts has been on attempting a hybrid with synthetic fibres.
Therefore, in this study, a hybrid Roystonea-Regia/banana polyester composite was produced by the hand-
layup technique, and four distinct compositions were made and tested.

2. Experimentation

2.1. Materials
In the present work, matrix components - resin, hardener, and accelerator were procured from a purveyor in
Bengaluru and employed in their original forms without undergoing any adjustments. The banana fibres were
procured from GO-Green Products (Chennai, India) in dried form. The Roystonea Regia fibre was extracted
locally through a water retting process, and the obtained fibres were treated with an alkaline solution.

2.2. Fibre extraction

Roystonea Regia fibres are extracted from the sheaths of leaves, which shield the expanding leaf blade. After the
foliage sheath was stripped of its leaves and leaf stem, it was left to dry in the shade for three days. Following an
interval of time spent in a water retting tank for a period of three weeks, the remaining oily material was scrubbed
and then washed away, which resulted in the exposure of the fibres. The extracted fibre was then washed again in
a large quantity of clean water to remove any remaining debris. After harvesting the fibre, it was sun-dried for
seven days. The fibre used in the composite preparation had a mean diameter of between 0.2 and 0.3 mm. Then
the fibres are chopped to a length of 8–10 mm. Figures 1 and 2 show the Roystonea Regia fibre and banana fibre,
and table 1 shows the chemical composition, physical, and mechanical properties of Roystonea-Regia and
banana fibres.

2.3. Alkali treatment

The extracted fibres were immersed in a concentrated aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide for a duration of
120 min in order to eliminate any lignin, wax, or oils present on the surface. The fibres were rinsed in distilled

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

Figure 1. Roystonea regia fibre.

Figure 2. Banana fibre.

Table 1. Chemical composition, physical, and mechanical properties of

Fibres [21–23].

Roystonea-
Sl. No. Properties regia fibre Banana fibre

1 Density (g/cm3) 0.825 1.35

2 Diameter (μm) 200–300 80–250
3 Tensile 363 ± 19 529–754
Strength (MPa)
4 Young’s mod- 21 ± 0.6 8–20
ulus (GPa)
5 Elongation (%) 4.01 ± 0.29 1.0–3.5
6 Alpha-cellulose (%) 58 65
7 Hemi-cellulose (%) 24 18
8 Lignin (%) 14 5

water after being removed from the solution and dried overnight at 60 °C. The treatment involved the use of a
5% sodium hydroxide solution for optimal results [24, 25].

2.4. Composite fabrication

Polyester hybrid composites reinforced with varying weight% of Roystonea-Regia and banana fibres were
prepared using a hand-lay-up method. For the fabrication of composites, a 250 mm × 250 mm × 3 mm mould
was used. The appropriate amounts of chopped banana and Roystonea-Regia fibres of length 8–10 mm are
deposited in a random orientation. The fibre was coated in a polyester blend and allowed to cure at room

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

Figure 3. Dielectric test specimen.

Table 2. Composite designation.

Regia Total
Matrix fibre Banana fibre
Nomenclature wt% wt% fibre wt% content

15PR 85 15 — 15
10PR 85 10 05 15
7.5PR 85 7.5 7.5 15
5PR 85 5 10 15

temperature for 24 h. To achieve the final thickness of 3 mm, a load of 500 N is applied to the mould. The
composition of fabricated composites is as listed in table 2.

2.5. Electrical characterisation

2.5.1. Di-electric strength
Dielectric strength is a measure of the ability of a material to withstand an electric field without breaking down
and allowing current to flow through it. The dielectric strength of a solid is typically expressed in units of volts
per metre (V/m) or kilovolts per millimetre (kV/mm), obtained by using equation (1). The dielectric strength
was carried out according to ASTM D 149 using the specimen of dimensions 25 mm*25 mm*3 mm, shown in
figure 3, with the help of the dielectric test setup (figure 4).
Breakdown Voltage
Dielectric Strength = kV / mm (1)
Thickness of Sample

2.5.2. Dielectric constant

The term dielectric properties describes the characteristics of materials under the influence of an electric field.
When subjected to an electric field, a dielectric material, the electrons in the atoms of the material are displaced
slightly from their positions, resulting in the formation of an electric dipole. This dipole produces an electric
field that opposes the applied field, and this effect is known as polarisation. In the present work, the dielectric
constant and electric conductivity were obtained using a specimen of the same dimensions, which was used for
the dielectric strength test. Five specimens were considered for the test, and the average was considered.
An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was carried out so that the statistical significance of the two variables,
namely the alkali treatment and the different proportion of hybrid fibres, could be determined. Microsoft Excel
was used to conduct an analysis of the data gathered from the dielectric testing using a two-factor ANOVA with
replication. For the purpose of the ANOVA study, four replicates were carried out. The research was carried out
using a confidence interval that was set at 95% (alpha = 0.05 in Excel).

2.6. Micro-hardness( Shore-D)

Micro-hardness is a measure of the resistance of a material to deformation or indentation. Typically, the method
used to measure it involves applying pressure from a hard object (such as a diamond tip) onto the material’s

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

Figure 4. Experimental setup of Dielectric test.

surface and then assessing the depth of the resulting indentation. The degree to which a substance can be cut or
pierced is a good indicator of its level of hardness. The force required to push a needle through the test material
while applying a known spring load is the force that is used to determine the Shore D hardness of the material.
The results of the test are utilised in the process of determining the relative toughness of composites [26]. The
shore D hardness provides a rough estimate of the mechanical characteristics of the material [27]. In order to
conduct the hardness test, a sample that measured 20 mm on a side, 20 mm on a height, and 3 mm on a depth
was prepared and examined using equipment designed to measure Shore-D hardness.

2.7. Hydrophobicity test

A hydrophobicity test is a method used to determine the degree (contact angle measurement) to which a
substance or material repels water. The wetting property characterises the liquid’s capacity to maintain
interaction with a solid surface. The contact angle measurement is a standard method for testing
hydrophobicity; it entails placing a droplet of water on the surface of the test material and observing the angle
formed by the droplet and the surface [28]. The contact angle experiment was conducted for both treated and
untreated hybrid compositions. The experiment setup consists of an adjustable holder, a CMOS sensor camera,
image processing software, and a computer interface.

3. Results and discussions

3.1. Dielectric strength

The dielectric strength of untreated and treated fibres, in relation to their composition, is shown in figures 5(a)
and (b). When compared to treated fibres, untreated fibres have a higher dielectric strength. This is due to the
presence of hydroxyl ions after the alkali treatment, which may have a greater propensity to exhibit higher
conductivity and result in a reduction in the dielectric strength of the treated fibres. As the fibres are soaked in the
alkaline solution for 120 min, there will be an increase in percentage of hydroxyl groups [29, 30]. Due to the
Prolonged exposure of fibres in an alkaline solution will remove the impurities but also increases the surface
area, which attributes to the increase in interaction between fibre surface and water which in turn maximizes the
wettability [31], and this leads to the reduction in the dielectric strength. Further, it is also noticed that with the
hybridization the die-electric strength also reduces; this is due to the lower lignin content of banana fibre. The
low lignin content in banana fibre leads to higher number of reactive hydrogen bonding sites, which in turn
increase the moisture absorption [32], and thus the dielectric strength is reduced with an increase in banana fibre
proportion.

3.2. Dielectric constant

Variations in dielectric constant as a function of frequency range are presented in figures 6(a) and (b),
considering both treated and untreated conditions. The experimental findings indicate that the dielectric

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

Figure 5. Dielectric strength of composites (a) air medium and (b) oil medium.

Figure 6. (a) Dielectric constant of untreated hybrid fibres, (b) dielectric constant of treated hybrid fibres.

constant of treated fibre composites is lower than that of untreated composites across the whole range of
frequencies. The dielectric constant exhibits a drop as the frequency increases in both conditions. The
orientation of a molecule is not feasible due to the limited time available for orientation at higher frequencies.
The primary factor contributing to the decline in dielectric constant as frequency increases is the diminished
polarisation orientation. The dielectric constant exhibits dependence on polarisation [23, 33].

3.3. Electrical conductivity

The increase in frequency resulted in an increase in the conductivity of composites. This is mostly the result of
the additional contribution made by clusters of finite size that were formed at higher frequencies. Because of the
fractal character of their structure, finite-size cluster charge carriers are able to detect an additive concentration
at excited frequencies [34].
The findings of the previous research make it evident that fibre composites treated with alkali have a
conductivity that is higher than that of untreated fibre composites. However, the conductivity of both untreated
and alkali-treated fibre composites increased with an increase in frequency as shown in figure 7. This is primarily
owing to the added influence of clusters of finite size produced at higher frequencies [23, 34].

3.4. Micro - hardness results

It is clear from the results as shown in figure 8 that the hardness value is higher in alkaline treated fibres as
compared to untreated fibres. This may be attributed to the removal of impurities and the formation of new
chemical bonds on the surface of the fibres, which increased their strength and hardness after the alkaline
treatment.
It has also been noticed that the hardness value rises in both instances when banana fibres are included in the
mixture of Roystonea Regia. This could be because the hardness is dependent on the density of the mixture and

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

Figure 7. Electrical conductivity (Ωm−1) of hybrid fibres.

Figure 8. Shore D hardness results.

increases in direct proportion to the density of the mixture; that is, as the density increases, the hardness also
increases. The density of the banana fibre is significantly higher than that of Roystonea-Regia. Thus, banana fibre
loading results in an increase in the hardness of hybrid composites [24].
In addition, these results show that treated fibre composites have a higher hardness compared to their
untreated counterparts. This is because, as the fibres are treated with NaOH, it causes the crystalline structure of
cellulose to form instead of the amorphous structure. This results in an improvement in the packing of cellulose
chains and a reduction in the number of voids, which ultimately leads to improved adhesion between the matrix
and a greater degree of hardness [35]. The composition designated as 5PR, which consists of 5% Roystonea-
Regia and 10% banana fibre, displays the highest level of hardness.

3.5. Statistical analysis results of dielectric strength

ANOVA was performed on the data collected from dielectric tests, and the results are displayed in tables 3 and 4.
The table’s first section displays the mean and standard deviation. Part two of the table displays the overall
findings from the ANOVA. F was found to be bigger than F-crit with a 95% confidence interval for both the
alkali treatment and the hybrid fibre percentage. Hence, the fluctuation in the two components accounted for

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Table 3. ANOVA analysis of dielectric strength test in air.

Hybrid fibre composition

Dielectric
strength at
peak kV/mm 10PR 5PR 7.5PR

Untreated Average 2.175 0.95 1.6

Variance 0.0825 0.07 0.02
Alkali Average 0.8925 0.625 0.725
Treated
Variance 0.00089 0.015833 0.0025
ANOVA Source of F F-Crit P-value
Variation
Untreated 128.576 4.413873 1.25E-09
Hybrid 34.8558 3.554557 6.46E-07
Fibres

Table 4. ANOVA analysis of dielectric strength test in oil.

Hybrid fibre composition

Dielectric
strength at
peak kV/mm 10PR 5PR 7.5PR

Untreated Average 7.5 3 4.5

Variance 0.17 0.047 0.06
Alkali Treated Average 2.58 0.98 1.85
Variance 0.0292 0.0292 0.117
ANOVA Source of F F-Crit P-value
variation
Untreated 822.245 4.413873 1.78E-16
Hybrid 253.054 3.554557 6.65E-14
fibres

the average breakdown voltage at peak values, rather than random error. In the ANOVA, the factors were
deemed to be significant model terms when F > F-crit and P-values were very small [36]. The statistical analysis
of the ANOVA result, with F > F-crit and very low P-values, indicated that the variables are considered
significant model terms [37].

3.6. Hydrophobicity analysis

The contact angle was measured for the hybrid composition of 10PR and 5PR for both treated and untreated
composites. If the contact angle is less than 90°, the composite material is said to be hydrophilic. In the event that
the value is higher than 90°, the composite will not be hydrophilic [28]. It was found that for the hybrid
composition, contact angle was less than 90°, which indicates that both composition contains cellulosic fibres
which tend to absorb moisture, which indicates hydrophilic nature [28]. The contact angle of 10PR for untreated
fibres is 71.69°, and that of alkali treated composites is 88.85°, which is shown in figures 9(a) and (b). The contact
angle of 5PR for untreated composites is 65.14°, and for treated fibre composites, it is 77.26°, as shown in
figures 9(c) and (d). The results show that the contact angle for the hybrid composition of 10PR is greater than
that of the 5PR. This is due to the increase in the amount of banana fibre in 5PR, which increases the moisture
absorption and tends to reduce the contact angle. Again, this is attributed to the lower lignin content in banana
fibre. Also, it can be observed that the contact angle increases with the alkali treatment.

3.7. Morphological analysis of alkali treated and untreated fibres

SEM images of the untreated fibre surface are shown in figures 10(a) and (c), respectively, for 10PR and 5PR.
These images demonstrate the presence of voids and cracks, as well as the fact that the presence of impurities
results in weak bonding between the fibre and the matrix. Figures 10(b) and (d) illustrate how treated fibres have
significantly less contamination on their surfaces. The use of an alkaline treatment resulted in the elimination of
hemicelluloses, lignin, and pectin, which led to the formation of a rough surface structure, which stimulates the
formation of mechanical interlocking and a bonding reaction.

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Figure 9. Contact Angle of (a) Un-Treated 10PR, (b) Treated 10PR, (c) Un-Treated 5PR & (d) Treated 5PR.

Figure 10. SEM image of (a) Un-treated Hybrid (10PR), (b) Treated Hybrid (10PR), (c) Un-treated Hybrid (5PR) & (d) Treated Hybrid
(5PR).

4. Conclusion

In this work, Roystonea Regia/Banana fibre-reinforced polyester composites fabricated by the hand-lay-up
method are analysed for their dielectric properties, hydrophobicity, and hardness for both alkali-treated and
untreated conditions. Alkaline treatment helped in the better bonding of fibres and increased the composite
strength. Based on the results, the following conclusions are drawn,

✓
The dielectric strength of untreated composites is higher when compared to alkali treated fibres. The
dielectric strength also reduces with the hybridization of banana fibre with the Roystonea Regia.

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Eng. Res. Express 5 (2023) 035058 H R Anand et al

✓
The highest dielectric strength of 12.2 kV mm−1 was observed for 15% Roystonea Regia reinforcement in
untreated conditions, whereas a lower dielectric strength of 1.2 kV mm−1 was observed for 5% Roystonea
Regia in treated conditions.
✓
The hardness value increases with the increase in banana fibre loading. Alkaline treatment also influences the
hardness of the composites. Alkaline treatment helps improve the hardness of the composite.
✓
The highest hardness value of 83 was observed for the hybrid composition of 5PR (5% Roystonea-Regia and
10% Banana Fibre) as compared with the other hybrid compositions.
✓
Statistical analysis also predicts that untreated fibre shows better insulation compared to treated fibres.
✓
The hydrophobicity test results show an improvement in the contact angle of the 10PR composition when
compared with the 5PR composition. Also, with the alkali treatment, hydrophobicity showed improvement.

Data availability statement

All data that support the findings of this study are included within the article (and any supplementary files).

ORCID iDs

B Kuldeep https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5998-8151

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