Predictive Model for Estimating the Tensile Strength of Biodegradable Banana Pseudostem Fiber Composite Through the Utilization of Taguchi Optimization Technique

Bananas are a significant fruit crop cultivated in tropical regions around the world, with a substantial amount of biomass being discarded as waste. This research aimed to investigate the tensile strength from common banana pseudostems (BPS) in Nigeria. Fiber extraction was carried out on BPS samples from three widely cultivated banana cultivars in Nigeria: Tall Red, False Horn, and Giant Cavendish. Extraction methods included the use of an extraction machine, retting, and chemical processes. Through Taguchi analysis, the study ranked the processing factors affecting tensile strength. The results indicated that the fabrication method was the most influential factor, followed by the choice of banana cultivar, while the section of the BPS had the least impact. The experimental findings were comparable to the predictions obtained through Taguchi optimization. The study found that the highest tensile strength (76.22 MPa) was achieved in sample 9 (FM₃C₃S₂). Similarly, optimization predictions suggested that FM₃C₃S₂ was the optimal combination. Both approaches confirmed that the use of a decorticator machine and False Horn cultivars resulted in the highest tensile strength. Validation tests comparing the optimal sample FM₃C₃S₂ with an average sample FM₂C₂S₃, based on microstructural and thermal properties, indicated that the former exhibited enhanced bonding capacity and greater thermal stability compared to the latter. The model developed in this research can be reliably employed to predict from different BPS composites.