The thermal behaviour of banana pseudo-stem (BPS) filled unplastisized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) composites was studied by means of thermogravimetric analysis. The effects of fiber loading and resin modification on the thermal stability of the composites were evaluated. Resin modifications were carried out by acrylic to improve the fiber-matrix adhesion. From the study, the thermal stability of the composites was found to be higher than that of BPS fiber and the UPVC matrix. It is shown that the incorporation of BPS filler decreases the thermal stability of BPS/UPVC composites for the case of non acrylic. The thermal stability of BPS/UPVC composite with acrylic is found to be higher compared to BPS/UPVC composite without acrylic.

Mechanical strengths of a banana pseudo-stem (BPS) fiber and unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) composite were evaluated to assess the possibility of using it as a new material in engineering applications. Samples were fabricated by the compression molding process with reference to the effect of filler loading. The samples were submitted to mechanical tests to measure tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the composites. The nature of adhesion between the matrix and the reinforcement and information relating the structure of mechanical properties can be obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) assessment of the composite fracture surface. The mechanical properties show that the composites did not have good adhesion between filler and matrix; on the other hand, the filler insertion improved the flexural modulus and the material rigidity.

The dynamic mechanical behaviour of unplasticized polyvinyl chloride (UPVC) and its composites reinforced with banana pseudostem (BPS) fibres has been studied, with special reference to the effect of filler loading and temperature. Dynamic properties such as the storage modulus (E’) and damping behaviour (tan d) were evaluated as a function of BPS volume fraction. It was found that the storage modulus increased with increasing BPS content in the samples. At lower temperatures (in the glassy region), the E’ values of the samples were highest in both unmodified and acrylic-modified BPS/UPVC composites with 40% fibres. The glass transition temperature (Tg) associated with the damping peaks of BPS/UPVC composites reached its highest value at 94.9 °C with 20% fibre loading for unmodified BPS/UPVC composites, whereas, in the case of acrylic-modified composites, CA4 had the highest Tg at 98.7 °C.

Kenaf fiber mat (KFM) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposite have been developed by using film stacking and compression molding. In order to achieve the composite with good mechanical properties, the effect of processing parameters such as processing temperature and heating time on mechanical properties of PLA was studied. The optimum values of processing temperature and heating time on mechanical properties of PLA that were obtained were then being used to produce PLA/KFM biocomposite. PLA and kenaf fiber has distinct properties as natural fiber is hydrophilic whereas the polymer matrix is hydrophobic. In order to improve the fiber matrix adhesion, the KFM was chemically treated at different concentrations of NaOH for 3 hours at room temperature. Mechanical properties such as tensile and flexural strength, tensile and flexural modulus and elongation at break of untreated and alkali-treated PLA/KFM biocomposite were studied and compared. The obtained results showed that the alkali treatment have impact on the mechanical properties of PLA/KFM biocomposite. The study has demonstrated that the optimum alkali concentration was 4% NaOH concentration.

The fabric manufacture change in the direction of the production of high value-added products, Malaysia has the capability to cultivate manufacturing and home fabrics, functional fabrics, and clothing. This paper aims on the development of innovative product by highlighting its benefits over the current sublimation printing machine. These incorporate by developing adaptable roller paper spindle, exterior refill ink tank and the infrared drying system. The impact of these improvements in technology vital is a rapid and useful process, enhance the output of the company, expertise transmission and distributing, reduce working expense and fewer waste of used fabric. At the same time, community socio economic development might be reached instantaneously.