Utilization of Pineapple Leaf in Fiber-based Dielectric Composite Material and Its Elemental Composition Analyses

Abstract

The growing demand for natural fibers in dielectric composite production has accelerated research into plant-based materials, particularly those derived from agricultural waste. Hence, this study attempts to evaluate the effect of processing factors and their elemental composition on the permittivity value of pineapple fiber-based dielectric composites. The dielectric composite was prepared following the randomized experimental conditions of two-level factorial analysis, and the permittivity value was measured using a G-band rectangular waveguide. The most significant factors affecting the permittivity value of the dielectric composites and the best conditions were determined. The elemental composition of the dielectric composite was analyzed through an energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The best conditions were obtained at a 1 : 10 ratio of pineapple leaves to distilled water, 50 minutes pulping times with a heating effect, and 5 g of pineapple leaf powder. The highest permittivity value of the composite was recorded at 3.31, with the heating effect being the most significant factor. The elemental analysis of the composite with the highest permittivity value presents that carbon was the dominant element in the composite at 78.05%. The obtained permittivity value exhibited by the composites shows that the pineapple leaf fiber-based dielectric composite could be a potential alternative as an antenna substrate.