Environmental Degradability of Nigerian Long Bamboo Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composite (NLBFRPC)

There has been increased interest in development of composite materials with relevant mechanical and chemical properties for use in industrial and domestic applications. Not much has been done in the area of their response to the practical environment that their applications are found. In this present study the pest and chemical resistance of the Nigerian long bamboo fibre and reinforced composite on exposure to practical environment with particular respect to the soil was investigated. Natural fibre has emerged as a renewable and cheaper substitute to synthetic materials such as glass, carbon and aramid, which are used as reinforcements. The long bamboo fibre was extracted using maceration method. The fabrication of the composite was carried out using Bisphenol-A-diglycidyl ether (BADGE) as the matrix and the long bamboo fibre as reinforcement. Tests were carried out to determine the effect of environment on degradation of the composite and the long bamboo fiber. The composite showed significant resistance to pest infestation or attack while the long bamboo fiber showed susceptibility to the soil and its moisture condition thereby decomposing completely after a period of time. Therefore the material developed can be used in aquatic craft applications with strong dependence on its mechanical properties.