Mechanical and spectroscopic characterization of functionalized g-C3N4 fillers loaded epoxy reinforced banana natural Fiber composite for PCB applications

Abstract

Natural fiber composites (NFCs) are widely recognized for their eco-friendliness, cost-effectiveness, and mechanical properties. However, banana fiber natural composites (BFNCs) often suffer from moisture sensitivity and weak interfacial bonding due to the high lignin content. To overcome these limitations, this study explores the effect of incorporating 2-bromobenzonitrile functionalized graphitic carbon nitride (F/g-C₃N₄) as nanofillers in BFNCs. The BFNCs were fabricated with varying nanofiller concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt%). Results demonstrated that the composite with 0.75 wt% F/g-C₃N₄ exhibited enhanced tensile strength (126.8 MPa), flexural strength (135.9 MPa), and impact strength (26.9 J/m) compared to pristine BFNC. Additionally, thermal stability was improved, as shown by DTA results. These properties indicate that the novel F/g-C₃N₄ fused BFNCs are strong candidates for applications in the electrical industry, such as printed circuit boards (PCBs) and insulating materials. The incorporation of F/g-C₃N₄ nanofillers in BFNCs offers a promising advancement, significantly improving mechanical, thermal, and structural properties, positioning this composite as a sustainable alternative to conventional materials.