Evaluation of tensile strength of fibers extracted from banana peels

Tensile properties of banana fibers extracted from the peel of the fruit of the Cavendish sub-group were studied. A total of 43 fibers were manually extracted from the peel of green bananas, measuring five diameters from each fiber. The fibers were examined under the optical microscope up to a 50× magnification and their cross-sectional area (CSA) was observed. Tensile tests were conducted on the extracted banana fibers and Young’s modulus was calculated using apparent area from microscopy observations, then calculating a fiber area correction factor (FACF) to reduce the relevant error. Geometry and extent of the lumen were also measured.