The rise in environmental protection consciousness has necessitated the move to sustainable materials for various applications. This need has led to exploring alternate material sources and manufacturing methods that promote the sustainable goal. Natural materials, especially agro-waste, are becoming an area of interest due to their potential to create value-added products at relatively low costs. Coir pith, a by-product of coconut fiber production, is one promising agro-waste material having relatively good lignin and cellulose composition. However, the application of newer materials requires a thorough understanding of their mechanical behavior, and the current study focuses on this. Coir pith-based polymer composites were successfully fabricated using a fused filament-based additive manufacturing process in the laboratory. The natural materials are susceptible to moisture absorption, and the effect of moisture absorption on the fracture resistance of sustainable composites is discussed.
Keywords: Sustainable Materials, Agro waste Based, Coir Pith-PLA composites, Additive Manufacturing, Fracture Properties