BAGASSE COMPOSITE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING.

Bagasse is a renewable agricultural residue of sugar cane. Conventionally, it is used as a fuel to power the sugar mill. The burning of about 70% of the bagasse produced furnishes enough steam for power heat to run the mill. The amount of bagasse usually available is equal to the sugar yield. Large-scale production of sugar cane in tropical countries, e. g. , India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Phillippines, Zambia, and Jamaica produces excess bagasse which must be utilized or, if disposed of, will create environmental and health hazards. The utilization of bagasse in pulp and paper has not been too successful. Recent research indicates that bagasse can be upgraded by bonding with resins to produce composites that are suitable as building materials.