Feasibility of manufacturing sustainable bio-composites from agricultural waste

This research work focuses on evaluating the suitability of agricultural waste natural fibre namely rice, wheat and mustard as sustainable bio-composite that can also be used as an acoustic absorber for industrial noise control. Rice straw pulp was used in this method, pulp was extracted from rice straw then it was combined with binders to form bio composites. It was then tested for different properties. Porosity is highest when rice straw pulp was mixed with natural binders (starch). Hardness and thermal resistance was observed maximum in products made using cement and lime binders and moisture content was found maximum in composites made from natural binders. This means that composites made from rice straw pulp with natural binders has better sound absorption capacity as compared to those made using synthetic binders but composites with synthetic binders have better hardness. Products made from these methods can be used for biomedical, automobiles, packaging, acoustics and other engineering applications.