How plantains and carbon nanotubes can improve cars

Researchers from the University of Johannesburg have shown that plantain, a starchy type of banana, is a promising renewable source for an emerging type of lighter, rust-free composite materials for the automotive industry. The natural plantain fibres are combined with carbon nanotubes and epoxy resin to form a natural fibre-reinforced hybrid polymer nanocomposite material. The composite has 31% more tensile and 34% more flexural strength than the epoxy resin alone.