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Current work aims to study the mechanical and dynamical mechanical properties of non-woven bamboo (B)/woven kenaf (K)/epoxy (E) hybrid composites filled with nanoclay. The nanoclay-filled BK/E hybrid composites were prepared by dispersing 1 wt.% nanoclay (organically-modified montmorillonite (MMT; OMMT), montmorillonite (MMT), and halloysite nanotube (HNT)) with high shear speed homogenizer followed by hand lay-up fabrication technique. The effect of adding nanoclay on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the hybrid nanocomposites were studied. Fractography of tensile-fractured sample of hybrid composites was studied by field emission scanning electron microscope. The dynamic mechanical analyzer was used to study the viscoelastic properties of the hybrid nanocomposites. BK/E-OMMT exhibit enhanced mechanical properties compared to the other hybrid nanocomposites, with tensile, flexural, and impact strength values of 55.82 MPa, 105 MPa, and 65.68 J/m, respectively. Statistical analysis and grouping information were performed by one-way ANOVA (analysis of variance) and Tukey method, and it corroborates that the mechanical properties of the nanoclay-filled hybrid nanocomposites are statistically significant. The storage modulus of the hybrid nanocomposites was improved by 98.4%, 41.5%, and 21.7% with the addition of OMMT, MMT, and HNT, respectively. Morphology of the tensile fracture BK/E-OMMT composites shows that lesser voids, microcracks and fibers pull out due to strong fiber–matrix adhesion compared to other hybrid composites. Hence, the OMMT-filled BK/E hybrid nanocomposites can be utilized for load-bearing structure applications, such as floor panels and seatbacks, whereby lightweight and high strength are the main requirements.

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Although utilizing the exogenous mediators distinctly enhances the microbial fuel cell (MFC) performance, possibility of microorganisms’ toxicity, environmental aspect and cost are the main dilemmas facing wide applications. Therefore, successful applying of the yeast extract as a mediator in the baker’s-yeast-based (Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based) MFCs would be of great interest as it will overcome all the aforementioned problems. The influence of the yeast extract addition was investigated based on the yeast cell adhesion on the surface of plain and gold-sputtered carbon paper anodes. In the case of plain carbon paper, the addition of the yeast extract considerably enhanced the performance of the yeast-based MFC, which can be attributed to the yeast extract role as growth media or as a mediator; the current and power densities increased from 94 to 190 mA/cm2 and from 12.9 to 32.6 mW/cm2, respectively. However, compared with the plain carbon paper, in the case of gold-sputtered anode the performance significantly increased with yeast extract addition, whereas it drastically decreased without yeast extract; the current and power densities increased from 25 to 300 mA/cm2 and from 2 to 70 mW/cm2, respectively. The obtained results indicated that yeast extract can be exploited as an effective mediator in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based MFCs.