Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers: 2000–2010

Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites (NFPCs) provide the customers with more alternatives in the material market due to their unique advantages. Poor fiber–matrix interfacial adhesion may, however, negatively affect the physical and mechanical properties of the resulting composites due to the surface incompatibility between hydrophilic natural fibers and non-polar polymers (thermoplastics and thermosets). A variety of silanes (mostly trialkoxysilanes) have been applied as coupling agents in the NFPCs to promote interfacial adhesion and improve the properties of composites. This paper reviews the recent progress in using silane coupling agents for NFPCs, summarizes the effective silane structures from the silane family, clarifies the interaction mechanisms between natural fibers and polymer matrices, and presents the effects of silane treatments on the mechanical and outdoor performance of the resulting composites.

Silane coupling agents used for natural fiber/polymer composites: A review

Kenaf fiber reinforced composites: A review

Moisture absorption is a major concern for natural fibers used as reinforcement in structural composites. This paper reports a detailed study on the moisture sorption characteristics of bamboo strips and their influence on the interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of bamboo/vinyl ester composite. The IFSS determined by pull-out test decreased dramatically as the fabrication humidity increased. The bamboo strips provide a reservoir of moisture which diffuses into the interfacial region and inhibits the hardening of vinyl ester matrix. The interface of the bamboo/vinyl ester composite can also be damaged due to moisture exposure after fabrication. Post-fabrication exposure of composites to moisture was found to be less damaging than the moisture exposure during the composite fabrication. The IFSS of the composite decreased by nearly 40% in the first 9 d of water immersion. Further immersion up to 100 d did not cause any further reduction in interfacial shear strength.

Influence of moisture absorption on the interfacial strength of bamboo/vinyl ester composites

Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) fibre based bio-materials: A review on processing and properties

Effect of water absorption fatigue on mechanical properties of sisal textile-reinforced composites

Woven sisal textile fiber reinforced composites were used to evaluate fracture toughness, tensile and three-point bending. The water absorption testing of all specimens was repeated five times in this study. All specimens were immersed in pure water during 9 days at room temperature, and dried in 1 day at 50°C. Two kinds of polymer matrices such as epoxy and vinyl-ester were used. Fractured surfaces were taken to study the failure mechanism and fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion. It is shown that it can be enhanced to improve their mechanical performance to reveal the relationship between fracture toughness and water absorption fatigue according to different polymer matrices. Water uptake of the epoxy composites was found to increase with cycle times. Mechanical properties are dramatically affected by the water absorption cycles. Water-absorbed samples showed poor mechanical properties, such as lower values of maximum strength and extreme elongation. The K IC values demonstrated a decrease in inclination w...

Influence of water saturation on fracture toughness in woven natural fiber reinforced composites

The tensile properties and Interfacial Shear Strength (IFSS) of bamboo fibre bundles were studied. Bamboo fibres were extracted by three different methods: steam explosion, mercerisation and chemical treatment. The diameter, tensile strength and modulus of the extracted-bamboo fibre bundles were decreased by all the processes compared to untreated bamboo fibres. But the tensile properties of mercerised bamboo fibre bundles were better than those of other treatments with the exception of untreated bamboo fibres. The interfacial shear stress distribution of chemically treated fibres was higher than that of steam explosion and mercerised bamboo fibres.

HyoJin Kim

Papers

Effect of water absorption fatigue on mechanical properties of sisal textile-reinforced composites

Influence of water saturation on fracture toughness in woven natural fiber reinforced composites

Study on tensile properties and Interfacial Shear Strength of bamboo fibre bundles