Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers: 2000–2010

Natural fibers today are a popular choice for applications in composite manufacturing. Based on the sustainability benefits, biofibers such as plant fibers are replacing synthetic fibers in composites. These fibers are used to manufacture several biocomposites. The chemical composition and properties of each of the fibers changes, which demands the detailed comparison of these fibers. The reinforcement potential of natural fibers and their properties have been described in numerous papers. Today, high performance biocomposites are produced from several years of research. Plant fibers, particularly bast and leaf, find applications in automotive industries. While most of the other fibers are explored in lab scales they have not yet found large-scale commercial applications. It is necessary to also consider other fibers such as ones made from seed (coir) and animals (chicken feather) as they are secondary or made from waste products. Few plant fibers such as bast fibers are often reviewed briefly but other p...

A Review of Natural Fibers Used in Biocomposites: Plant, Animal and Regenerated Cellulose Fibers

The abundant availability and accessibility of plant fibres are the major reasons for an emerging new interest in sustainable technology. While focusing on the composite materials, the main points to be considered are environment friendliness and light weight, with high specific properties. This century has witnessed remarkable achievements in green technology in the field of materials science through the development of high-performance materials made from natural resources is increasing worldwide. Plant fibres are a kind of renewable resources, which have been renewed by nature and human ingenuity for thousands of years. The greatest challenge in working with plant fibre reinforced composites (PFRCs) is their large variation in properties and characteristics. A PFRCs properties are influenced by a number of variables, including the fibre type, environmental conditions, processing methods, and modification of the fibre. A detailed systematic review on these sustainable and renewable green materials is presented in this paper. The overall characteristics of plant fibres used in bio-composites, including source, type, structure, composition, as well as properties, will be reviewed. Finally, the review will conclude with recent developments and future trends of PFRCs as well as key issues that need to be addressed and resolved.

Plant fibre based bio-composites: Sustainable and renewable green materials

Mechanical properties of natural fibre reinforced polyester composites: Jowar, sisal and bamboo

Mechanical properties of banana/kenaf fiber-reinforced hybrid polyester composites: Effect of woven fabric and random orientation

Fabrication and testing of natural fibre composites: Vakka, sisal, bamboo and banana

Elephant grass stalk fibers were extracted using retting and chemical (NaOH) extraction processes. These fibers were treated with KMnO4 solution to improve adhesion with matrix. The resulting fibers were incorporated in a polyester matrix and the tensile properties of fiber and composite were determined. The fibers extracted by retting process have a tensile strength of 185 MPa, modulus of 7.4 GPa and an effective density of 817.53 kg/m3. The tensile strength and modulus of chemically extracted elephant grass fibers have increased by 58 and 41%, respectively. After the treatment the tensile strength and modulus of the fiber extracted by retting have decreased by 19, 12% and those of chemically extracted fiber have decreased by 19 and 16%, respectively. The composites were formulated up to a maximum of 31% volume of fiber resulting in a tensile strength of 80.55 MPa and tensile modulus of 1.52 GPa for elephant grass fibers extracted by retting. The tensile strength and the modulus of chemically extracted elephant grass fiber composites have increased by approximately 1.45 times to those of elephant grass fiber composite extracted by retting. The tensile strength of treated fiber composites has decreased and the tensile modulus has shown a mixed trend for the fibers extracted by both the processes. Quantitative results from this study will be useful for further and more accurate design of elephant grass fiber reinforced composite materials.

Tensile properties of elephant grass fiber reinforced polyester composites

Rice straw fibres have been extracted and incorporated in polyester resin matrix to prepare rice straw reinforced polyester composites and the tensile and impact properties of the resultant composites studied. The rice straw fibres have a tensile strength of ~ 69.72 MPa and Young’s modulus of ~ 2427 MPa. The composites have been formulated up to fibre volume of about 40%, resulting in a mean tensile strength of 46 MPa which is greater than that of plain polyester (31.5 MPa). The tensile modulus of composite is found to be 1045 MPa which is about 1.66 times to that of plain polyester. The specific tensile modulus is nearly 2.17 times to that of polyester resin. The work of fracture measured in impact at a fibre volume of 46% is found to be 284 J/m. Therefore, the straw-based composites have potential to be used as core material for structural board products.

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/323/1/FTR%2032%284%29%20%282007%29%20399-403.pdf

Tensile and impact behaviour of rice straw-polyester composites

R ice straw fibres have been extracted and i ncorporated i n polyester resi n matrix to prepare rice straw reinforced polyester composites and the flexural properties of resultant composites studied. The composites wi th a mean flexural strength of 66.3 Mpa, which is greater than that of plain polyester (55 .08 M Pa), can be rormulated with an opt imum fibre volume of about 40%. The flexural modulus or composite is found to be 2630 M Pa which is about 1 .5 t i mes greater than that of plain polyester. The specific flexural modulus is nearly 2 t i mes greater than that of polyester res in . Straw-based composites are sui table as core material for structural board products.

http://nopr.niscair.res.in/bitstream/123456789/24525/1/IJFTR%2031%282%29%20335-338.pdf

K. Murali Mohan Rao

Papers

Fabrication and testing of natural fibre composites: Vakka, sisal, bamboo and banana

Tensile properties of elephant grass fiber reinforced polyester composites

Tensile and impact behaviour of rice straw-polyester composites

Flexural properties of rice straw reinforced polyester composites