In recent years, serious reduction in petroleum resources and concerns about the usage of synthetic plastics have prompted global communities to accept the use of natural fibres and biopolymers in many products. Lignocellulosic fibre polymer biocomposites have attracted the attention of scientists and engineers because of their wide availability, low carbon emission and biodegradability. Currently, oil palm is one of the main crops cultivated in Malaysia and Indonesia and is regarded as a potential source of lignocellulosic fibres for biocomposites. The cellulosic content of oil palm fibres (OPFs) enhances the mechanical properties of composites. Ensuring the compatibility of OPFs as main constituents with other materials in composites for a specific applications is essential. Mechanical performance in terms of tensile, flexural and impact strength determines an OPF's compatibility. However, no comprehensive reviews focusing on the mechanical properties of OPF biocomposites have been published, and factors influencing mechanical performance, such as interfacial adhesion, stacking sequence, additive, type of polymer and fibre size have not been explored. Some studies have identified the research gaps and deduced that the potential applications of OPFs as reinforcement materials in composites have not been explored. 

Mechanical properties of oil palm fibre-reinforced polymer composites: a review

ABSTRACT The present study focuses on the possibility of using Ageratina Adenophora (AA) fiber as reinforcement in structural polymer composite materials because of its eco-friendly nature as well as lightweight. Due to high specific strength and modulus of fiber, reinforced polymer composites tend to be a viable option replace many metallic structures. By nature, synthetic fibers become a risk for health as it leads to cancer. Suitable applications replace conventional and synthetic materials, in cases where energy conservation and very little weight is required. Ageratina Adenophora stem fiber undergoes comprehensive characterization analysis such as Thermal Gravimetric Analysis, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Physico-chemical analysis. The fibers were extracted from Ageratina Adenophora plant stem. Ageratina Adenophora Stem Fiber (AASF) contains high cellulose content of 65.7% and very little wax. Good thermal stability of the fiber up to 244°C was obtained from thermogravimetric analysis, which is indicated within its polymerization process temperature. The results of this investigation encourage its applications to be used in industries for manufacturing fiber reinforced composites.

Characterization Studies on New Natural Cellulosic Fiber Extracted from the Stem of Ageratina Adenophora Plant

This research investigated the scope of using a fiber harvested from Mucuna atropurpurea (MAF) plant as reinforcement in fiber-reinforced plastics. An optical microscope and a pycnometer were used to calculate the diameter (289 ± 21 μm) and density (1082 ± 29 kg/m3) of the MAF. Using chemical compositional analysis, 58.74 ± 5.74 wt% cellulose and 16.31 ± 3.21 wt% hemicellulose, and 14.22 ± 3.36 wt% lignin and 0.38 ± 0.08 wt% wax components were found in the MAF. Numerous chemical stretching in the MAF were checked using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Briodo analysis (68.08 kJ/mol) showed the kinetic activation energy of the MAF. Surface morphological inspections suggested surface treatments of MAF due to contaminations and wax on the fiber surface. The statistical analysis conducted for determining the tensile properties of MAF revealed that MAF is a suitable candidate to produce fiber-reinforced plastics. Characterization of MAF-reinforced polyester composites showed that 40 mm fiber length and 30 wt% fiber enhanced tensile strength (109.51 ± 2.1 MPa), flexural strength (156.62 ± 3.1 MPa), and hardness (94 ± 4 HRRW). Fractography images of composites with fiber pull-outs in the MAF-reinforced plastics were taken for analysis. Less cavities and voids in the 30 wt% MAF-reinforced composites were found along with reduced water absorption. 

Utilization of
 
 Mucuna atropurpurea
 
 stem fiber as a reinforcement in fiber reinforced plastics

Among the many possible types of polymer composite materials, the most important are nanocomposites and biocomposites, which have received tremendous attention in recent years due to their unique properties. The fundamental benefits of using biocomposites as alternative materials to “petroleum-based” products are certainly shaping current development trends and setting directions for future research and applications of polymer composites. A dynamic growth of the production and sale of biocomposites is observed in the global market, which results not only from the growing interest and demand for this type of materials, but also due to the fact that for the developed and modified, thus improved materials, the area of their application is constantly expanding. Already today, polymer composites with plant raw materials are used in various sectors of the economy. In particular, this concerns the automotive and construction industries, as well as widely understood packaging. Bacterial cellulose, for example, also known as bionanocellulose, as a natural polymer with specific and unique properties, has been used extensively,primarily in numerous medical applications. Intensive research is also being carried out into composites with natural fibres composed mainly of organic compounds such as cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. However, three aspects seem to be associated with the popularisation of biopolymers: performance, processing and cost. This article provides a brief overview of the topic under discussion. What can be the technological limitations considering the methods of obtaining polymer composites with the use of plant filler and the influence on their properties? What properties of cellulose constitute an important issue from the point of view of its applicability in polymers, in the context of compatibility with the polymer matrix and processability? What can be the ways of changing these properties through modifications, which may be crucial from the point of view of the development directions of biopolymers and bioplastics, whose further new applications will be related, among others, to the enhancement of properties? There still seems to be considerable potential to improve the cellulose material composites being produced, as well as to improve the efficiency of their manufacturing. Nevertheless, the material still needs to be well optimized before it can replace conventional materials at the industrial level in the near future. Typically, various studies discuss their comparison in terms of production, properties and highly demanding applications of plant or bacterial nanocellulose. Usually, aspects of each are described separately in the literature. In the present review, several important data are gathered in one place, providing a basis for comparing the types of cellulose described. On the one hand, this comparison aims to demonstrate the advantage of bacterial cellulose over plant cellulose, due to environmental protection and its unique properties. On the other hand, it aims to prepare a more comprehensive point of view that can objectively help in deciding which cellulosic raw material may be more suitable for a particular purpose, bacterial cellulose or plant cellulose.

Technological limitations in obtaining and using cellulose biocomposites

ABSTRACT Synthetic fibers are restricted from being used as reinforcements due to increasing awareness of environmental issues and strict laws from government agencies. In recognition of this, the engineering and scientific communities switched their attention to using natural fibers as reinforcement in polymers to make sustainable composites. The fiber was extracted through the water retting process, and characterized from the stem of the Tithonia diversifolia (TD) plant. Physical, chemical, and mechanical properties were investigated and it was found that this fiber has high cellulose content of 65.33 wt.%, and less wax content of 0.67%. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the crystallinity index as 45%. Surface morphology was carried out through Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) results confirmed the chemical functional groups. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), TG and DTG curves were used to evaluate the fiber thermal stability. This result confirms that TD fiber can be used as potential fiber reinforcement in biocomposites.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15440478.2023.2167144

Characterization of New Natural Fiber from the Stem of Tithonia Diversifolia Plant

In the present work, physico-mechanical, chemical composition, and thermal properties of cellulosic fiber extracted from the stem of Hibiscus vitifolius plant have been investigated. The wide chara...

S. Manivel

Papers

Physico-mechanical, Chemical Composition and Thermal Properties of Cellulose Fiber from Hibiscus vitifolius Plant Stalk for Polymer Composites