There has been a growing interest in utilizing fibers as reinforcement to produce composite materials. Scientists prefer thermoplastic polymeric matrices than thermosets due to the low production cycle, lower cost of processing and high reparability of thermoplastics. Fiber-reinforced thermoplastic matrix composites have gained commercial success in the semistructural and structural applications. Various fibers are widely used as reinforcement in thermoplastic polypropylene (PP) matrix to prepare composites. Mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced PP composites (FRPCs) are studied by many researchers and few of them are discussed in this article. Various fiber treatments, which are carried out to improve the fiber–matrix adhesion to get improved mechanical properties, are also discussed in this article. This article also focuses on coupling agents and fiber loading which affect the mechanical properties of FRPCs significantly.

No abstract

Comparative studies of retted jute fiber, jute cuttings and jute caddis were carried out in producing dissolving and paper grade pulp. Fiber length of jute fiber was longer than jute cutting and caddis. Klason lignin content was lower and a-cellulose content higher in jute fiber than cuttings and caddis. Extractives content in caddis was higher than jute fiber and cuttings. Pulping of these raw materials was done in sodaanthraquinone process. Higher pulp yield and lower kappa number was observed in jute fiber than that of jute cuttings and caddis. Jute fiber pulp showed better papermaking properties than jute cuttings and caddis. The tear index of these raw materials was similar to softwood. The bleachability of jute fiber pulp was also better than that of cuttings and caddis. These three raw materials were also evaluated in producing dissolving pulp by prehydrolysed kraft process. Pulp yield and bleachability was higher and kappa number lower for jute fiber than jute cuttings and caddis, but α-cellulose, S 10 and S 18 values and viscosity were almost similar in these three raw materials.

In this investigation, the relationship between fiber properties and papermaking properties of 22 non-wood materials at the unrefined and refined states was assessed. The fiber length had positive and the cell wall thickness had negative correlation on the strength properties for the refined pulp. The relationship between papermaking properties with pulp quality, such as fines, curl index, kink index, external fibrillation, and coarseness, was also determined. The correlations of multiple regression equations of fiber quality parameters were 70.4% for the tensile index and 84.9% for the tear index for the refined pulp. The correlations of multiple regression equations of chemical characteristics of the samples were 81.9% for the pulp yield and 42.7% for the kappa number. Holocellulose and α-cellulose had a positive and lignin had a negative effect on the pulp yield.

No abstract