Natural fibres as promising environmental-friendly reinforcements for polymer composites

Abstract

Polymer composites are an important class of materials widely being used for many applications. But the main concern of non-degradability and adverse environmental impact of the polymer matrices and the synthetic reinforcements have given forth the need of environmental-friendly polymer matrices and reinforcements used in them. An attempt of such kind is to use the natural plant fibres as the reinforcements that have no harmful impact on the environment and also, they are cost effective. With growing interest in natural fibres in recent years, a lot of work is being done in various directions, which need to be gathered up for a specific interest. So, the present article is an attempt to review and discuss the research works that have evaluated the natural plant fibres as reinforcements in polymer composites. Natural fibre composites show variation of properties such as fibre’s source, type and structure. Interfacial adhesion between the fibre and the matrix is the most important factor when tensile properties of natural fibre composites are under consideration. The interfacial strength can be improved by some chemical modification of fibre surface, which changes the adhesion between fibre and matrix. These features of natural fibres as compared to synthetic fibres are motivating manufacturers and the end users to switch to natural fibre-based products.

Influence of Fiber Volume and Fiber Length on Thermal and Flexural Properties of a Hybrid Natural Polymer Composite Prepared with Banana Stem, Pineapple Leaf, and S‐Glass

“…Gowda et al [8] worked on various types of natural fibers, i.e., silk, bamboo, kapok, coconut fiber, which were reinforced with polymer matrices and reported that the addition of natural fiber enhances the mechanical and thermal characteristics of the polymer matrices by 6-10%. Similarly, Abdul Karim et al worked on various natural fibers, such as hemp, coir, and jute, and studied the properties of the mechanical and thermal characteristics of hybrid natural polymer composites and enhanced its properties to 4-8% [9]. Sheng and Gimbun found that an increment in the fiber volume fraction increases the flexural strength linearly from 4% to 6% up to 0.4 fiber fraction [10].…”

Sources, Chemical Functionalization, and Commercial Applications of Nanocellulose and Nanocellulose-Based Composites: A Review

“…It has high stiffness and strength and can protect the cell wall from the outside environment. The amount of lignin in the plant cell wall ranges from 10 to 25% by weight, while the amounts of hemicellulose and cellulose are 20–35% and 35–50%, respectively [ 1 , 10 , 11 ]. The main component of the cell wall is cellulose, composed of repeating units of cellobiose, linked together with β-1,4 linkages, as shown in Figure 1 .…”

“…Polymeric cellulosic materials with high biodegradability and eco-friendliness have received a lot of attention, owing to the damage caused by petroleum base products, such as global warming, green gas emissions, and many others [ 1 ]. Several researchers are working on cellulosic fibers, from which nanocellulose can be extracted.…”

Auxetic Materials for Personal Protection: A Review

“…Hard body armor is typically composed of steel alloys and ceramic composites, whereas soft body armor is predominantly composed of aramid material and natural fibers embedded in a polymer. [57][58][59][60] Personal protection items are in great demand in a variety of activities, and it is a highly competitive market with a high level of interest. Manufacturers and researchers in this industry are working on new materials and methods that can help to improve an individual's safety even further.…”