Abstract
Composite materials are formed by two or more constituents at macroscopic level. Type and form of fiber plays a vital role in imparting required properties to the composite. Many researchers contributed to the development of artificial fiber composites which are not environmental friendly in nature. Sizable research is also done in the area of natural fiber composites. Human hair is a non-biodegradable waste available in abundant quantity across the world, but is rarely explored for applications in engineering fields. In the present study, a review on behavior of human hair fibers was made to understand their suitability as a reinforcing material in composites. Morphology of the hair fibers is reviewed and the density of the hair fibers was determined using Archimedes principle. Tensile strength of the hair fibers is experimentally estimated. Chemical resistivity and burning tests were conducted. Tensile and flexural properties of hair fiber reinforced polyester composite were experimentally determined and compared.
Highlights
Continuous technological advancements have helped mankind improve their standards of living, with the rapidness of development and research
Animal fibers such as chicken feather, human hair, hairs of other birds and animals are commonly described as a waste by-product and they are contributing to environmental pollution due to the disposal problems
Much research has been done towards cellulose from vegetal sources but little focus is made in other potentially interesting compounds like keratin, which can be found in hair, nails, and feathers
Summary
Continuous technological advancements have helped mankind improve their standards of living, with the rapidness of development and research. Manufacturing of composites using artificial fibers such as glass fibers, carbon fibers etc., have provided novel materials with high strength to weight ratio They pose a threat to the environment due to their non- biodegradable nature. Bio-fibers serve as reinforcement in bio-composites enhancing the strength and stiffness to the resulting composite structures. Animal fibers such as chicken feather, human hair, hairs of other birds and animals are commonly described as a waste by-product and they are contributing to environmental pollution due to the disposal problems. The chicken feather fibers (CFF) as a composite reinforcement have certain desirable properties including lightweight, high thermal insulation, excellent acoustic properties, non-abrasive behavior and excellent hydrophobic properties. Collected human hair was thoroughly cleaned with detergent, washed with distilled water and sun dried
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