Hybridization of Natural Fibers to Develop the Polymeric Composite Materials: A Review

Abstract

In recent years, study on natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites has been extensive due to their strength and reduced weight. Natural fibers are also eco-friendly, have a reduced carbon footprint in the environment, biodegradable, low cost of production and are cheap as compared to synthetic fibers. Reuse of the waste natural fiber is a sustainable option for the environment. Although these properties make natural fiber a substitute in practical applications above synthetic fibers, their affinity toward water and improper matrix interface bonding is a major concern toward their use in many applications. Due to the above reasons, the use of synthetic fiber comes into play. Synthetic fibers do not encounter these problems but are non-biodegradable and cost more than natural fibers. Therefore, a lot of time has been spent on research and development of hybrid composites. These hybrid composites utilize both natural and synthetic fibers in such a way to get best possible solutions. Present work focuses on these hybrid composites, their production, properties and where they lack.