Life Cycle Assessment of Sisal Fiber

Abstract

This section deals with the life cycle assessment of sisal fibers extracted from the plant Agave sisalana. Sisal is a monocotyledon-xerophytic plant which has the fibrous root system and it is cultivated even in the low enriched soil. This plant typically will grow on the wastelands in different agro atmospheres. Starting late, there has been an expanding enthusiasm among researchers for finding innovative uses of sisal fibers other than their conventional practice in making ropes, yarns, twines, mats, floor coverings, handiworks, and new fancy articles. The fiber surfaces are reformed using chemical, thermal and physical treatments in order to attain a resilient interface between fibers and the polymeric matrices while fabricating a composite. The coupling materials and polymer matrix of sisal based composites are highly influenced to achieve the required properties of the resultant composite. Although many sisal fiber reinforced polymer composites have required properties, sisal–epoxy and sisal–phenolic composite possesses excellent mechanical and also tribological properties. The quality of sisal fiber reinforced composites mainly depends on method of extraction of sisal fiber, surface treatments and quality of the synthesis process. During synthesis process, fiber dimension, positioning, concentration, scattering, fiber/polymer ratios, type of polymer matrix, and chemical properties of matrix have to be considered to attain the necessary strength. Sisal fibers also assist as an exceptionally valuable component which is offering required friction properties for composites.