Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Natural Fibers

Abstract

Natural fibers are excellent substitute materials for man made fibers in making fiber reinforced composites due to their high specific strength and modulus, low density, low price, easy availability in some countries, recyclable and degradable properties. They have raised great attentions among material scientists and engineers in the past decade. Many researches have been conducted to study the mechanical properties, especially interfacial properties of natural fiber reinforced composites. However, the properties, such as mechanical performances, moisture absorption behaviors, et. al of natural fibers themselves have been seldom investigated. Knowing the relationship between microstructures and properties of natural fibers are important for understanding the bulk properties of natural fiber composites and also good instructions for designing bio-mimic materials. In this study, four kinds of natural fibers which were extracted from different plant sources were investigated. The microstructures of these natural fibers were revealed with the aid of optical microscopy. Microstructure models were thereof set up and mechanical properties for the representative volume element were assumed. Fiber bundle fracture models together with probability statistics analysis were employed to calculate the mechanical properties of natural fibers. The results were compared with the experimental measurements. Different mechanical behaviors of natural fibers which were functioned differently in the nature were clearly explained by the above studies