Natural Hard Fibers of the North American Continent. Statistical Correlations of Physical and Mechanical Properties of Lechuguilla (Agave lechuguilla) Fibers

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The present trend in the USA and elsewhere is to find industlial applications for renewable raw materials. In our research program to use natural hard fibers in the woven fabric of composite materials, we have initiated a characteriza tion study of lechuguilla fibers obtained from the plant Agave lechuguilla, which grows in a wild form in the arid and semiarid lands of the North American continent, particularly in the Chihuahuan desert. These fibers were characterized in their physical properties such as porosity, density, diameter, and length distribution and in their mechanical properties such as tenacity, percent elongation, and initial modulus. This characterization was carried out statistically for the bases and the tips of the fibers, although in some cases the intermediate segment was also included. The results obtained indicate that the fiber tips are of greater tenacity, initial modulus, and density than the fiber bases. Additionally, the physical and the mechanical data show that lechuguilla fibers are comparable to glass fibers and therefore are potentially an acceptable candidate for applications in composite materials.