Abstract
In claim of developing ecologically-friendly and low cost polymeric materials, some polymer scientists and engineers have focused on improving the properties of polymer composites with natural fibers. One typical example of these natural fibers currently used as reinforcements in low load-bearing polymer composites is bovine fiber which is traditionally a waste from slaughterhouse. However, nature has designed natural fibers with anisotropic properties which may not augur well for the development of polymer composites with guaranteed field-proven reliability. Nonetheless, unlike vegetal fibers, most animal fibers can be alternatively exploited for keratinous applications. In the present study, the tensile properties, crude protein contents and variations in elemental distribution of hair fibers obtained from three breeds of bovine found in Nigeria were investigated. The hair fibers were characterized by ultimate testing machine, proximate analysis and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Superlative Young’s modulus and tensile strength among the fibers were found to be 0.98989 GPa and 0.56158 MPa, respectively. The determined crude protein contents of the fibers ranged between 35% and 40%. Also, single hair fibers from each bovine breed showed significant variations in elemental distribution along their longitudinal sections which translates to anisotropic chemical and mechanical properties. However, the mean spectral values of the principal elements that constitute amino acids in the fibers are in the same range with that of human hair fibers with a successful record of keratinous applications.
Highlights
Critical reviews on the idea of radically replacing synthetic fibers (SFs) with Natural Fibers (NFs) in Polymer Composites (PCs) have revealed that this approach is defective and impracticable [1] [2]
The present study investigated the tensile properties, proximate compositions and variations in elemental distribution of Bovine Hair Fiber (BHF) obtained from three different breeds of bovines found in Nigeria
The present study concluded from the observations from its experimental results, supporting research findings and theoretical facts that the exploitation of BHFs as reinforcements in PCs is an under-utilization of this bio-resource
Summary
Critical reviews on the idea of radically replacing synthetic fibers (SFs) with Natural Fibers (NFs) in Polymer Composites (PCs) have revealed that this approach is defective and impracticable [1] [2]. There are strong claims that NF reinforced PCs (NFRPCs) have the unprecedented advantages of improving ecological welfare by dwindling the effects of carbon footprints in our environment, their second-rate performance cannot be overlooked [3] [4] [5] [6] This intellectual dispute subsequently resulted in a complicated confusion that prominent materials scientists have painstakingly tried to clarify since the invasion of NFs in PCs development [7] [8]. Of interest to the present study is whether Bovine Hair Fiber (BHF) should remain an emerging engineering material for AFRPCs development or should be considered a keratinous bio-resource. The present study investigated the tensile properties, proximate compositions and variations in elemental distribution (along longitudinal sections) of BHFs obtained from three different breeds of bovines found in Nigeria
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