Recent Trends in Surface Modification of Natural Fibres for Their Use in Green Composites

Abstract

Natural fibres have attracted the attention of researchers for application in several industries, such as automotive, construction and furniture, sports and music instruments, among others. The lower weight and relatively lower cost of natural fibres are the main aspects referred to as the reasons for the use of natural fibre composites in these applications. However, the main drawbacks of natural fibres are their poor compatibility with the matrix, relative high water absorption capacity, poor fire resistance and low durability. In order to surpass these undesirable characteristics, several fibre surface treatments have been examined by the researchers. This chapter presents an overview of recent developments in the use of different surface modification of natural fibres for their use in green composites. The main chemical and physical approaches used for surface modification of natural fibres are briefly discussed. In addition, recent studies on the effect of fibres treatment on the mechanical and thermal properties of natural fibre-reinforced composites are summarized. It is shown that the fibre modification methods have different efficacy in improvement of adhesion between the fibre and matrix and consequently in enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of green composites. The selection of the appropriate fibre modification technique will depend on the particular fibre/matrix and the composite end-use application.