Addition Of Cellulose Fibers Research Articles

Efeito do reforço combinado de fibra de celulose-microcelulose cristalina no comportamento reológico e na cinética de hidratação de compósitos cimentícios

Abstract The influence of the combined addition of cellulose fibers (FC) and microcrystalline celluloses (MCC) on the fresh properties and hydration kinetics of cementitious composites was investigated. For this purpose, sixteen different formulations of FC-MCC celluloses in the cement matrix were analyzed, in which various cellulose fibers were 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% and microcrystalline cellulose in 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8% about the cement mass. The cementitious composites with the addition of FC-MCC celluloses were characterized in terms of rheological behavior, which was determined through the Squeeze flow method, fluidity through the mini-slump test, and hydration kinetics determined through the temporal evolution of the temperature of the mixtures. The initial hydration tests showed that the maximum addition of MCC (0.8%) used in this work reduced the maximum temperature of the cementitious composites, as well as the combination of FCs with MCC 0.8. Cellulose fibers took a longer time to reach the maximum temperature. The combined contents of FC 1.0-MCC 0.4 and FC 0.5-MCC 0.6 promoted an increase in the maximum temperature, which could indicate a dispersive effect of the cellulose particles with the cementitious system. The results of the compression flow showed that the studied samples presented a flow with very low loads and extended for a large part of the curve. Te increase in the amount of cellulose fiber alters the main phenomena related to flow: with a high cellulose content (FC 1.5%) there is an increase in friction between the particles, leading to the conclusion that the amount of cellulose fibers in the cementitious system influences on the rheological behavior and the occurrence of phase separation.

Light-weighing traditional ceramics by porosity control and consequences on mechanical strength

This work evaluates the impacts of the addition of cellulose fibres (5 and 10 wt%) and pumice powder (5 wt%) as pore forming agents on the porosity, microstructure and mechanical strength of two traditional ceramic compositions: stoneware and terracotta. Open and closed porosities, pore size distribution and morphology were obtained from the combined use of the Archimedes method, mercury intrusion porosimetry and SEM image analyses.The results show an increase in the open porosity ratio in the case of cellulose fibre addition, whereas pumice powder addition promotes an increase in the closed porosity. The addition of cellulose also modifies the pore morphology of stoneware samples and induces a pore size increase. The decrease in mechanical strength caused by a lower firing temperature is greater than the decrease linked to the porosity generated by pore-forming agent addition. As the moduli of rupture of the produced porous tiles are higher than those needed by the standards, this work proposes new opportunities for lightning ceramic products.

Studies on Tensile Strength, Fracture Surface and Biodegradation of Biocomposite from Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) Filled by Sugarcane Bagasse Fiber

Synthetic plastic is a material that is difficult to decompose in the environment and causes serious problems in long term such as an increase in the volume of waste. To reduce plastic waste, biodegradable composite (biocomposite) is expected to overcome this problem. Natural cellulose fiber can be used as a filler in biopolymer matrix based biocomposite. This study aims to determine the tensile properties, fracture morphology, and biodegradation rate of biocomposite from Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) and sugarcane bagasse fiber. The test of biocomposite samples was carried out with a tensile test, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and soil burial test. The results show that the highest tensile strength and modulus elasticity was in PVA pure film for 2.15 MPa and 3.468 MPa, respectively. The addition of cellulose fiber from sugarcane bagasse in the PVA matrix does not have a strengthening effect on the tensile strength of the biocomposite. This is due to the presence of porosity, agglomeration, and poor bonding between the matrix and fiber according to the SEM observation. The biodegradation rate showed that all biocomposite samples were degraded in the soil and had weight loss above 40% after 15 days of burial in the soil.

An investigation on Moringa oleifera fruit (drumstick)‐derived cellulose micro and nanofiber reinforced styrene butadiene rubber composites

AbstractThe current focus in the elastomer industry is to look for biobased or natural filler for various compounds. The reinforcing effect of waste drumstick‐derived cellulose micro and nanofiber in styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) was investigated for the very first time. Cellulose microfibers and nanofibers were isolated from the drumstick fruit peel and characterized using different techniques such as x‐ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The filler‐polymer interaction in the composites was studied using the bound rubber measurements, which showed that the bound rubber content of the composite increased from 0.5% to 8.1% at 5 phr cellulose nanofiber loading. The tensile strength and modulus of the modified cellulose microfiber‐containing composite were higher than both the unfilled SBR and the raw fiber‐SBR composites. The addition of 5 phr nanofiber to SBR showed a 46% increment of the tensile strength than the control compound. The die swell index of the cellulose fiber reinforced composites came down attesting the better processability of the extrudates. The addition of cellulose fiber also improved the wet skid resistance of the composites as seen from dynamic mechanical thermal analysis. Hence, this work confirms the application of modified drumstick microfibers and nanofibers as sustainable fillers for high‐performance elastomers composites.

A Laboratory Study of Mechanical Properties of Pervious Concrete as A Pavement Material by Partial Replacement of GGBS in Cement with Addition of Cellulose Fibers

Abstract: Among all the transportation systems roadways is most typically used transportation system. but in present scenario roads faces plenty of issues like potholes, cracks and plenty of other distresses. Not even these however water is additionally the main enemy to the pavement that causes deformations and changes the feel of subgrade soil leading to giant variation in performance. The total impervious Surface amendment (ISC) for Asian nation between 2000 and 2010 is 2274.62 km2 . This is one of the foremost significant issues thanks to speedy urbanization wherever there's a tremendous increase in construction of black topped and differing kinds of impervious pavements. This has associate adverse result on the setting because the storm water becomes stagnant over the surface of the pavement thanks to inadequate emptying conditions. The necessity for reducing stagnation and therefore the surface runoff has given the origination of pervious pavements surface. pervious concrete pavement may be a special style of its kind with high consistence with no or borderline fines which permit water to percolate through it and therefore the water that is accumulated over the surface ought to be collected and might be used for numerous purposes and basic wants. The present work studied the mechanical properties, sturdiness and permeability of pervious concrete of combine 1:3 mixture cement magnitude relation. The management combine is altered by partially replacing 30% of cement with Ground Granulated Blast furnace slag (GGBS), enclosed cellulose fibres of fifty of weight of the building material material and combination of each in one combine and compared the results obtained. The properties like compressive strength, porousness, indirect strength, flexural strength, are assessed by acting tests. it absolutely was discovered that there's a rise in Compressive Strength, Split strength, Flexure Strength and reduce within the permeability within the altered pervious concrete mixes when put next to the pervious concrete with no additives

Biodegradable starch / polyvinyl alcohol composites produced by thermoplastic injection containing cellulose extracted from soybean hulls (Glycine max L.)

Soybean hull is an agro-industrial residue of extensive generation in the soybean oil-producing industry, where approximately 5% of the processed volume of soy beans is converted into hulls. The main use for soy hulls is animal feed, being of great importance to find more ways of consumption for the hulls. This research proposed a noble application for soy hulls: using the hulls as a source for extracting cellulose fibers. Cellulose fibers were extracted from the hulls by alkaline treatment, ground (< 600 µm) and added to thermoplastic starch (TPS). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was also added to the materials produced in order to promote better compatibility between the components. Ten formulations were produced, containing between 4 and 19 wt% of cellulose, and 2 controls. Half of the formulations contained 6 wt% PVA. Cellulose fibers and soybean hulls were characterized by FTIR-ATR and SEM, and the analyzes showed partial purification of the cellulose fibers, with a purity of 92 wt%. The composites were produced by extrusion followed by injection, and characterized by stress-strain, FTIR-ATR and dimensional stability after injection (shrinkage and warpage) tests. Cellulose fibers did not increase the tensile strength (TS) of the composites, but reduced the deformation capacity by 62% (to 19% of fibers) compared to the control. Cellulose fibers together with PVA increased the TS by up to 22% (to 19% fibers and 6% PVA in the composition), making the material more mechanically resistant. For this same formulation, the deformation capacity was reduced by a maximum of 75%, and the modulus of elasticity was increased by a maximum of 230% (the composite became more resistant and rigid). Cellulose fibers reduced the shrinkage value of the specimens, reducing the shrinkage value to less than 1% for the formulations containing 19% cellulose fibers. The cellulose fibers associated with 6% PVA had a synergistic action in the shrinkage of the specimens, further reducing the shrinkage in length (0.4% length shrinkage for 15% cellulose fibers; 0.1% length shrinkage for 19% cellulose fibers). The addition of cellulose fibers and 6% PVA to TPS made the composites more rigid and mechanically reinforced, and also with greater dimensional stability after injection.

Experimental study on the bond-slip behavior and stress transfer mechanism between shaped steel and high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete

In light of the weak bond strength between the two materials in steel reinforced concrete (SRC) and the brittleness of high-strength concrete, the use of high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (HPFRC) was proposed with the addition of cellulose fiber and rice husk ash (RHA) in high-strength concrete. The purpose of this study is to investigate the bond behavior of shaped steel embedded in HPFRCs. Thirteen push-out test specimens of steel high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (SHPFRC) were cast. The test parameters considered in this study were the HPFRC strength, cover thickness, embedment length, and stirrup ratio. The experimental process and failure modes were analyzed, and the influence of various test parameters on the average bond strength was studied. The average effective bond stress was introduced to study the whole process of bond failure and the stress transfer mechanism. Then, a method for calculating the bond stress was established. The results showed that the failure modes of the specimens were classified into bond splitting failure, bond anchorage failure, and mixing failure. The parameters have various effects on the average bond strength. The introduction of the average effective bond stress reflected the transfer mechanism of bond stress at the interface. The largest component of bond stress was chemical adhesion, and mechanical interaction was the smallest.

Tensile Strength and Moisture Resistance Properties of Biocomposite Films Based on Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) with Cellulose as Reinforcement from Durian Peel Fibers

Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) based biocomposite film with cellulose was successfully fabricated by the solution casting method. The cellulose fibers were obtained by extraction of durian peel using alkalization and bleaching treatments. These treated cellulose fibers were used for the fabrication of PVA-based biocomposites. The durian peel cellulose fibers were varied by 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% in the PVA matrix. Tensile test and moisture resistance of biocomposites were evaluated. The 6% addition of cellulose fibers in biocomposites increases the tensile strength up to 54% (37 MPa) than pure PVA film (24 MPa). Conversely, it reduces the elongation at break of the biocomposite film. Meanwhile, the moisture resistance properties of the biocomposites increased with the addition of cellulose fibers. The tensile strength and moisture resistance of biocomposites have been increased due to the homogeneous dispersion of the cellulose fibers and PVA matrix. These biocomposites able to reduce the environmental impacts by utilizing residual lignocellulosic biomass.

Fungal chitin-glucan nanopapers with heavy metal adsorption properties for ultrafiltration of organic solvents and water

Membranes and filters are essential devices, both in the laboratory for separation of media, solvent recovery, organic solvent and water filtration purposes, and in industrial scale applications, such as the removal of industrial pollutants, e.g. heavy metal ions, from water. Due to their solvent stability, biologically sourced and renewable membrane or filter materials, such as cellulose or chitin, provide a low-cost, sustainable alternative to synthetic materials for organic solvent filtration and water treatment. Here, we investigated the potential of fungal chitin nanopapers derived from A. bisporus (common white-button mushrooms) as ultrafiltration membranes for organic solvents and aqueous solutions and hybrid chitin-cellulose microfibril papers as high permeance adsorptive filters. Fungal chitin constitutes a renewable, easily isolated, and abundant alternative to crustacean chitin. It can be fashioned into solvent stable nanopapers with pore sizes of 10−12 nm, as determined by molecular weight cut-off and rejection of gold nanoparticles, that exhibit high organic solvent permeance, making them a valuable material for organic solvent filtration applications. Addition of cellulose fibres to produce chitin-cellulose hybrid papers extended membrane functionality to water treatment applications, with considerable static and dynamic copper ion adsorption capacities and high permeances that outperformed other biologically derived membranes, while being simpler to produce, naturally porous, and not requiring crosslinking. The simple nanopaper production process coupled with the remarkable filtration properties of the papers for both organic solvent filtration and water treatment applications designates them an environmentally benign alternative to traditional membrane and filter materials.

Influence of the Processing Conditions on the Mechanical Performance of Sustainable Bio-Based PLA Compounds.

Cellulose/PLA-based blends (up to 77 vol./vol.% of the added fibers) for applications in extrusion-based technology were realized in an internal mixer by setting different operating conditions. In particular, both the mixing time and temperature were increased in order to simulate a recycling operation (10 or 25 min, 170 or 190 °C) and gain information on the potential reuse of the developed systems. The torque measurements during the compound’s preparation, and the compound’s mechanical tensile features, both in the static and dynamic mode, were evaluated for each investigated composition. The final results confirmed a reduction of the torque trend over time for the PLA matrix, which was attributed to a possible degradation mechanism, and confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. The mechanical behaviour of the pristine polymer changed from elastoplastic to brittle, with a significant loss in ductility going from the lower mixing temperatures up to the higher ones for the longest time. Through the addition of cellulose fibers into the composite systems, a higher stabilization of the torque in the time and an improvement in the mechanical performance were always verified compared to the neat PLA, with a maximum increase in the Young modulus (+100%) and the tensile strength (+57%), and a partial recovery of the ductility.

Volumetric Properties and Resilient Modulus of Stone Mastic Asphalt incorporating Cellulose Fiber

Stone mastic asphalt (SMA) is well known as a high coarse aggregate content that interlocks to form a stone skeleton that resist permanent deformation. However, it facing a lot of problems such as rutting and stripping because of the high temperature and repeated axial load. It also suffers with creep issue. The cellulose fiber is a type of synthetic fiber that can enhance the properties of asphalt mixture. Thus, the aim of this study is to utilize the cellulose fiber that has high tensile strength to overcome the problem of SMA. Among the tests involve are Resilient Modulus, Marshall Stability and Cantabro Loss. From the results, it shows that the addition of cellulose fiber improved the recovery ability of asphalt binder. From each test, the addition of 0.2% cellulose fiber contributes to lowest value of abrasion, while 0.3% producing highest value of resilient modulus. Thus, the addition of cellulose fiber is capable in enhancing the properties of SMA.

Cellulose fiber as bacteria-carrier in mortar: Self-healing quantification using UPV

Crack formation due to shrinkage or tensile forces is a major weakness of cementitious materials. To overcome this problem, in this study a self-healing mortar is produced using mineral producing alkaliphilic bacteria. Authors have used bacilius subtilis strain 168 type of bacteria to improve the ability of cementitious mortar to heal any formed cracks without any external intervention. Bacteria-based self-healing concrete/mortar needs bacteria-carriers to protect bacteria in a dense matrix to maintain the mineral-forming capacity of bacteria. However, the currently used bacteria-carriers are not always suitable for concrete because of their complex procedures or high cost. To develop a more suitable bacteria-carrier, in this paper feasibility of alkali treated micro cellulose fiber as a novel bacteria-carrier for self-healing mortar is investigated. Two types of bacterial mortar by using cellulose fiber as a bacteria-carrier were prepared. For one type, nutrients were added inside the mortar mix, while for the other, nutrients were added into the curing water. The crack healing efficiency of bacterial mortars was investigated using image analysis and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test and compared with unreinforced and control cellulose fiber mortars. Research shows that self-healing mortar using cellulose fiber as a bacteria-carrier result in maximum self-healing as compared to other mixes, 8.23% more than control samples, pre-cracked at 28 days with damaged degree between 0.1 to 0.2. At the dosage investigated, addition of cellulose fiber resulted in a decrease in compressive strength. It was observed that cellulose fiber increase the availability of bacteria in cracked region by acting as a bridge across the crack. Furthermore, cellulose fibers have a low cost and simplest method of immobilizing bacteria when compared with other bacteria carriers.

The effect of cellulose and starch on the viscoelastic and thermal properties of acid-swollen collagen paste

Collagen pastes are processed materials obtained through the swelling of minced bovine hides using acids into a fibrous swollen structure. Depending on the application, there is a need to improve the performance of these pastes in terms of rheological properties and mechanical strength of the final product. In this work, the addition of cellulose fibres and starch granules as fillers in acid swollen collagen paste was investigated. The influence of cellulose fibre length and starch granules with different amylose and amylopectin content on the viscoelastic and thermal properties of acid swollen paste were studied as a function of mixing ratio and collagen paste concentration. Addition of cellulose and starch granules resulted in an increase in the elastic modulus of the collagen paste with the starch granules having the highest impact. Addition of cellulose and starch also affected the tan δ peak of collagen paste at different collagen concentrations as a function of temperature. The micro differential scanning calorimetry (microDSC) results indicated that the denaturation temperature value of collagen was not influenced by the presence of cellulose and starch. However, upon reheating the denaturation temperature of collagen pastes wit starch granules shifted to lower temperatures.

Hybrid Cellulose-Glass Fiber Composites for Automotive Applications.

In the recent years, automakers have been striving to improve the carbon footprint of their vehicles. Sustainable composites, consisting of natural fibers, and/or recycled polymers have been developed as a way to increase the “green content” and reduce the weight of a vehicle. In addition, recent studies have found that the introduction of synthetic fibers to a traditional fiber composite such as glass filled plastics, producing a composite with multiple fillers (hybrid fibers), can result in superior mechanical properties. The objective of this work was to investigate the effect of hybrid fibers on characterization and material properties of polyamide-6 (PA6)/polypropylene (PP) blends. Cellulose and glass fibers were used as fillers and the mechanical, water absorption, and morphological properties of composites were evaluated. The addition of hybrid fibers increased the stiffness (tensile and flexural modulus) of the composites. Glass fibers reduced composite water absorption while the addition of cellulose fibers resulted in higher composite stiffness. The mechanical properties of glass and cellulose filled PA6/PP composites were optimized at loading levels of 15 wt% glass and 10 wt% cellulose, respectively.

Understanding the role of cellulose fiber on the dewaterability of simulated pulp and paper mill sludge

Pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) mainly consists of primary sludge and secondary sludge (activated sludge). Before the disposal and utilization of PPMS, it is dewatered due to high water content. Cellulose fiber is a key and characteristic component in PPMS. In this paper, the role of cellulose fiber on the dewaterability of simulated PPMS (the mixture of cellulose fibers and activated sludge) was investigated, including the fiber content, fiber length and fibrillation degree. The results showed that the specific resistance to filtration (SRF) of simulated PPMS decreased with the increase of fiber content (0–30 w%) and also decreased with the decrease of average fiber length (0.597–0.303 mm) noticeably. However, the SRF increased dramatically when the average fiber length reduced further to 0.189 mm. The fiber fibrillation had no obvious effect on the sludge SRF. Besides, the addition of cellulose fiber had little impact on the sludge compressibility. The role of cellulose fiber in the PPMS is to form aggregates with high fiber-sludge adhesion and large floc size, which relieves the blinding effect and changes the permeability of sludge cake respectively, resulting in improving sludge filterability.

The Effect of Cellulose Fibers on the Formation of Petroleum-Based and Bio-Based Polyurethane Foams

We report on the effect of cellulose fibers on the formation of petroleum-based and bio-based polyurethane foams. The fabricated polyurethane foams (PUF) were done by reacting isocyanate with petroleum-based polyol and epoxidized soybean oil (ESBO)-based polyols via hand mixing. The addition of cellulose fibers extracted from pineapple (Ananas comosus) leaf was done to enhance the properties of the fabricated PUF. Experimental results revealed that surface morphology of the fabricated polyurethane foams with addition of cellulose fibers remain the well-defined cell structures as shown in the scanning electron micrographs although few cell ruptures were observed. Likewise, the presence of the vibrational modes of the NCO and OH were confirmed in the Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra suggesting that successful formation of polyurethane foams takes place. The thermogravimetric results revealed that much higher thermal stability for the 100% ESBO-based PUF with cellulose fibers due to the presence of cellulose and triglycerides in the ESBO-based polyols which both degrades at higher temperature. This suggest that 100% ESBO-based PUF with cellulose fiber exhibit higher thermal stability provides promising application for thermal insulations.

Bimetallic CoMoS Composite Anchored to Biocarbon Fibers as a High-Capacity Anode for Li-Ion Batteries.

Our work reports the hydrothermal synthesis of a bimetallic composite CoMoS, followed by the addition of cellulose fibers and its subsequent carbonization under Ar atmosphere (CoMoS@C). For comparison, CoMoS was heat-treated under the same conditions and referred as bare-CoMoS. X-ray diffraction analysis indicates that CoMoS@C composite matches with the CoMoS4 phase with additional peaks corresponding to MoO3 and CoMoO4 phases, which probably arise from air exposure during the carbonization process. Scanning electron microscopy images of CoMoS@C exhibit how the CoMoS material is anchored to the surface of carbonized cellulose fibers. As anode material, CoMoS@C shows a superior performance than bare-CoMoS. The CoMoS@C composite presents an initial high discharge capacity of ∼1164 mA h/g and retains a high specific discharge capacity of ∼715 mA h/g after 200 cycles at a current density of 500 mA/g compared to that of bare-CoMoS of 102 mA h/g. The high specific capacity and good cycling stability could be attributed to the synergistic effects of CoMoS and carbonized cellulose fibers. The use of biomass in the anode material represents a very easy and cost-effective way to improve the electrochemical Li-ion battery performance.

Moisture Absorption and Opacity of Starch-Based Biocomposites Reinforced with Cellulose Fiber from Bengkoang

Cellulose fiber was isolated from bengkoang (Pachyrhizus erosus) tuber peel. A suspension consisting of distilled water, starch, and glycerol was mixed with various cellulose loadings (0, 2, 6, and 10 g) then gelatinized using a hot plate with a magnetic stirrer. The biocomposite gel was sonicated using an ultrasonication probe (47.78 W/cm2 for 4 min). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs for the fracture surface of resulting biocomposite films displayed a rougher surface than starch film, indicating fiber dispersion in the matrix. The opacity and moisture resistance of biocomposite films increased with the addition of cellulose. The opacity was at a maximum value (243.05 AUnm) with 10 g fiber, which was 11.27% higher than the starch film without cellulose. Moisture absorption of this biocomposite was 16.79% lower than the starch film. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) confirmed this more hydrophobic nature with lower transmittance at –OH stretching in the composite than the starch film. The addition of cellulose fiber into the matrix also increased the crystallinity index.

Study of Mechanical Properties of Pervious Concrete as a Pavement Material by Partial Replacement of Ggbs in Cement with Addition of Cellulose Fibers

Among all the transportation systems roadways is most commonly used transportation system. But in present scenario roads faces a lot of problems like potholes, cracks and many other distresses. Not even these but water is also the main enemy to the pavement which causes deformations and changes the texture of subgrade soil resulting in large variation in performance.The total Impervious Surface Change (ISC) in India for the decade 2000 to 2010 is 2274.62 km2. This is one of the most considerable problems due to rapid urbanization where there is a tremendous increase in construction of black topped and different types of impervious pavements. This has an adverse effect on the environment as the storm water becomes stagnant over the surface of the pavement due to inadequate drainage conditions.The necessity for reducing stagnation and the surface runoff has given the inception of pervious pavement surface. Pervious concrete pavement is a special type of its kind with high perviousness with no or minimal fines which allow water to percolate through it and thus the water which is accumulated over the surface can be collected and used for various purposes.The present work studied the mechanical properties and also the permeability of pervious concrete of mix 3:1 aggregate cement ratio. The control mix is altered by partially replacing 30% of cement with Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag (GGBS), included Cellulose fibers of 5% of weight of the cementitious material and combination of both in one mix and compared the results obtained.The properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength and permeability are assessed by performing tests. It was observed that there is an increase in Compressive Strength, Split Tensile Strength, Flexure Strength and decrease in the permeability in the altered pervious concrete mixes when compared to the Pervious concrete with no additives.

Toughening and stiffening of starch food extrudates through the addition of cellulose fibres and minerals

Pet food, one of the largest type of commercial packaged foods, continuously sets new challenges, amongst them the possibility to enhance palatability via adjusting product composition. This will optimise texture perception across consumer groups of diverse chewing capabilities, as well as improve food oral breakdown efficiency with further impact on metabolic health and nutrient bioavailability in the digestive process. Our aim is to pioneer new methods of controlling texture by answering longstanding questions such as the impact of nutrients on the mechanical properties of foods. The impact of cellulose fibres and minerals on the fracture toughness and stiffness properties of starch food extrudates is investigated for the first time through employing tensile tests and two fracture toughness tests namely Essential Work of Fracture (EWF) and cutting, on four different compositions. Fibres alone are found to increase stiffness (stiffening) and toughness (toughening) whereas minerals decrease stiffness (softening) with a minor influence on toughness. Interestingly, fibres and minerals combined maximise toughening at 28% compared to pure starch, due to the synergistic effect of fibre-matrix de-bonding and fibre breakage mechanisms at the crack tip. These new results indicate that texture can be significantly altered through the addition of minerals and short fibres. Such information is critical in the design of products that need to satisfy both nutritional and textural criteria.