Coir Fiber Research Articles

Controlling N-Doping Nature at Carbon Aerogels from Biomass for Enhanced Oxygen Reduction in Seawater Batteries.

Pyridinic N-type doped at carbon has been known to have better electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) than the others. Herein, we proposed to prepare pyridinic N doped at carbon aerogels (CaA) derived from biomass, i.e., coir fiber (CF) and palm empty fruit bunches (PEFBs), by adjusting the pyrolysis temperature during carbonization of the biomass-based-cellulose aerogels. The cellulose aerogels were prepared by the ammonia-urea system as the cellulose solvent, in which ammonia also acted as a N source for doping and urea as the cellulose cross-linker. The as-prepared cellulose aerogels were directly pyrolyzed to produce N-doped CaA. It was found that the type of N doping is dominated by pyrrolic N at pyrolysis temperature of 600 °C, pyridinic N at 700 °C, and graphitic N at 800 °C. The pyridinic N exhibited better performance as an electrocatalyst for the ORR than pyrrolic N and graphitic N. The ORR using pyridinic N follows the four-electron pathway, which quantitatively implies a more electrochemically stable process. When used as a cathode for the Mg-air battery using a 3.5% NaCl electrolyte, the pyridinic N CaA exhibited excellent performance by giving a cell voltage of approximately 1.1 V and delivered a high discharge capacity of 411.64 mA h g-1 for CF and 492.64 mA h g-1 for PEFB corresponding to an energy density of 464.23 and 529.49 mW h g-1, respectively.

Long coir and glass fiber reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites prepared via wet-laid technique

Natural fiber composites offer an advantage in terms of weight saving for many automotive applications; however, many natural fiber composites lack properties to justify substitution for synthetic composites. Hybridizing the natural fiber composites by adding a fraction of synthetic fibers is an innovative approach to provide a balance between composite's performance and weight savings. In this study, coir fiber (40 wt%)-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites were hybridized by substituting a fraction of coir fiber with glass fiber (0–30 wt%). The composites were prepared using a novel wet-laid technique followed by compression molding, where the fiber length is preserved. The composites prepared by hybridizing PP/coir fibers with glass fibers were light in weight (6–20% lighter compared to 40 wt% glass fiber reinforced PP) with significantly enhanced tensile (strength – 49–182%, modulus – 54–130%), flexural (strength – 41–104%, modulus – 64–193%), and impact properties (157 - 474%) compared to 40 wt% coir fiber reinforced PP composites. Furthermore, the addition of glass fiber (10–30 wt%) to coir fiber reduced the water-absorbing tendency (by 18–74%) of PP/coir fiber composites. All in all, this work has potential applications in automotive, mass transit, and truck applications where natural fiber composites are being investigated as alternatives to metal and/or fully synthetic composites.

Needle-Felt Coir fibre: A natural substitute for synthetic media in anaerobic fixed film reactors for wastewater treatment

In the past, studies have been conducted to evaluate different materials as filter media during anaerobic treatment of wastewater. The present study aims to assess the viability of using needle-felt coir fibre as a biofilm carrier in an anaerobic baffled reactor for organic-rich wastewater treatment. Real wastewater from a canteen with chemical oxygen demand (COD) - 1400±560 mg/L, and suspended solids (SS) - 397±23 mg/L after stabilization was treated for six months in a pilot scale unit with the carrier medium. The high porosity (90%) and specific surface area (1450±299 m2/m3) of the medium enabled COD (66%) and SS (70.5%) removal along with biogas recovery, at a lower hydraulic retention time of 14 hrs. The metagenomic sequence analysis revealed rich and diverse bacteria and methanogenic archaea in the carrier medium and settled sludge. Compared to the commonly used synthetic media, the needle-felt coir fibre carrier has technical, environmental, and economic advantages. Therefore, needle-felt coir fibre might be a sustainable replacement for conventional synthetic media in anaerobic wastewater treatment systems.

Discussion of “Flexural and Shear Strength Properties of Laterite Soil Stabilized with Rice Husk Ash, Coir Fiber, and Lime”, by Rithy Domphoeun and Amin Eisazadeh (2024), Published in Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology, DOI.org/10.1007/s40515-023-00364-5

Discussion of “Flexural and Shear Strength Properties of Laterite Soil Stabilized with Rice Husk Ash, Coir Fiber, and Lime”, by Rithy Domphoeun and Amin Eisazadeh (2024), Published in Transportation Infrastructure Geotechnology, DOI.org/10.1007/s40515-023-00364-5

Experimental investigation of layering pattern arrangements on mechanical, swilling and water absorption behavior of flax/coir fiber based bio-epoxy composites

As natural fibres are recyclable and biodegradable, they are essential to the creation of ecologically sound composite materials. When compared to synthetic fibres, they have benefits including less environmental impact, superior mechanical qualities, and a lightweight nature. Gaining knowledge about and improving the usage of natural fibres in composites can result in environmentally friendly solutions that have a lower carbon footprint and more durability across a range of uses. The present research concentrates on the manufacture of hybridized bio-composites with eco-friendly epoxy as the matrix phase and flax as well as coir fibre mats as reinforcing agents. The hybridized composites of flax (F) and coir (C) fibres were created using a low-cost manual lay-up approach, accompanied by a hot press containing various stacking sequences. The materials' static characteristics, like inter-laminar shear strengths (ILSS) as well as hardness, were investigated. Physical parameters like water absorption and swelling thickness were also investigated. The experimental findings demonstrate that whenever the layering pattern was changed, bio-composites displayed small variations in strength properties. The FFFF sample had the greatest ILSS result of 7.69 MPa. Short beam breakdowns feature such as perpendicular inter-laminar shear fractures, micro buckling, and fibre breakage have also been observed. Although there were some advantages in the mechanical properties of bio-composites over eco-friendly epoxy, there were no significant consequences for modifying the toughness characteristics of a fibre sheet's cross-ply. This might be attributed to the low interaction of coir and flax strands, in addition to the hybrid composite specimens' poor interfacial bonding and strength. In comparison to their hybrid equivalents, pure fibre or non-hybrid materials demonstrated greater resilience to water uptake as well as thickness swelling.

Substrate Comparison for Tomato Propagation under Different Fertigation Protocols

Greenhouse tomato production faces multiple challenges, including the excessive use of nonrenewable substrates that are difficult to dispose of after use. Currently, most growers propagate tomatoes in rockwool, but there is an increasing demand for sustainable media. The objective of this research was to evaluate sustainable and organic alternatives for greenhouse propagation of tomato seedlings intended for high-wire production. Different organic and inorganic substrates were evaluated in three experiments, using a nutrient solution composed of a complete water-soluble fertilizer. Germination and growth parameters, including height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, foliar chlorophyll levels (SPAD), and shoot fresh and dry weight, were measured. In the first experiment, which employed overhead irrigation, rockwool, coir, wood fiber–coir mix, medium-grade pine bark, pine bark < 0.64 cm, and pine bark < 0.32 cm were evaluated. Tomato germination was faster and achieved higher percentages with pine bark < 0.64 cm compared to other substrates. However, growth performance was similar or better in coir than in rockwool four weeks after transplantation. For the second experiment with sub-irrigation only, rockwool, coir, wood fiber–coir mix, pine bark < 0.32 cm bark, and peat were evaluated at different container heights. Peat resulted in greater growth across all parameters, followed by wood fiber–coir mix in all container heights, while pine bark had the least growth across all measured parameters. In the third experiment with overhead irrigation, rockwool, wood fiber–coir mix, pine bark < 0.32 cm, and a commercial peat-based mixture were evaluated under different fertilizer rates (electrical conductivity of 1.1 and 2.2 mS·cm−1). Wood fiber–coir mix, peat-based mix, and rockwool were the substrates with the highest values for all evaluated parameters. While all the organic substrates showed potential for use in tomato propagation, pine bark < 0.32 cm bark and wood fiber–coir mix provided the best media for germination. Peat and wood fiber–coir mix showed the best media for subsequent seedling growth and demonstrated potential to be used as substitutes for rockwool.

Comparison of engineering properties of organic and inorganic coconut: Implications on the design of coir fiber extraction machine

AbstractCoconut husk is widely used as a source of natural fibers in the tropics. Dehusking and fiber extraction are some of the important unit operations in coir manufacturing. For the development of an efficient and economically viable fiber extraction machine, the engineering properties of conventional and organically grown coconuts were evaluated. Selected engineering properties of whole coconut were investigated. The average true density and bulk density were in the range of 414.63 ± 111.85 to 529.28 ± 123.02 and 161.66 ± 24.41 to 212.23 ± 18.96 kg/m3, respectively. Along with whole coconuts, engineering properties of husk (weight, moisture content, and husk thickness), shell (weight, thickness, bulk density, and moisture content), and kernel parameters (weight, thickness, and moisture content) were also evaluated. The application of organic treatment (T4) exhibited substantial impacts, leading to a higher coconut weight (1.354 kg) as compared to conventional practices (T5), and increased dimensions (158.599 mm diameter and 205.000 mm height) and improved bulk density (190.97 kg/m3) in comparison to other organic treatments. In deshelled coconuts, T4 showcased a higher shell weight (175.667 g) and shell thickness (4.767 mm). The kernel parameters of T4 displayed enhancements, featuring a kernel weight of 314.334 g and a thickness of 11.774 mm. Although the study could not find any correlation between the farming practices and engineering characteristics of coconut fruit, the data presented herein could be utilized for the design and improvisation of efficient fiber extraction machines.Practical ApplicationsDeveloping countries are exploring the possibilities of implementation of organic farming for the production of agro products. Implementation of organic farming not only affects yield but may also change the engineering properties and nutritional characteristics of products. Understanding the engineering properties of food products grown under organic conditions is important for the modification of the design in the existing machineries and/or development of new food processing equipments.

Study on Nanomaterials Coated Natural Coir Fibers as Crack Arrestor in Cement Composite

The process of inclusion of carbon nanotubes as fibers in cement paste has been proved to have optimistic effect as it enhances the tensile property of cement paste composite. Coir fibers have exceptional mechanical qualities and are thus employed as reinforcement in cement composites. Epoxy resin, which has a high Young’s modulus, is an ideal component for bonding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to coir fiber. This paper describes a novel kind of nanocomposite made of L-12 epoxy resin and CNTs at the nanolevel, along with coir fibers at the microlevel which operate as crack arrestors. To remove surface contaminants, coir fibers are first treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Epoxy/CNTs polymer coatings were developed at varying CNTs fractions (0.05, 0.1, 0.15, and 0.2 wt.% of cement). Multiwalled CNTs were combined in distilled water, followed by epoxy resin and hardener (9 : 1 v/v) polymer in an ultrasonic sonicator for 90 min to ensure full dispersion of CNTs within the epoxy polymer. This blend is now coated on the treated clustered coir fiber (length 10 cm, 10 strands) and reinforced along the length of a cement composite beam 20 mm × 20 mm × 80 mm in size. Tensile and three-point tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical characteristics of the hybrid composite. The linear elastic finite element analysis is employed to distinguish their failure phenomena via fatigue or fracture behavior. The microstructure behavior and the effect of coating material on the coir fibers were investigated using scanning electron microscope and EDX analysis. The reinforcing impact of nanopolymer coated coir fiber in cement composite diminished the tensile and flexural strength after 0.1 wt.% of CNT fraction but increased the composite’s durability and Young’s modulus. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis was carried out to assess the chemical interaction between the epoxy/CNTs and the coir fibers. The simulation was performed using ANSYS workbench, and the modeling results were within an acceptable 10% range of the experimental data. Nevertheless, it can be concluded that the hybrid composite is capable of enhancing the composite’s stress and strain capacity by regulating the fracture propagation process at the crack’s end.

Effect of extension speed on the mechanical performance of sisal and coir fiber bundles

Quasi-static tensile tests are commonly used to determine the mechanical properties of fiber bundles. These tests are generally carried out at a low standard speed of 1 mm.min−1, which is recommended for elementary fibers, although other moderate and high speeds are rarely used. In this study, tensile tests were carried out on coir and sisal fiber bundles from the coastal region of Cameroon using four different speeds: 1, 2, 5, and 10 mm.min−1 to assess mechanical properties. Samples were prepared by attaching the two ends of each randomly selected fiber bundle to a paper frame to obtain a length of 30 mm. The results showed a significant effect of extension speed, indicating a decrease in tensile strength and Young’s modulus, and an increase in strain at break with increasing speed. These trends were correlated with the power functions. A strong dependence between fiber bundle diameter and tensile strength was also observed. Furthermore, statistical analysis based on the Weibull distribution highlighted the dispersion of mechanical properties, demonstrating a reduction in dispersion with increasing extension speed for coir fibers. These data can be used to develop specific standards for these natural fibers and contribute to the advancement of composites based on plant fibers.

Dodecyl methacrylate (DM) dispersion-assisted surface modification approach for increasing crystallinity of coir fibers

Coir fiber crystallinity is crucial since it widens the range of possible uses for natural fiber. To increase the crystallinity of coir fiber, the study describes an easy-to-use, simple-to-implement method that is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and highly productive. With the help of dodecyl methacrylate disperson, hydrocarbon molecules of varying chain lengths are covalently attached to the surface of coir fibers, modulating their surface wettability. There are a few different long-chain hydrocarbon compounds employed, including n-butyl methacrylate, n-octyl acrylate, and dodecyl methacrylate (DM), but DM has shown to be the most effective. The degree of grafting yield alteration is determined gravimetrically. It has been found that grafting yields of 28–30 wt.% can be used to convert hydrophilic coir fibers into water repellent crystalline fibers (water contact angle 148°). A total of 15 nm of dispersion, a disperson rate of 2 nm/min, DM concentration of 20%, and water content of 10% are fixed as key reaction parameters. Thermal and mechanical analyses show no significant changes in the fiber structure during alteration. The grafting and changes in surface wettability are well supported by the surface morphology of pure and modified coir fiber, which can be seen using scanning electron microscopy.

Feasibility study on thermo‐mechanical performance of 3D printed and annealed coir fiber powder/polylactic acid eco‐friendly biocomposites

AbstractThe enhancement of the mechanical and thermal characteristics of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) composites reinforced by coir fiber powder (CFP) has been investigated by varying the weight percentage (wt%) of the reinforcement and annealing process. CFP/PLA composite filaments with CFP compositions of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt% were fabricated. These filaments were used to print CFP/PLA test specimens. The specimens were annealed at 90°C for 120 min in a hot air oven followed by cooling at room temperature. Mechanical, morphological, crystalline, and thermal characterizations were conducted on these specimens. The tensile and flexural strength of neat PLA were observed as 49.7 and 82.4 MPa which decreased by 6.4% and 8.13% respectively for printed composite specimens with 0.5 wt% CFP as reinforcement material. On the other hand, the annealed CFP/PLA composite specimen, with 0.1 wt% CFP as a reinforcement material, demonstrated higher tensile and flexural strength. Specifically, it exhibited a maximum tensile strength of 56.4 MPa and a maximum flexural strength of 92.9 MPa, which are 13.5% and 12.7% higher, respectively, than neat PLA. These strengths are 15.5% and 16.7% higher, respectively, than those of the unannealed CFP/PLA composite specimen with the same wt% of CFP reinforcement. The annealing process increased the crystallinity of composites by enhancing the crystallinity index (63%) and crystalline size (6.7 nm). The high thermal stability of composites (with a glass transition temperature of 256°C) makes them suitable for applications in food and medical packaging.Highlights Enhancement of thermo‐mechanical characteristics of 3D printed bio‐composites. Annealing process improved mechanical features of 3D printed bio‐composites. Annealed composite with 0.1 wt% as reinforcement demonstrated better properties. SEM and XRD studies confirmed failure mechanisms and crystalline structure. Thermal and mechanical assets favor its utilization in food wrapping applications.

Synergistic Enhancement of the Mechanical Properties of Epoxy-Based Coir Fiber Composites through Alkaline Treatment and Nanoclay Reinforcement

This study explores the synergistic effects of incorporating coir fibers and nanoclay into epoxy resin composites. Coir, a renewable and cost-effective natural fiber, undergoes an alkaline treatment to influence its ability to form strong interfacial bonding with the epoxy matrix. To further enhance the mechanical properties of the composite, montmorillonite nanoclay, surface-modified with aminopropyltriethoxysilane and octadecyl amine, is introduced. The research investigates different combinations of coir fiber content (20, 30, and 40 wt%) and nanoclay loading (0, 2, and 4 wt%) with epoxy resin. The composites are fabricated through an open molding process, and the mechanical properties are evaluated using tensile and flexural tests according to the ASTM D638 and D7264 standards, respectively. The tensile and flexural strengths of the 40 wt% coir fiber-reinforced epoxy composite are found to be 77.99 MPa and 136.13 MPa, which are 44% and 23% greater than pure epoxy, respectively. Furthermore, the strengths displayed a 23% improvement in tensile strength with 4 wt% and a 31.4% improvement in flexural strength with 2 wt% nanoclay as additional reinforcement. Scanning electron microscopy is employed for fractographic analysis of the fractured specimens from the tensile test. The study underscores the importance of understanding the interplay between natural fibers, nanoclay, and epoxy resin for optimizing the composite’s performance in real-world applications.

Evaluation of mechanical properties of hybridised coir-carbon-basalt reinforced epoxy composites

ABSTRACT The present work focuses on the evaluation of the mechanical properties of epoxy composites reinforced with coir/carbon/basalt fibres. Reinforcements were used in as-received condition without any surface modifications. Composites were subjected to tensile, flexural and impact tests as per ASTM standards. Water absorption analysis was performed on the prepared composites using normal, salt and distilled water. The highest void fraction of 0.57% was obtained for the composite reinforced with carbon and basalt fibres. Highest tensile strength and modulus of 280 and 2500 MPa were achieved for composites reinforced only with carbon fibres. Hybrid composites fabricated using carbon fibres as outer layers and basalt as inner layers exhibited the highest flexural strength of 55 MPa. Composites reinforced only with basalt fibres displayed maximum impact strength of 22.64 kJ/m2 among the tested laminates. Inclusion of coir fibres significantly reduces tensile strength and modulus by 92.86% and 90%; flexural strength and modulus by 90.91% and 82%; impact strength by 71.74%, respectively. Composites reinforced only with basalt fibres absorbed more water than other combinations under all testing conditions. Scanning electron micrographs showed better interfacial bonding between synthetic fibres and the matrix as compared to natural fibre-reinforced composites.

Reuse of coir, peat, and wood fiber in strawberry production.

Production of strawberries in greenhouses and polytunnels is gaining popularity worldwide. This study investigated the effect of reuse of coir and peat, two substrates commonly adapted to soilless strawberry production, as well as stand-alone wood fiber from Norway spruce, a promising substrate candidate. The experiment was performed in a polytunnel at NIBIO Apelsvoll, Norway, and evaluated both virgin substrates, as well as spent materials that were used in one or two years. Yield, berry quality and plant architecture of the strawberry cultivar 'Malling Centenary' were registered. In addition, chemical and physical properties of virgin and reused substrates were investigated. While plants grown in peat and wood fiber had highest yield in the first year of production, the berry yield was slightly reduced when these substrates were utilized for the second and third time. However, yield was comparable to the yield level attained in new and reused coir. Interestingly, berries grown in wood fiber had a tendency to a higher sugar accumulation. This substrate also produced the highest plants. Stand-alone wood fiber was the substrate with the highest accumulation of nitrogen during the three consecutive production cycles. All three investigated materials revealed a trend for decreased potassium accumulation. Wood fiber is characterized by the highest percentage of cellulose, however after three years of production the cellulose content was reducedto the same levels as for coir and peat. Implementation of wood fiber as a growing medium, as well as general practice of substrate reuse can be therefore an achievable strategy for more sustainable berry production.

Life cycle assessment of fibre metal laminates: An ecodesign approach

Despite the extensive research on renewable resources (RR) and their potential applications in composite materials and sandwich structures, there remains a significant dearth of life cycle assessment (LCA) studies that comprehensively evaluate the efficacy of RR in mitigating environmental impacts (EI). To bridge this gap, the present study aims to investigate twelve different designs of sandwich panels, specifically referred to as Fibre Metal Laminates (FML). These FML combine aluminium skins (2024-T3 and 1200-H14), polymer matrices (Epoxy, Polyester, and Castor oil Bio-PU), natural fibres (Sisal, Coir, and Cynodon spp.), surface treatments for aluminium skins (sanding, NaOH, and Washprimer), and treatments for natural fibres (Ground, NaOH-treatment and untreated). A cradle-to-gate LCA is conducted, and the inventories are modelled using the OpenLCA 1.6.3 and ecoinvent 3.9 cut-off regionalized database. EI are evaluated in twelve categories, including climate change, fossil and nuclear energy use, freshwater (acidification, ecotoxicity and eutrophication), human toxicity (cancer and non-cancer), mineral resources use, ozone layer depletion, particulate matter formation, photochemical oxidant formation, and terrestrial acidification. Impact World+ method for Latin America version 1.251 is employed to calculate EI. Nine Eco-efficiency indicators and trade-off analyses are evaluated to gain insights into design decision outcomes. Among the various panels considered, FML12, manufactured with aluminium alloy 1200-H14 treated only with sanding, castor oil biopolymer and untreated coir fibres, present the most consistent eco-efficiency indicators. The reference scenario considers the average characteristics of FML (both environmental and mechanical) for trade-off analysis. Despite the fifty percent chance of better performance, FML12 is the only panel that shows higher mechanical performance and lower EI compared to the reference scenario. The importance of this article lies in the novel results obtained using the proposed eco-efficiency indicators, which can be expanded in further studies on the topic.

Investigation of the Effect of Chemical Treatment on the Properties of Colombian Banana and Coir Fibers and Their Adhesion Behavior on Polylactic Acid and Unsaturated Polyester Matrices

In this work, the adhesion behavior of chemically treated banana and coir Colombian fibers embedded in polylactic acid (PLA) and unsaturated polyester resin (UPR) matrices was investigated. Both types of fibers were treated with a 5 wt.% sodium hydroxide solution for one hour. The properties of treated and untreated fibers were determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and tensile tests. To evaluate the adhesion behavior of the fibers in PLA and UPR matrices, pull-out tests were performed, and the percentage of broken fibers was determined. The results showed that alkaline treatment improved the fibers’ physicochemical, mechanical, and thermal properties. In addition, the alkaline treatment was able to improve the adhesion behavior of coir and banana fibers to PLA and UPR matrices. The banana fibers showed a percentage of broken fibers of 100%, while the coir fibers showed a slight increase in IFSS value. This behavior is attributed to the improvement in surface roughness due to the removal of non-cellulosic composites and impurities.

Flexural and Shear Strength Properties of Laterite Soil Stabilized with Rice Husk Ash, Coir Fiber, and Lime

Flexural and Shear Strength Properties of Laterite Soil Stabilized with Rice Husk Ash, Coir Fiber, and Lime

Effect of wheat straw ash as cementitious material on the mechanical characteristics and embodied carbon of concrete reinforced with coir fiber

The use of supplementary cementitious materials has been widely accepted due to increasing global carbon emissions resulting from demand and the consequent production of Portland cement. Moreover, researchers are also working on complementing the strength deficiencies of concrete; fiber reinforcement is one of those techniques. This study aims to assess the influence of recycling wheat straw ash (WSA) as cement replacement material and coir/coconut fibers (CF) as reinforcement ingredients together on the mechanical properties, permeability and embodied carbon of concrete. A total of 255 concrete samples were prepared with 1:1.5:3 mix proportions at 0.52 water-cement ratio and these all-concrete specimens were cured for 28 days. It was revealed that the addition of 10 % WSA and 2 % CF in concrete were recorded the compressive, splitting tensile and flexural strengths by 33 MPa, 3.55 MPa and 5.16 MPa which is greater than control mix concrete at 28 days respectively. Moreover, it was also observed that the permeability of concrete incorporating 4 % of coir fiber and 20 % of WSA was reduced by 63.40 % than that of the control mix after 28 days which can prevent the propagation of major and minor cracks. In addition, the embodied carbon of concrete is getting reduced when the replacement level of cement with WSA along with CF increases in concrete. Furthermore, based on the results obtained, the optimum amount of WSA was suggested to be 10 % and that of coir fiber reinforcement was suggested to be 2 % for improved results.

Investigation of Coir Fiber as a Sustainable Reinforcement in Non-Asbestos Organic Brake Pad Composites

This work highlights the establishment and characterisation of new natural fibre-reinforced composite brake pad materials to replace asbestos fibre material, the dust of which is carcinogenic and dangerous to humans. Different additives like M-Sand and Glass fibre are used to study the change in properties of coir fibre-reinforced non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake friction material. The coir fibre-built-up NAO brake cushion material was created utilizing a pressure shaping interaction with 3 distinct definitions by differing the constituents. Studies are directed at NAO brake contact materials to track down their similarity as a brake rubbing material. The material was inspected and tried utilizing a Widespread Testing Machine (UTM), Tensiometer, nail Circle and Rockwell hardness analyzer to investigate its rigidity and tribological properties individually. The water retention and oil ingestion properties of the brake cushion material were additionally concentrated according to ASTM norms. The hardness, porosity, and ultimate strength of NAO brake friction samples were higher than those of commercial brake pad material (CBP). The density appears to be less than that of commercial brake pad material. The presence of coir fibre and M- Sand increased the amount of water and oil absorption by the materials. Hence, the NaOH treatment has reduced the water absorption ability of the materials. The wear rate was higher than that of commercial brake pad material and the COF value was between 0.4 and 0.5 for every sample that we prepared by varying the quantity of different additives. It can be concluded that the sample with 15% coir fibre and 15% M- Sand has shown a better result than others except for an increase in water absorption. As a result, coir fibre-reinforced non-asbestos organic (NAO) brake friction material can be a viable candidate filler material for the production of asbestos-free replacement brake pads with no adverse effects.

Fabrication of natural fiber-mixed natural matrix composite-infused indoor air purifier with health impact simulation

The inhalation of airborne particles can endanger the health of any human being. Natural fiber and natural fiber reinforced with natural matrix material are employed in this work to create an indoor air purifier. Various natural fiber and natural composite combinations are used to purify the interior environment by eliminating particulate matter of various sizes and volatile organic chemicals. An air purifier is created using four distinct natural fibers, including hemp, jute, silk cocoon, and coir fibers, as well as neem and aloe vera gel as natural filler materials. An air quality-monitoring instrument is used to validate the performance of the designed natural fiber/natural plant-based filler material-equipped air purifier. Particulate matter of various sizes and volatile organic compounds in the indoor environment are detected at various time intervals. The efficacy of the air purifier is afterward determined in human lungs of various ages utilizing health impact simulation studies. The current product is utilized to effectively purify indoor air by eliminating particulates and volatile organic chemicals.