Fiber-reinforced Biocomposites Research Articles

The Effects of Extrusion Temperature and Sodium Bicarbonate Foaming Agent on Density and Tensile Properties of Kenaf Fibre-Reinforced Biocomposites

The Effects of Extrusion Temperature and Sodium Bicarbonate Foaming Agent on Density and Tensile Properties of Kenaf Fibre-Reinforced Biocomposites

Enhancing machining accuracy of banana fiber-reinforced composites with ensemble machine learning

Through innovative predictive modeling, this study advances Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM) for banana fiber-reinforced biocomposites. Utilizing Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) models, hyperparameters are meticulously tuned for predicting Surface Roughness (Ra), Material Removal Rate (MRR), and Kerf Angle (Ka). Optimal configurations are identified, such as 3–6-6–4-1, 3–5-5–4-1, and 3–5–4–4-1 for ANN models, and 250, 100, and 50 units for LSTM models. Beyond individual models, the study explores stacking ensemble models, merging ANN and LSTM strengths with a Linear Regression final estimator, showcasing robust performance validated with high R-squared values. Regression models from Design Expert 13 contribute to understanding process parameter-outcome relationships. Optimized input parameters offer insights into minimizing surface roughness and kerf angle while maximizing MRR. This holistic approach, integrating advanced machine learning and ensemble learning, enhances predictive accuracy for banana-reinforced biocomposites, providing a versatile framework for diverse materials processing applications.

Mechanism and Kinetics of Water Absorption of Plantain Fibre Reinforced Bio-Composites

Mechanical characteristics, dimensional stability, and bonding strength are all impacted by water sorption in polymer filler materials. The diffusion coefficient (D) of water through polymer composite, should be determined to understand the impact of the deterioration on service life and micro-leakage. In this study, the kinetics and properties of water absorption by short-term immersion in room-temperature plantain fibre reinforced epoxy bio-composites (PFRC), were studied. 5, 10, 20, and 30 percent, plantain fiber (PF) volume fractions of bio-composite specimens were made. Due to the high cellulose content of natural fibers (NF), the percentage of moisture absorption grew as the PF volume fraction increased. The mechanism and kinetics of PFRC's water absorption were found to follow the Fickian diffusion mode and had the propensity to behave in the Fickian mode.

Reclaimed lignosulfonate-modified bamboo fibers prepared via layer-by-layer self-assembly to reinforce poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) biocomposite

Fiber-reinforced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) biocomposites have been increasingly applied in various fields, such as building structures, interior decorations, and product packaging, due to their high strength to weight ratios, low thermal conductivities, low carbon footprints, and biodegradabilities. However, poor compatibility between the hydrophilic natural fibers and the thermoplastic biocomposites limits their mechanical strengths. This work proposes a method based on layer-by-layer self-assembly (LbL) to improve the interfacial compatibility between the PHB and bamboo fibers (BFs). Sodium lignosulfonate (SL) derived from pulp and paper industry waste was used as the raw material. Then, long carbon chains were introduced into the SL via the Mannich reaction. A hydrophobic self-assembled multilayer structure (SMS) was constructed on the surfaces of the BFs. The preparation process was environmentally friendly, controllable and simple. The mechanical properties were improved by the modifications, including the tensile strength (44%), flexural strength (13%), and impact strength (41%). The thermal properties of the fiber-reinforced biocomposites were also enhanced. This study presents a novel strategy for high-value utilization of industrial byproducts and the enhancement of biocomposite interfacial compatibility.

Free vibration analysis of a skew sandwich plate with bamboo biocomposite and polylactic acid core under temperature and moisture conditions

This article investigates the impact of moisture and temperature on vibration characteristics of bio-composite skew-laminated composite sandwich (SLCS) plates. The bio-composite SLCS plates with bamboo face sheets and polylactic acid (PLA) cores are biodegradable, radiolucent, lightweight, high strength, and withstand vibrations. The coupled thermo-elastic and hygro-elastic finite element (FE) model of the SLCS plate is derived using the higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT). An initial stress stiffness matrix is developed using the nonlinear strain-displacement relations to incorporate the effect of temperature and moisture in FE modeling. Temperature and moisture-dependent material properties of bamboo fiber-reinforced biocomposite (BFB) and PLA core are employed for the analysis. A comprehensive investigation has been carried out to study the impact of moisture and temperature situations with different geometrical parameters and various skew angles on the frequency of the SLCS plate. The results indicate that the biocomposite sandwich material has excellent potential for structural applications under different environmental conditions in various applications like food processing, and biomedical applications, including MRI and CT scan beds.

Recent Advancement via Experimental Investigation of the Mechanical Characteristics of Sisal and Juncus Fibre-Reinforced Bio-Composites

In this work, the mechanical characteristics of unidirectional bio-composite materials reinforced by two types of natural fibres (sisal andjuncus) were studied in order to develop new materials. The effect of the fibres’ extraction methods and their new assembly techniques on the mechanical properties of the elaborated composites was investigated. This is based on three methods of extracting natural fibres: the first uses water treatment alone over a long period, while the second uses alkaline chemical treatment with a sodium hydroxide solution. The last method uses the burial of plant leaves in moist soil. The obtained fibres are assembled according to techniques, such as monolinear fibres, twisting fibres into rope and braiding fibres into rope. The composite materials are produced manually using a pressure-contact moulding process. The outcomes demonstrated that the resulting compounds’ mechanical properties are significantly impacted by the chemical treatment. The sisal/polyester composites exhibit better mechanical tensile test behaviour than those made with juncus fibres. Moreover, contrary to the results of some other studies, the recently developed techniques of assembling with a chemical treatment process enabled the reduction of the bio-composite’s thickness as well as the cost of its preparation.

Synergic effect of basalt/wood fiber reinforced polylactic acid hybrid biocomposites against fungal decay

In addition to the traditional fibre-reinforced composites, the investigation of novel composites with significant potential for engineering applications attracts increasing attention. In this study, the decay resistance of basalt and/or wood fibre-reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) biocomposites was evaluated with a soil block test by using white rot fungi, Trametes versicolor (Trv) and Irpex lacteus (Irl), and brown rot fungi, Poria placenta (Pop) and Gloeophyllum trabeum (Glt), and a soft rot fungus, Chaetomium globosum (Chg) after 8 weeks of water submersion. Water absorption rate during the water submission and weight losses after the decay test were determined. Furthermore, decay in biocomposites was characterized by SEM and ATR-FTIR. Results showed that the water absorption increased between 52.4–67.5% for wood fibre composites when compared to basalt fibre-reinforced biocomposites. PLA showed good decay resistance against all fungi attacks. However, as the ratio of basalt and wood fibre in the hybrid biocomposites increased, the fungi resistance decreased. The lowest weight loss, 4.9% was found in the biocomposites containing the highest percentage of basalt fibre. On the other hand, the highest weight loss, 54.2% was observed in the composites containing the highest percentage of wood fibre. The results clearly showed that the hybridization of basalt and wood fibres improves the decay resistance of the biocomposites compared to only wood fibre-reinforced composites. However, as the percentage of wood increased in the composites, the decay resistance decreased. SEM and FTIR analysis confirmed the degradation and revealed the degradation mechanism.

Design and tribological performance of short S-Glass fibre reinforced biocomposites on the influence of fibre length and concentration

Fibre-reinforced biocomposites usage has gained prominence over the past decade. Although higher fracture toughness was observed when fibres were added to biocomposites, material degradation could occur due to filler and fibre content intolerance in the biocomposite matrix. Optimisation of resin-fibre-filler ratios helps in increasing the tribological performance of high load-bearing applications. However, the tribological performance is less understood due to limited in-vitro studies on the effect of fibre microstructures. A comprehensive investigation of the reciprocating and rotary wear behaviour of different compositions was carried out by varying fibre (0%, 5%, 10% and 15%) to particulate filler (40%, 45%, 50%, and 55%) weight fractions. The investigation aimed to identify the optimal composition of fibre-reinforced biocomposites based on the in-vitro ball-on-disc reciprocating and rotary wear tests in the presence of modified Fusayama solution. The cross-sectional areas of wear tracks were analysed using laser microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques to assess the surface morphology and subsurface damage of the wear tracks on biocomposites and the antagonist. The numerical results were statistically analysed using two-way ANOVA followed by a posthoc Tukey’s test (p = 0.05). The results showed a combination of adhesive, abrasive and fatigue wear for all the tested Groups. The friction coefficient had a longer transient period for the 5 wt% and 10 wt% Groups. Based on the surface roughness, coefficient of friction, SEMs, specific wear rate, and ease of manufacturing, the threshold limit for fibre loading was found to be 10 wt%. The rotary test had a considerably lower specific wear rate compared to the reciprocating test. Fibre weight fraction was found to be the influencing factor of the abrasive wear behaviour compared to fibre length for the tested Groups.

Enhancing Packaging Sustainability with Natural Fiber Reinforced Biocomposites: An outlook into the future

Packaging across diverse sectors like food, FMCG products, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and electronics predominantly relies on petroleum-based materials. These petroleum-based non-renewable resources significantly impact the environment throughout their life cycle, emitting polluting gases, demanding energy-intensive manufacturing, and causing air, water, and land pollution during disposal. These problems can be minimized by using eco-friendly materials such as materials made from natural fibres, and agricultural waste that is biodegradable in nature. Natural fibre-reinforced biocomposite materials have a high potential to be used in sustainable packaging applications due to their lower environmental impact compared to petroleum-based materials. However, the use of biocomposites is very limited in the packaging sector and growing exponentially. Recently, agriculture waste fibres have been used for the development of various biocomposites-based packaging. In this paper, prior work has been analysed to identify the impact associated with petroleum-based packaging materials, advantages and potential of natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites in the packaging sector, manufacturing techniques, recent development, challenges, and prospects have been discussed.

Restructuring the Interface of Silk-Polycaprolactone Biocomposites Using Rigid-Flexible Agents.

Natural fiber-reinforced biocomposites with excellent mechanical and biological properties have attractive prospects for internal medical devices. However, poor interfacial adhesion between natural silk fiber and the polymer matrix has been a disturbing issue for such applications. Herein, rigid-flexible agents, such as polydopamine (PDA) and epoxy soybean oil (ESO), were introduced to enhance the interfacial adhesion between Antheraea pernyi (Ap) silk and a common medical polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL). We compared two strategies of depositing PDA first (Ap-PDA-ESO) and grafting ESO first (Ap-ESO-PDA). The rigid-flexible interfacial agents introduced multiple molecular interactions at the silk-PCL interface. The "Ap-PDA-ESO" strategy exhibited a greater enhancement in interfacial adhesion, and interfacial toughening mechanisms were proposed. This work sheds light on engineering strong and tough silk fiber-based biocomposites for biomedical applications.

The mechanical behavior of silk-fibroin reinforced alginate hydrogel biocomposites - Toward functional tissue biomimetics

Soft tissues are constructed as fiber-reinforced composites consisting of structural mechanisms and unique mechanical behavior. Biomimetics of their mechanical behavior is currently a significant bioengineering challenge, emphasizing the need to replicate structural and mechanical mechanisms into novel biocomposite designs. Here we present a novel silk-based biocomposite laminate constructed from long natural silk and fibroin fibers embedded in an alginate hydrogel matrix. Controlling the mechanical features of these laminates were studied for different fiber volume fractions (VF) and orientations using unidirectional tensile tests. Three material systems were investigated having different fiber orientations: longitudinal (0°), transverse (90°), and cross-plied (0/90°). The general behavior of the biocomposite laminates was anisotropic hyperelastic with large deformations. Longitudinal fibroin laminates have shown a tensile modulus of 178.55 ± 14.46 MPa and tensile strength of 18.47 ± 2.01 MPa for 0.48 VF. With similar VF, cross-plied fibroin laminates demonstrated structural shielding ability, having a tensile modulus and tensile strength of 101.73 ± 8.04 MPa and 8.29 ± 1.63 MPa for only a third of the VF directed in the stretching direction. The stress-strain behavior was in a similar range to highly stiff native human soft tissues such as ligament and meniscus. These findings demonstrate the potential of the fibroin fiber-reinforced biocomposites to mimic the mechanics of tissues with a quantitatively controlled amount of fibers and designed spatial arrangement. This can lead to new solutions for the repair and replacement of damaged functional and highly stiff soft tissues.

Biocomposite fabrication from pilot-scale steam-exploded coconut fiber and PLA/PBS with mechanical and thermal characterizations

Biodegradable fiber-reinforced biocomposites from steam-exploded coconut fibers and polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) plastic were developed in this study. Biocomposite filaments and samples were produced using a commercial-scale screw extruder and a 3D printer, respectively. In-depth mechanical and thermal analyses were also performed. The results showed that the tensile strengths of PLA mixed with 3% coconut fiber (PLA97/F3) and 6% coconut fiber (PLA94/F6) decreased by approximately 22% and 23%, respectively, compared to the 64% reduction of that of the original PLA after four-week storage. The bending modulus of the PLA/fiber composite was better than that of the original PLA (21–29% higher), whereas a 5–8% improvement was observed for the PLA/PBS/fiber composites. The impact strengths of PLA97/F3 and PLA77/PBS20/F3 were approximately 8.5% and 7.4% higher than those of the original PLA and PLA/PBS, respectively. During the degradation test, both PLA97/F3 and PLA77/PBS20/F3 exhibited higher tensile strengths than the original materials. Finally, this research presents encouraging results for the production of biodegradable fiber-reinforced biocomposites that are applicable to 3D printing platforms. The final products can be used as replacement or aftermarket components of automobiles.

Development and characterization of laminated fiber reinforced bio-Composite From nettle and poly lactic acid fiber

Nettle and Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) fibers are the strongest and best fibers with valuable potential as reinforcement in a composite. In this study, the development and characterization of a multi-layered laminated fibre reinforced bio-composite from nettle and PLA fiber were performed. Prior to molding, the nettle fibers were treated with chemicals such as Alkali and silane and the influence of chemical treatment on the property of nettle fibers were investigated. The characteristics of raw and chemically treated nettle fibers were investigated through chemical composition analysis, mechanical properties, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and water sorption test. Furthermore physical and mechanical properties of the nettle/PLA bio-composite have been analyzed. Twenty (20) samples of treated and untreated nettle fiber and five samples of nettle/PLA fiber reinforcement bio-composites were tested and the results were averaged for comparison with one another. Based on the results obtained, the treated fiber improves tensile strength, has a more uniform and smaller diameter, a clean surface, and has a good appearance compared to untreated fiber. Laminated bio-composites were found to increase initially with the increase of nettle fiber content till 50 weight % and decrease afterwards. Generally, the bio-composite prepared with an equal weight proportion of nettle and poly lactic acid fiber obtained better mechanical properties and tensile strength. Water sorption test results showed that water uptake ability of treated nettle fibers were lower than raw nettle fibers.

Agave Cantula fiber-reinforced biocomposites of hydroxyapatite/shellac as a dental material

ABSTRACT Dentures are prosthetic devices built to imitate the function of natural teeth and are commonly produced from materials, such as metal, porcelain, and acrylic resin. Although those made from porcelain have good strength, their manufacture requires high skill and accuracy, which results in high selling price. This has led to the development of inexpensive natural biomaterials, as a suitable replacement in the dentistry field. Therefore, this study aims to explore the use of biocomposite (Bovine Hydroxyapatite (BHA)/Agave Cantula fiber/shellac) as a dental material. The mixture of BHA/Agave Cantula fiber was in various ratios, namely, 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, and 70/30 (%wt), where shellac was used as a binder at a proportion of 10% wt. The specimens were compacted at 20 bar for 10 min, and then sintered at 200°C for 2 h. The results of the FTIR test showed that the functional groups were hydroxyl, carbonate, phosphate, and methylene. Moreover, the results of the Vickers hardness test and density rate were recorded as the highest at the 30:70% variation, at (124.03 HVN) and (1,661 g/cm3), respectively. These results showed that biocomposite has the potential to be used as a dental material after further development.

Fracture analysis of chiral fiber-reinforced biocomposite

The widely presented chiral microstructures in biological materials such as wood, bone and climbing tendrils, bring up biological materials with favorable elasticity, fracture toughness and impact resistance. A tricky thing is, how the chiral microstructures could affect the fracture behaviors of this category of materials is not clear. In this paper, a fracture mechanics model of chiral fiber composite under mode I loading is established for investigating the effects of chiral microstructures on the fracture behaviors of corresponding materials. The analytical solutions of the stress and displacement fields near the crack tip are obtained by using the potential function method. The finite element method (FEM) for chiral materials is implemented into ABAQUS and corresponding simulation is conducted. The theoretical results are consistent with those from simulations. The effects of chiral coefficients on the stress concentration and the stress intensity factor are investigated. The results show that the couple stresses induced by the chiral microstructure can significantly decrease the stress concentration near the crack tip. Furthermore, the chiral microstructures can hinder the crack propagation and thus strengthen, to a certain extent, the fracture toughness of the biological materials. It is expected this work can enhance our understanding on the relationship between microstructure and properties of biological materials, and contribute to the biomimetic design and preparation of high-performance materials.

Mechanical and Acoustic Performance of Plantain (Musa Paradisiacal) Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Bio-Composite

ABSTRACT Natural fiber-reinforced polymer biocomposites are very attractive materials utilized for many applications owing to their high mechanical and acoustic properties. Research has projected that Natural fiber (NF) could possibly be a replacement for synthetic fiber in reinforced polymer composites due to low influence on the health of humans and environmental friendliness. Research has been enthusiastic on studying their mechanical properties, with little emphasis on enumerating the sound diminution behaviors. This research objective is to examine void content, impact strength, hardness, and the acoustic properties of plantain (Musa paradisiacal) fiber-reinforced biocomposites (PFB). Biocomposite with 5, 10, 15, and 20 (Wt. %) fiber content were fabricated. Impact, hardness, and void content increases as fiber content increases. The sound absorption coefficient shows improvement. Results suggest that PFB could be less-expensive, feasible, and ecologically superior alternatives to synthetic fiber composites for acoustic applications in areas like building architecture and automotive industries.

Effects of combined alkali treatment and clay nanoparticle infusion on thermo-mechanical response of kenaf/PLA biocomposites

Fibre-reinforced biocomposites have inherently low thermo-mechanical properties and hence require some treatments or modifications during the fabrication process in order to enhance these properties. In this work, a combination of alkalization and nanoparticle infusion was used in enhancing thermo-mechanical properties of kenaf fibre-reinforced polylactic acid biocomposites. The biocomposites were made using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treated kenaf nonwoven mats and polylactic acid infused with clay nanoparticles. Fabrication of the biocomposites was done using the prepreg method and curing at high temperature. Investigation of the thermo-mechanical properties were performed using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA). Results showed that a combination of alkalization and nanoparticle infusion improves the thermal stability of the biocomposites, loss modulus and damping. However, alkalization and nanoparticle infusion decreased the glass transition temperature of the biocomposites. The study shows that combined treatment of biocomposites with sodium hydroxide and clay nanoparticles significantly improves their performance properties. Therefore, this expands the application capabilities of natural fibre reinforced biocomposites. Best results were obtained by a combination of NaOH treatment and infusion with 5 wt% clay nanoparticles.

Sustainably Processed Waste Wool Fiber-Reinforced Biocomposites for Agriculture and Packaging Applications

In the EU, sheep bred for dairy and meat purposes are of low quality, their economic value is not even enough to cover shearing costs, and their wool is generally seen as a useless by-product of sheep farming, resulting in large illegal disposal or landfilling. In order to minimize environmental and health-related problems considering elemental compositions of discarded materials such as waste wool, there is a need to recycle and reuse waste materials to develop sustainable innovative technologies and transformation processes to achieve sustainable manufacturing. This study aims to examine the application of waste wool in biocomposite production with the help of a sustainable hydrolysis process without any chemicals and binding material. The impact of superheated water hydrolysis and mixing hydrolyzed wool fibers with kraft pulp on the performance of biocomposite was investigated and characterized using SEM, FTIR, tensile strength, DSC, TGA, and soil burial testing in comparison with 100% kraft pulp biocomposite. The superheated water hydrolysis process increases the hydrophilicity and homogeneity and contributes to increasing the speed of biodegradation. The biocomposite is entirely self-supporting, provides primary nutrients for soil nourishment, and is observed to be completely biodegradable when buried in the soil within 90 days. Among temperatures tested for superheated water hydrolysis of raw wool, 150 °C seems to be the most appropriate for the biocomposite preparation regarding physicochemical properties of wool and suitability for wool mixing with cellulose. The combination of a sustainable hydrolysis process and the use of waste wool in manufacturing an eco-friendly, biodegradable paper/biocomposite will open new potential opportunities for the utilization of waste wool in agricultural and packaging applications and minimize environmental impact.

Study on Effect of Fiber Loading Natural Coccinia Grandis Fiber Epoxy Composite

ABSTRACT Synthetic fiber-reinforced composites are difficult to be disposed of after their intended use due to their non-biodegradable nature. Natural plant fibers, which are renewable and fully biodegradable, are, therefore, ideal alternatives that can replace synthetic fibers. In this research paper, the application of biodegradable Coccinia grandis fiber-reinforced epoxy bio composite is investigated. The randomly oriented Coccinia grandis fiber-reinforced bio composites were prepared by compression molding with 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% fiber weight. Tensile, flexural, and impact tests were used to determine the composite’s mechanical properties, and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) was used to understand the interfacial bonding. The obtained results revealed that 40% fiber weight could produce Coccinia grandis fiber-reinforced bio composite with the highest tensile strength, impact strength, and interfacial adhesion among all the prepared composites, whereas 50% fiber weight could make the bio composite with the highest flexural strength. The results show that the Coccinia grandis fiber-reinforced bio composites seem to have potential applications in automobile, construction, interiors, etc.

Water resistant fibre/matrix interface in a degradable composite: Synergistic effects of heat treatment and polydopamine coating

Retaining a robust fibre-matrix interface in an aqueous environment has been an enduring challenge for fibre-reinforced biocomposites. This study addresses the issue by applying a polydopamine coating as a coupling agent to annealed and non-annealed phosphate-based glass fibres. The presence of the polydopamine coating was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman techniques. The thickness of the coating increased with treatment time, forming a bimodal structure, and showed good correlation with the percentage of surface nitrogen observed via XPS. A 6 h coating period was selected to balance fibre strength improvements against degradation caused by the aqueous coating solution. In-situ polymerised polycaprolactone composites were produced using the fibres, resulting in improved retention of strength and modulus when the fibres were both annealed and coated. This is the first example of long-term retention of wet strength properties for phosphate-based glass fibre composites, falling within the target range for bone healing (6–12 weeks).