Natural Fiber Reinforcement Research Articles

Enhanced chitosan and Carboxymethylcellulose scaffolds with natural fiber reinforcement for hernia repair meshes

AbstractChitosan (Chi) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) scaffolds, with and without reinforcement by Luffa cylindrica (Lc) or Asclepias curassavica (Ac), were synthesized to evaluate their potential application as hernia repair meshes. These meshes are crucial as they provide structural support to weakened tissues, reducing the risk of hernia recurrence and promoting faster recovery. They improve patient outcomes by enhancing the durability and effectiveness of hernia repairs. Chi scaffolds exhibited lower porosity compared to CMC scaffolds, with fiber inclusion enhancing porosity. The CMC4‐Ac scaffold demonstrated the highest porosity at 67.2%, which is crucial for supporting cell growth and tissue regeneration. All scaffolds exhibited exceptional hydration levels, which is vital for cell growth. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images revealed open pores in the CMC4 scaffolds, which enhances tissue formation. Tensile strength tests indicated that all scaffolds surpassed the minimum requirements, with CMC4‐Ac standing out for its exceptional properties. CMC scaffolds showed greater degradation, which was mitigated by fiber reinforcement. Chi scaffolds absorbed more Croton draco extract (Cdext) but exhibited lower release rates compared to CMC scaffolds. No hemolytic and non‐cytotoxicity effects were observed. CMC4‐Ac emerged as the most promising scaffold due to its superior properties, making it suitable for hernia repair meshes.

Bridging Behavior of Palm Fiber in Cementitious Composite

This study addresses the growing need for sustainable construction materials by investigating the mechanical properties and behavior of palm fiber-reinforced cementitious composite (FRCC), a potential eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fiber reinforcements. Despite the promise of natural fibers in enhancing the mechanical performance of composites, challenges remain in optimizing fiber distribution, fiber–composite bonding mechanism, and its balance to matrix strength. To address these challenges, this study conducted extensive experimental programs using palm fiber as reinforcement, focusing on understanding the fiber–matrix interaction, determining the pullout load–slip relationship, and modeling fiber bridging behavior. The experimental program included density calculations and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis to examine the surface morphology and diameter of the fibers. Single fiber pullout tests were performed under varying conditions to assess the pullout load, slip behavior, and failure modes of the palm fiber, and a relationship between the pullout load and slip with the embedded length of the palm fiber was constructed. A trilinear model was developed to describe the pullout load–slip behavior of single fibers, and a corresponding palm-FRCC bridging model was constructed using the results from these tests. Section analysis was conducted to assess the adaptability of the modeled bridging law calculations, and the analysis result of the bending moment–curvature relationship shows a good agreement with the experimental results obtained from the four-point bending test of palm-FRCC. These findings demonstrate the potential of palm fibers in improving the mechanical performance of FRCC and contribute to the broader understanding of natural fiber reinforcement in cementitious composites.

Enhancing Fatigue Resistance of Polylactic Acid through Natural Reinforcement in Material Extrusion.

This research paper aims to enhance the fatigue resistance of polylactic acid (PLA) in Material Extrusion (ME) by incorporating natural reinforcement, focusing on rotational bending fatigue. The study investigates the fatigue behavior of PLA in ME, using various natural fibers such as cellulose, coffee, and flax as potential reinforcements. It explores the optimization of printing parameters to address challenges like warping and shrinkage, which can affect dimensional accuracy and fatigue performance, particularly under the rotational bending conditions analyzed. Cellulose emerges as the most promising natural fiber reinforcement for PLA in ME, exhibiting superior resistance to warping and shrinkage. It also demonstrates minimal geometrical deviations, enabling the production of components with tighter dimensional tolerances. Additionally, the study highlights the significant influence of natural fiber reinforcement on the dimensional deviations and rotational fatigue behavior of printed components. The fatigue resistance of PLA was significantly improved with natural fiber reinforcements. Specifically, PLA reinforced with cellulose showed an increase in fatigue life, achieving up to 13.7 MPa stress at 70,000 cycles compared to unreinforced PLA. PLA with coffee and flax fibers also demonstrated enhanced performance, with stress values reaching 13.6 MPa and 13.5 MPa, respectively, at similar cycle counts. These results suggest that natural fiber reinforcements can effectively improve the fatigue resistance and dimensional stability of PLA components produced by ME. This paper contributes to the advancement of additive manufacturing by introducing natural fiber reinforcement as a sustainable solution to enhance PLA performance under rotational bending fatigue conditions. It offers insights into the comparative effectiveness of natural fibers and synthetic counterparts, particularly emphasizing the superior performance of cellulose.

In-situ construction of chitosan@tannin structure on bamboo fiber for green and convenient reinforcement of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) biocomposite

Fiber-reinforced biocomposites were widely considered as the optimal sustainable alternative to traditional petroleum-based polymers due to their renewable, degradable, and environmentally friendly characteristics, along with economic benefits. However, the poor interfacial bonding between the matrix and natural fiber reinforcement remained a key issue limiting their mechanical and thermal properties. Focusing on cost-effective, convenient, and low-pollution chemical methods, this work proposed a strategy for in-situ synthesis of composite structures on bamboo fiber (BF) surfaces. Crude chitosan (CS) and reclaimed tannic acid (TA) were utilized as the raw materials, to construct stereo-netlike chitosan @ tannin structures (CS@TA) via a one-pot method facilitated by hydrogen bonding and complexation. The influence of reactant concentration and pH value on the process was further investigated and optimized. The CS@TA structure improved the interfacial bonding between the BF reinforcement and matrix poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), and this non-amino-driven construction provided a potential reaction platform for functionalizing the interfacial layer. The modified biocomposite showed improvements in tensile and impact strengths (51.58 %, 41.18 %), also in tensile and flexural moduli (13.59 %, 26.88 %). Enhancements were also observed in thermal properties and heat capacity. This work presents a simple and promising approach to increase biocomposite interface bonding.

Coupling Effect of Natural Enzymes and Fiber Reinforcement on Strength Response of Soil

Coupling Effect of Natural Enzymes and Fiber Reinforcement on Strength Response of Soil

Mechanical Characterization of Sisal Fiber Reinforced PP Composite Panels

ABSTRACT This study investigates the mechanical properties of single and double-layer woven sisal mat-reinforced PP composite panels. Sisal fibers were extracted using the manual decortication method, resulting in fibers with a density of 1.43 g/cm3 and a diameter ranging from 0.4 mm to 0.6 mm. To improve the bonding between the sisal fibers and the matrix, the fibers were hand-spun into yarn and woven into mats. The study focuses on the unique material combination and the use of sisal as a natural fiber reinforcement. The 18 mm thick panels were tested for water absorption following ASTM D570, compression strength, and tensile strength following ASTM D3039 using the UTES-100 High Precision universal strength tester machine. Composite panels with single layers of 10% and 15% woven fabric mat, loaded with 8 kg and 10 kg, exhibited compressive strengths of 11.6KN and 12.5KN, respectively. Panels reinforced with two layers of 20% and 30% sisal woven fabric mat, loaded with 8 kg and 10 kg, had compression strengths of 12.2KN and 12.5KN, respectively. Moreover, composite samples with 15% single layer and 30% double-layer sisal woven fabric mat demonstrated a equal compression strength of 12.5KN, falling within the range recommended by ISO13006:2012. The tensile strength of 16.99MPa, although slightly below the recommended ISO13006 value of 20MPa for commercial-grade panels, indicates promising results. The study’s findings suggest that higher fiber content and additional reinforcement layers lead to increased compression and tensile strength. Furthermore, the moisture absorption rate of the developed composite panels was significantly lower than the 0.5% water absorption rate authorized by the American National Standard Institute.

The Role of Natural Fiber Reinforcement in Thermoplastic Elastomers Biocomposites

The Role of Natural Fiber Reinforcement in Thermoplastic Elastomers Biocomposites

Natural Aging of Reprocessed Polypropylene Composites Filled with Sustainable Corn Fibers.

Natural fiber reinforcements have the potential to enhance mechanical properties, thereby improving performance and durability in various applications. In this study, we comprehensively evaluated the impact of environmental degradation over 120 days on reprocessed polypropylene (PP) reinforced with corn husk fiber (CHF) composites. The manufactured systems underwent rigorous analysis using various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing. These analyses revealed that climatic conditions significantly influenced (p < 0.05) the mechanical properties of all systems. Photodegradation led to surface morphological changes and chemical structures. Regardless, adding CHF filler proved a key factor, as it allowed for less susceptibility to environmental degradation than the reprocessed matrix. These findings, therefore, provide robust evidence supporting the feasibility of using CHF composites for manufacturing agricultural containers.

1 g shake table study on seismic strengthening of low-cost rammed earthen houses built of silt enriched soil using natural fiber reinforcement

Earthen houses are practiced as a traditional and low-cost housing in many countries around the globe. These houses were exposed to unacceptable earthquake (EQ) risks despite their environmental benefits. Past earthquakes including the recent past 2017 Tripura EQ has evidenced significant damages mostly in earthen/masonry houses which are built in a non-engineered manner. In this context, the current study aims to investigate the seismic behavior and failure patterns of both unreinforced and using proposed retrofitted rammed earth model houses (with and without openings) built using typical Tripura soils having higher silt content using unidirectional shake table experiments on total 26 physical models. Besides, both seismic strength and structural stability are also examined for retrofitted earthen houses. The study indicates that, proposed novel low-cost natural fiber made textile encasing reinforcement technique has exhibited promising seismic performance of such houses from the view point of structural strength and ductile behavior as compared to traditional cementitious additives and fiber blended stabilized retrofitted houses as well untreated houses. The fundamental lateral period of model unreinforced and reinforced houses found within the range of 0.08 to 0.15 s respectively which indicates increased stiffness of walls due to strengthening may decrease the lateral period maximum up to 46.67%. On the other hand, the maximum increase in seismic strength was observed in order of 4.50 to 6.31 times in the case of bitumen treated bamboo fiber textile based encased houses with L-shaped bamboo splint corner reinforcement whereas traditional cementitious stabilized method has offered maximum 1.13 to 1.83 times increment in lateral strength. Further, the effect of different parametric variations such as area of openings (doors and windows), thickness to height ratio, variation in compaction methodologies on seismic performances of unreinforced rammed earthen houses were also studied in detail. Finally, regression based closed form predictive expressions for seismic strength of rammed earthen houses and without retrofitting are proposed herein. The performed cost analysis study will also help to assess the effectiveness of proposed strengthening techniques.

A Study on the utilization of areca nut husk fiber as a natural fibre reinforcement in composite applications: A systematic literature review

This paper presents a systematic literature review of published research on the use of areca nut bark fibres as a reinforcing material in polymer composites. A total of 22 research articles published in Scopus-indexed journals were identified and analysed in depth. In addition, this article presents current issues related to areca nut husk fibre (ANHF) as a reinforcement in composites using the VOSviewer tool. In this article, the author explains the processing stages of ANHF before it is used as a reinforcement in composites. The chemical treatments carried out are also summarised in this article. Not all types of resins available on the market have been used as matrix in the manufacture of areca nut shell fibre composites. The use of additives derived from natural materials has also been found to be effective in improving the quality of ANHF composites. This article also highlights the need for further research to improve the quality of areca nut husk fibre composites and discusses the unanswered aspects of the published research.

Development of hybrid green composites by dual natural fibers (jute/bamboo) reinforcement and investigation of their mechanical behavior

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the mechanical properties of natural fiber hybrid composites, specifically those based on jute and bamboo fibers. Jute fibers made in the form of highly scattered mesh and fine‐meshed bamboo mat were selected as reinforcing materials. The highly scattered meshed jute fabric composite showed poor mechanical properties owing to resin agglomeration, leading to the brittle fracture of the composite before elongation. In contrast, the randomly oriented fine‐meshed bamboo fabric performed better in terms of both mechanical properties and strain energy absorption under the same loading conditions. Hybridization with fine bamboo mesh fibers can be a solution to improve the mechanical properties of jute fabric composites. The tensile, flexural, and in‐plane shear properties of the composites are investigated in our study. We found that hybridizing a fine‐meshed bamboo mat with jute fabric resulted in an improved mechanical performance of the composite. Composite panels have been manufactured using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). Experimental and numerical methods have been used to investigate the flexural behavior. Of the stacking sequences considered, the (J/B4/J) stacking showed the highest flexural strength (141.1 Mpa) and the (B2/J2/B2) 2/2 stacking sequence showed the minimum flexural strength. The alternating stacking sequence (B/J/B/J/B/J) exhibited intermediate properties. The randomly oriented bamboo fabric near the neutral axis enhanced the properties of the hybridized composite. This was verified numerically using the ANSYS ACP software.Highlights Mechanical behavior of Hybrid composite of two natural fibers was investigated. Vacuum assisted resin transfer molding was used to manufacture composite panels. Tensile, in plane shear, 3 point flexural tests and SEM micro analysis were done. FEA was used to validate and compare the experimental and numerical results. Resin agglomeration was improved by fibers with better resin impregnation property.

Mechanical, viscoelastic, and biodegradability characteristics of ramie fibre‐reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites

AbstractBiocomposites made from natural fibers have attracted significant attention in recent years owing to the global concern regarding plastic accumulation. In this investigation, ramie fiber was employed as a natural fiber reinforcement in the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) matrix to enhance the biodegradability of the polymer composite. ABS/ramie fiber composites were prepared by compression molding with various wt% (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt %) of ramie fibers within the ABS matrix. Subsequently, the biodegradability, water absorption, mechanical properties, viscoelastic behavior, and thermal characteristics of the prepared composites were evaluated. The biodegradation test results demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between the concentrations of fibers in neat ABS. The maximum biodegradation of the composites was 2.56% at 20 wt% ramie fibers in the ABS matrix. Moreover, an increase in the wt% of ramie fiber led to an increase in water absorption. Although the tensile strength and impact strength decreased with increasing fiber content, the tensile modulus of the ABS/ramie fiber composites initially increased up to 5 wt% fiber and then started decreasing, and the natural fibers in ABS reduced the viscoelastic properties. The objective of developing ABS/ramie fiber composites is to utilize them as environmentally sustainable materials in automotive manufacturing industry.

Advancing additive manufacturing: 3D‐printing of hybrid natural fiber sandwich (Nona/Soy‐PLA) composites through filament extrusion and its effect on thermomechanical properties

AbstractThe additive manufacturing technique represents a technological advancement post the industrial revolution, enabling the development of intricate products with minimal waste. In the automotive sector, polymer extrusion‐based additive manufacturing is predominantly employed for part customization. Recently, reinforced polymer matrices have been used to enhance structural integrity, primarily utilizing synthetic materials. Due to environmental concerns, some recent studies have explored the incorporation of natural fiber reinforcement in polymer matrices for 3D‐printed products. Most research has focused on filler reinforcement, limiting investigations to a single type of reinforcement. To bridge this gap and enhance composite performance, our research introduces a novel method for 3D printing composites. This involves stacking sequences using two different natural fiber‐reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) filaments, namely Nona and Soy, respectively. Mechanical testing reveals that the stacking sequence significantly influences the mechanical properties of the 3D‐printed composites. The 3D‐printed composite with Soy/PLA skin stacks exhibits the highest tensile strength of 74.82 MPa. Thermal analysis shows minor changes in glass transition temperature (Tg) and a consistent degree of crystallinity (10.01%). Notable differences in thermal expansion are observed due to the stacking sequence. Fatigue analysis demonstrates the durability of hybrid composites, enduring over 42,000 cycles with minimal deformation compared with to pure fiber‐reinforced 3D‐printed composites. Morphological analysis reveals excellent fiber–matrix interaction and bonding between stacks. The observations confirm that the developed material can be potentially used for developing structurally enhanced composites for lightweight applications. Moreover, the proposed methodology can be adapted for different 3D printing matrices, including robotic printing with multiple axes, making it suitable for various industrial sectors.Highlights Utilization of 3D printing technology for the development of agro‐waste fiber products. Hybridizing the 3D‐printed composite enhanced the fatigue life. New additive manufacturing technique for developing structurally enhanced composites.

Techno-Environmental Evaluation of Alkaline Treatment in Flax Reinforced Thermoplastics.

A combination of thermoplastics and natural fiber reinforcements is considered an ideal choice to mitigate environmental impacts and enhance recyclability or reusability. Chemical treatments are often employed to enhance the thermomechanical properties of natural fiber-reinforced plastics. Nevertheless, it is of paramount importance to assess the techno-economic impact of such chemical treatments and environmentally friendly materials for their implementation in mass productions on an industrial scale. In this work, high-density polyethylene is reinforced with sodium hydroxide (NaOH)-treated and untreated flax fibers to study its impact on mechanical and environmental properties. The composites treated with NaOH exhibited a 37% increase in tensile strength. However, life cycle assessment performed on the NaOH-treated samples showed that they had a global warming potential of 5.8 kg of CO2, a terrestrial acidification potential of 0.0269 kg of SO2, and a human carcinogenic toxicity of 0.031 kg of 1,4-DCB compared to the untreated samples. In summary, the techno-environmental analysis reveals a novel approach to identifying chemical treatments based on their technical and environmental effects.

Review on Properties of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites: Effect of Gamma Radiation and Nano particles.

Materials comprised of a polymer matrix with natural fiber reinforcement are known as natural fiber reinforcement polymer composites (NFRCs). Scientists have recently become quite interested in these composite materials because they provide improved properties over conventional synthetic fiber reinforced polymer composites at a lower cost and with benefits to the environment. However, a number of factors, including gamma radiation exposure and the addition of nanoparticles, can impact the properties of NFRCs. This review will focus on the effects of gamma radiation and nanoparticles on the mechanical, thermal, and water-resistance properties of NFRCs. In order to help in the creation of new and improved NFRCs for diverse applications, this review seeks to provide a thorough understanding of the characteristics of NFRCs and how they might be impacted by gamma radiation and nanoparticles.

The Development of Composites Materials: From Conventional to Innovative Uses

This paper explores the evolution, development, and application of composite substances from conventional methodologies to their innovative uses throughout numerous sectors. Composite materials, known for their strength, versatility, and resilience, have seen substantial advances, especially with the incorporation of nanotechnologies and hybrid fiber reinforcements. By means of analyzing exclusive matrix substances, reinforcement sorts, and fabrication techniques, this study highlights the transition from traditional composites to advanced metallic matrix nanocomposites (MMNCS) and fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPS). Special interest is given to the demanding situations associated with manufacturing, together with uniform dispersion of nanoparticles and damage-free machining of fiber composites. Moreover, the paper discusses the environmental impact that specialize in sustainable options like natural fiber reinforcements. Through comprehensive critiques and case studies, this research objectives to offer a holistic information of the cutting-edge state and future potential of composite materials in improving industrial purposes even as addressing environmental concerns.

Superhydrophobic foam combined with biomass-derived TENG based on upcycled coconut husk for efficient oil-water separation.

The ocean ecological environments are seriously affected by oil spilling and plastic-debris, preventing and significantly reducing marine pollution via using biocomposite production from natural fiber reinforcement is a more friendly way to deal with marine oil pollution. Herein, we upcycled coir-coconut into lignin and coconut shell into spherical TENG by a combination of dip-dry and chemical treatment and used the SiO2 nanoparticles together with cellulose nanofibrils to prepare serial sugar-templated, anisotropic and hybrid foams. The as-prepared lignin/SiO2 porous sponge (LSPS) with a hierarchical porous morphology and uniformly dispersed nanoparticles structure benefits from the advantages of biomass-based additives, which presents reversible large-strain deformation (50%) and high compressive strength (11.42 kpa). Notably, the LSPS was significantly more hydrophobic (WCA ≈150°) than pure silicone-based foams, and its selective absorbability can separate oil from water under continuous pumping. Meanwhile, the coconut husk was also upcycled as a spherical TENG shell by a combination of the nanofiber-enhanced polymer spherical oscillator (CESO), which possessed high triboelectric properties (Uoc = 272 V, Isc = 14.5 μA, Q = 70 nC) and was comparable to the plastic shell TENG at low frequency (1.6 Hz). The monolithic foam structure developed using this clean synthetic strategy holds considerable promise for new applications in sustainable petroleum contamination remediation.

Natural and Artificial Fibre Reinforced Concrete: A State-of-art Review

Natural and Artificial Fibre Reinforced Concrete: A State-of-art Review

An alternative method to evaluate the micromechanics tensile strength properties of natural fiber strand reinforced polyolefin composites. The case of hemp strand-reinforced polypropylene

Micromechanics models allow the prediction of a composite material's properties by adding their phases' contributions to such properties. The models can be used to obtain the intrinsic properties of the reinforcements because are difficult to obtain experimentally. This paper explores a simplified model to obtain the intrinsic strength of natural fibers. This model allows obtaining the value directly from the experimental strength of a composite and the matrix. Other models like the Kelly and Tyson equation have three unknowns, needing the use of mathematical methods to obtain a solution, and the obtained solution sometimes deviates from the expected values for natural fiber-reinforced composites. The proposed equation has been able to evaluate the intrinsic strength of hemp fibers as polypropylene composites at a mean value of 600 MPa. This value agrees with the literature. The proposed method simplifies the obtention of the intrinsic tensile strengths of natural fiber reinforcements and does not need morphologic properties of such reinforcements to obtain a solution, decreasing the costs in time and equipment in comparison to usual models like Kelly and Tyson's. furthermore, the obtained results are like those obtained with other micromechanics approaches and reveal the same information about the intrinsic tensile strength of the reinforcements and the strength of the interface.

Effect of alkali treatment on mechanical properties and morphology of the Balanites aegyptiaca composite

The reinforcement of natural fibers in polymer composites is becoming more popular as time goes on due to their biodegradability, availability, lightweight, nontoxic, and nonhazardous characteristics. The goal of this research is to use natural resources like fibers in polymer composites. The matrix was made with the composites of epoxy resin in which fibers derived from the tree of Balanites Balanites aegyptiaca were utilized as reinforcement. To enhance the surface properties of these fibers, they were treated with sodium hydroxide solution (NaOH). By varying weight (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt.%) of the raw fibers treated with NaOH in epoxy resin several composite samples were produced using the hand lay-up technique. The effect of adding Balanites aegyptiaca fibers treated with NaOH to measure mechanical properties such as tensile, bending, and impact, as well as absorption of water and chemical resistance, and SEM morphology was studied. The composite with 15 wt.% Balanites aegyptiaca fibers exhibited the best mechanical properties, absorption of water, and chemical resistance to the composites, indicating that it has the strongest bonding and adhesion between fibers treated with NaOH and epoxy matrix. The surfaces of the tested composites displayed an interfacial adhesion between the matrix and the fibers, which is vividly visible in SEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces of tested composites. The composites that are reinforced with fiber and treated with NaOH are more resistant to water and chemicals than composites with untreated fibers.