Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites Research Articles

Influence of Oil Palm Nano Filler on Interlaminar Shear and Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Flax/Epoxy-Based Hybrid Nanocomposites under Cryogenic Condition

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites are gaining in popularity due to recyclability and availability. This research investigates how oil palm shell (OPS) filler materials impact the interlaminar shear and the dynamic properties of flax fiber-reinforced hybrid composites under cryogenic circumstances. Filler materials in two different proportions (0, 2, 4, and 6 wt.% OPS) and 40 wt.% flax fibers were used to make composites. The OPS filler-filled polymeric materials were invented through typical hand lay-up. The hybrid materials were imperiled to liquid nitrogen for varying amounts of time after production (15 and 30 min). According to the findings, OPS nanoparticles can be used as natural rather than artificial fillers. Furthermore, loading 4 wt.% OPS nanoparticles into organic fabric-strengthened epoxy polymeric materials during 15 min of cryogenic settings resulted in the best interlaminar shear and dynamic performances. The storage and loss modulus of the flax/epoxy composites were improved by adding a 4% OPS nanofiller. The improvement can be ascribed to the hardness and stiffness of the additional OPS nanofillers. The 4% nano-OPS/flax/epoxy hybrid nanocomposite’s damping factor was substantially reduced compared to the flax/epoxy composites. The OPS nanofiller limits the epoxy molecular chain’s free segmental mobility, resulting in a lower damping factor and enhancing the adherence among flax fibers and the epoxy resin. The shattered specimen of the hybrid materials was investigated using a scanning electron microscope.

The effect of silicon dioxide and zinc borate on the flame retardancy, thermal and mechanical properties of jute/epoxy hybrid composite

ABSTRACT With the increase in environmental pollution, studies on the use of sustainable resources are increasing day by day. For this purpose, the use of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is encouraged in many areas such as automotive, transportation, construction, and home textiles. However, they are flammable and therefore seriously threaten the safety of people and property. Various flame retardant additives have been used to improve the flame retardancy properties of these composites. In this study, silicon dioxide (SD) and zinc borate (ZB) microparticles in different weight percentages (3, 5, 7, and 10%) were reinforced to give flame retardant properties to jute-epoxy composites. In addition, composites containing both SD and ZB microparticles were produced and they were labeled as HB. Then, thermal conductivity, flammability, water absorption, and mechanical properties of these composites were investigated. The burning rate of the composites decreased as the amount of microparticle increased. 5ZB5SD, including %5 SD and %5 SD microparticles, showed 36.60% less burning rate than the neat jute-epoxy composite. 5ZB showed 10.84% higher tensile strength than the neat jute-epoxy. The impact strength of the specimens increased with the increase in the filling ratio, and 5ZB5SD showed approximately 2.50 times the impact strength of the jute-epoxy composite.

Effect of aloe vera natural fibre orientation on the mechanical propertiesof epoxy composites

ABSTRACT Natural fibre reinforced polymer composites have found a wide range of applications in the automobile industry, construction industry and toy industry, and so on. In this research work, bidirectional aloe vera fibre mats were used as reinforcement and epoxy as matrix materials. Hand Layup process was applied for fabrication of aloe vera fibre reinforced epoxy matrix composites which contain different fibre orientations such as 45°, 60°, 75°, and 0°/90°. The goal of this research work is to obtain the influence of fibre orientation on mechanical and water absorption properties. The experimental investigations like tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, and the water absorption tests were performed. The surface morphology of the tensile failed test specimens were alsoanalysed using afield emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). When compared to other fibre orientation composites, 0°/90° aloe vera fibre orientation has superior mechanical capabilities and 45° fibre orientation obtained minimum mechanical properties, according to the results of the experiment. As compared to 45° fibre orientation, 90° fibre orientation obtained 283.81%, 168.41%, and 202.54% higher tensile, flexural, and impact strength, respectively.

Recycled wood fiber reinforced chemically functionalized polyethylene (VLDPE) composites by Palsule process

ABSTRACT Fiber treatment process imparting treatments to natural fibers, Compatibilizer process, based on a coupling agent as a compatibilizer and Palsule process using a functionalized polymer as the matrix are the three processes for natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. This study is the first attempt to extend the Palsule process beyond maleic anhydride functionalized polymers by using a glycidylmethacrylate grafted VLDPE polymer, the chemically functionalized very low density polyethylene (CF-VLDPE), as the matrix and recycled wood fiber (RWF) as reinforcement to develop RWF/CF-VLDPE composites, by extrusion and injection molding. The composites show RWF/CF-VLDPE interfacial adhesion in the SEM micrographs and FTIR establishes etherification reaction and hydrogen bonding between the functional groups of RWF and of CF-VLDPE imparting this adhesion. With the increasing reinforcing RWF contents in the composites, their tensile properties increase. After being immersed in water for one year, the wet composites show lower properties than their dry counterparts but better properties than dry CF-VLDPE matrix. The study establishes that natural fiber reinforced glycidylmethacrylate functionalized polymer composites also can be developed by Palsule process.

Sustainable Fiber‐Reinforced Composites: A Review

AbstractSustainable fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites from renewable and biodegradable fibrous materials and polymer matrices are of great interest, as they can potentially reduce environmental impacts. However, the overall properties of such composites are still far from the high‐performance conventional glass or carbon FRP composites. Therefore, a balance between composite performance and biodegradability is required with approaches to what one might call an eco‐friendly composite. This review provides an overview of sustainable FRP composites, their manufacturing techniques, and sustainability in general at materials, manufacturing, and end‐of‐life levels. Sustainable plant‐based natural fibers and polymer matrices are also summarized, followed by an overview of their modification techniques to obtain high‐performance, multifunctional, and sustainable FRP composites. Current state‐of‐the‐art mechanical and functional properties of such composites are then surveyed, and an overview of their potential applications in various industries, including automobile, aerospace, construction, medical, sports, and electronics is provided. Finally, future market trends, current challenges, and the future perspective on sustainable natural FRP composites are discussed.

Study of low velocity impact failure responses of woven basalt fiber reinforced polymer composites using ultrasonic A, B and C scan techniques

ABSTRACTThe low-velocity impact studies to account for the variation in the number of basalt fiber layers in the through-thickness loading performance of natural fibre reinforced polymer composites are very limited. These studies are useful to understand the external and internal failure mechanisms of composites at different thicknesses. In this study, the single and multilayered basalt/polyester composite samples were fabricated, as the number of basalt fibre layers increased gradually from 1 to 9, and then low-velocity impact tests were conducted at a constant impact energy of 12 J. The impact data was measured using the LabVIEW software. Further, full-field failure or damage mechanisms of composite samples were investigated using ultrasonic A, B and C scan techniques. Failure mechanisms observed in tested samples were matrix cracking, fibre breakage, delamination, etc. However, the size and shape of failure mechanisms observed were varying with the increase in the number of layers. Samples that had a smaller number of basalt fibre layers (1–4) failed rapidly due to extensive regions of delamination and the failure mode observed was localised damage with higher regions of delamination. However, samples that had a greater number of basalt fibre layers (5–9) could withstand higher impact loads and failed progressively. The failure mode observed in these samples was mainly distributed damage with lower regions of delamination.

A Review on Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites (NFRPC) for Sustainable Industrial Applications.

The depletion of petroleum-based resources and the adverse environmental problems, such as pollution, have stimulated considerable interest in the development of environmentally sustainable materials, which are composed of natural fiber–reinforced polymer composites. These materials could be tailored for a broad range of sustainable industrial applications with new surface functionalities. However, there are several challenges and drawbacks, such as composites processing production and fiber/matrix adhesion, that need to be addressed and overcome. This review could provide an overview of the technological challenges, processing techniques, characterization, properties, and potential applications of NFRPC for sustainable industrial applications. Interestingly, a roadmap for NFRPC to move into Industry 4.0 was highlighted in this review.

Influence Of Dewaxing on Mechanical properties of kapok fiber-reinforced polymer composite

The low density, lightweight, easy processing and biodegradability nature of Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite have gained enough attention from many researchers and scientists. Kapok Fiber (Ceiba pentandra) is a natural cellulosic fiber have a hollow microtubular structure and a high degree of hollowness. The hand lay-up technique has been adopted for kapok fiber-reinforced epoxy polymer composite fabrication with different fiber loading(2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 wt %). The mechanical strength of kapok fiber-reinforced polymer epoxy composite is investigated through the flexural and tensile test. The best flexural and tensile performance is observed at 5 wt% loading of kapok fiber. To increase compatibility between fiber and epoxy matrix dewaxing process is adopted. The effect of dewaxing on cellulose crystallinity, crystallinity size, surface morphology, elemental composition and functional groups of fiber are studied. The roughness of the fiber surface increases after dewaxing due to the partial removal of non-cellulosic compounds like lignin, pectin, wax and some oily substances. The increase in fiber surface roughness and cellulose crystallinity index by chemical treatment made a strong interlocking at the fiber-matrix interface. The effect of dewaxing on mechanical strength is also studied to fabricate the composite for the benefit of society.

Effects of jute fiber length and weight percentage on quasi-static flexural and dynamic mechanical properties of jute/polyester composites for thin-walled structure applications

Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites are being widely used in aerospace and automotive applications. These are due to their low density and cost, better biodegradability and higher specific strength and modulus, which replace E-glass fiber reinforced polymer composites. Moreover, quasi-isotropic properties can be achieved with randomly orientated short natural fiber composites. These composite structures are subjected to dynamic loading and exposed to different temperatures and frequencies during their service. In this research, the influence of fiber parameters (fiber length and loading) on quasi-static flexural and dynamic mechanical properties of jute/polyester composites was studied. Dynamic mechanical properties were investigated at different frequencies (0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 5 Hz) and temperatures from 35 °C up to 190 °C. It has found that the composite sample with 5 mm length and 25 wt% (5JP25) exhibited the highest flexural strength of 94 MPa and flexural modulus of 7.45 GPa. However, the composite sample with 15 mm length and 25 wt% (15JP25) exhibited a higher average storage modulus and a lower average loss factor indicating the good fiber–matrix adhesion, compared with the other samples. The Cole-Cole plot of the composite sample with the fiber weight percentage of 25 wt%, indicated a perfect semi-circle. Good correlations were observed between the flexural and initial storage moduli values of pure polyester and composites.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES STUDY OF DURIO ZIBETHINUS SKIN FIBER REINFORCED POLYETHYLENE COMPOSITE

Composite materials have been continuously innovated and developed so that they can be improved in almost any criteria as their characteristics are preferable to single- phase materials. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites can sustainably reduce inorganic and organic wastes, aside from serving as materials with improved mechanical properties. In this study, fiber extracted from Durio zibethinus (durian) skin was examined. Durio zibethinus (DZ) fiber was fabricated into fiber paper sheets and underwent hot- press lamination to produce a composite. This study investigates the differences between fibers extracted from DZ skin and husk. Tensile and micro Vickers tests were performed on the fabricated composites. The results show that the tensile behaviour of the composite fabricated from DZ skin fiber had a value of 20.1 MPa compared with the composite fabricated from a mixture of skin and husk which had a value of 19.4 MPa. These findings suggest that using durian skin resulted in better tensile strength with a FVF (fiber volume fraction) of 18%, compared with using a mixture of skin and husk which had a FVF range of between 8% and 23%. The hardness, meanwhile, increased with the FVF for the composite fabricated from a mixture of DZ skin and husk. This natural fiber composite has the potential to be used in households, automotive parts, lightweight furniture and many other composite engineering applications.

Evaluation of Mechanical and Micro Structural Properties of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

Now- a- days the polymers are frequently used in domestic and industrial purposes. The properties of polymer composites are somewhat inferior and may be improved with the addition of filler and fiber materials. Jute is one of most economical natural fibres and is obtained primarily from plant materials such as cellulose and Lignin. Sisal is a vegetable, natural, fully biodegradable fibre and which has good specific strength and stiffness and is used for making ropes and twines. The banana fibre is the strongest natural fibres and is made from the stem of the banana tree which. exhibits good tensile strength and incredibly durable and bio-degradable. An attempt is made to improve the properties of polymer composites using jute, sisal and banana fibers and addition of 2 % titanium di boride as filler material. The polymer composites were made by hand layup method with epoxy as matrix material. The mechanical properties of fabricated composites such as tensile and impact strength, hardness were evaluated as per ASTM standards. It is found that tensile strength, hardness and impact strength were improved with the addition of fibers and filler material. The micro structural evaluation is also carried out using scanning electron microscope and found that particles were dispersed in the matrix material.

Manufacturing and Mechanical Properties Testing of Hybrid Natural Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites

Abstract: A composite material is a materials system made up of two or more micro or macro elements with different forms and chemical compositions that are largely insoluble in one another. It basically comprises of two phases: matrix and fiber. Polymers, ceramics, and metals such as nylon, glass, graphite, Aluminium oxide, boron, and aluminium are examples of fibres. In the present research work epoxy is used as matrix and Bamboo, Sugarcane Bagasse and Coconut fibre are used as fibres for preparing the composites. In the preparation of specimen, the fibre as taken as a continuous fibre. The fibre is treated with NaOH solution. Hybrid natural fibre reinforced composites of bamboo, sugarcane baggase and coconut coir has been prepared using hand lay-up process of composite manufacturing. These hybrid composites were tested for determining their tensile and impact strengths. Results of mechanical testing reveals that the tensile strength of Bamboo- Bagasse hybrid composite is more compared to other composites. Taking into consideration of enhanced tensile and impact strength of bamboo-bagasse hybrid natural fibre polymer composite, we recommend the use of hybrid bamboo-bagasse composite in manufacturing of automotive bodies. Because of their unique characteristics of recyclability, waste utilization, biodegradability, good strength, and a viable alternative to plastics, these composites can be used for a variety of applications

Modification of Fibers and Matrices in Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites: A Comprehensive Review.

Application of natural fiber-polymer composites (NFPCs) in different industrial applications provides competitive edge due to their lightweight, higher specific mechanical properties than glass fibers, sustainability, and lower cost involved in production. There are certain challenges associated with natural fibers and their reinforcement in composites such as poor bonding between the fibers and matrix due to their contradictory nature of characteristics, moisture absorption, lower thermal properties, and poor interfacial adhesion between the natural fiber and polymer matrix. The challenges involved in NFPCs need to be overcome to produce materials with relatively equivalent properties to those of conventional composites and other metallic structures. Several researchers around the globe have conducted investigations with the primary attention being paid to the modification of natural fibers and matrix by employing surface treatments and other chemical treatment methods. In order to address the need for eco-friendly and sustainable materials in different domains, a comprehensive review on natural fibers and their sources, available matrix materials, modification techniques, mechanical and thermal properties of NFPCs, is needed for better understanding of the behavior of NFPCs. This work provides the information and holistic view of natural fiber-reinforced composites based on the results obtained from modification techniques, with the view of focusing the review in terms of different chemical and physical treatment techniques, modification of fibers and matrix, and enhanced mechanical and thermal properties in the composites.

Impact of fibre weight on the mechanical properties of chopped luffa cylindrica fibre reinforced polymer composites

ABSTRACT Due to its superior properties such as light weight, biodegradable, low density, readily accessible, low cost, high specific strength etc., natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites have been a wide field of research over the last few years. The effect of the fibre content on the mechanical property and water absorption behaviour of luffa cylindrica fibre-reinforced epoxy composite is studied in this research paper. The surface morphology of tensile fracture specimens is also analysed using FESEM analysis. Four different types of composites were prepared by using hand layup technique with varying fibre content such as 4%, 8%, 12% and 16 wt%. The mechanical behaviours of composites have been analysed, such as tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and water absorption properties, respectively. The experimental result shows that the water absorption increases with increase in fibre weight percentage. Similarly mechanical properties increase up to 12% luffa fibre content in a composite. Maximum tensile, flexural and impact strength obtained 19 MPa, 50.2 MPa and 2.3 joule, respectively, in 12 wt% luffa fibre composites. But maximum water absorption was obtained as 10.2% in 16 wt% of luffa fibre composites.

Development of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Composites Ballistic Helmet Using Concurrent Engineering Approach: A Brief Review

In this decade, all researchers and industry players compete to develop sustainable product design by exploring natural fibre composites in product design development. One of the essential methodologies in creating composite products is concurrent engineering (CE). Industrial design and production engineering should be involved in the development of ballistic helmets. This publication aims to provide a quick overview of the evolution of natural fibre composite ballistic helmet designs. This manuscript is still in its early stages, but it already includes a summary of the progress of ballistic helmet design from 1915 to the present. Renewable materials, such as natural fibre, should be highlighted as an alternative to synthetic composites in developing a sustainable ballistic helmet design. Furthermore, launching the design development process for a ballistic helmet demands a CE strategy that includes multi-disciplinary knowledge. Computational modelling aids in the development of ballistic helmet designs, reducing the time and cost of manufacturing ballistic helmets. The ergonomic component of ballistic helmet design is also crucial, as is the thermal comfort factor, which can be handled using natural fibre composites with thermal solid insulating characteristics. The development of natural fibre composite ballistic helmets can be used as a consideration in the future as a revolution to create a sustainable design. Finally, this review can be used as a guide for industrial designers. In conclusion, this review might be utilized as a reference for industrial designers due to a shortage of studies, especially in producing product-related natural fibre.

Experimental Investigations on Static, Dynamic, and Morphological Characteristics of Bamboo Fiber-Reinforced Polyester Composites

The use of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites has increased over a period of time, majorly due to the ecosustainability and biodegradability of the composites. Among several grades of natural fibers, bamboo fibers offer numerous environmental and cost benefits and possess excellent mechanical characteristics. The superior properties of the bamboo fibers have triggered the research interests in the domain of bamboo fiber-reinforced polymer composites. Among the polymers, polyesters are long chain molecules made up of atoms arranged in various ways with other elements to form the basic building blocks of a polymeric chain. Polyester is being increasingly employed in today’s industrial products due to its inherent advantages. As a result, based on the potential properties of bamboo fibers as reinforcing materials and polyester resin as matrix material, the biocomposites are synthesized by hand lay-up technique and the specimens cut as per the standard dimensions and subjected to mechanical investigations, vibration, and morphological characterization as per the ASTM test methods. The increase in fiber weight content has enhanced flexural, tensile, and impact characteristics and improved the damping characteristics of the composite specimens. The microstructural evaluations have revealed the uniform distribution of the bamboo fibers in the resin, and the morphological studies of the fractured specimens have revealed that the fracture is majorly due to the matrix cracks rather than the fiber debonding, which is a major attribute ascertaining the strong coherent strengthening mechanism brought about by the inclusion of bamboo fiber in the polyester resin.

Effects of fiber content and its chemical treatment on the mechanical properties of screw pine fiber reinforced vinyl ester composite

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have several advantages over traditional composites. The chemical modification of natural fibers helps to develop polymer composites with better mechanical properties. In the present work, mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact strength of chopped Screw pine fiber reinforced vinyl ester composites have been evaluated under-treated conditions based on the volume fractions of Screw pine fibers. The fibers have been treated with 5% of NaOH solution for 1 h at room temperature. The hand lay-up method has been used to prepare composite plates at room temperature. The results revealed that mechanical properties of composites increased with the increase of the fiber content up to 35.57 vol% at both the untreated and treated conditions and then dropped. However, the modulus values have been increased continuously from the fiber content of 8.43 to 45.3 vol%. It was identified that the critical or optimum fiber content for better mechanical properties is 35.57 vol% for both the untreated and treated conditions. The percentage of improvement at every combination was obtained by comparing the composites prepared with the untreated and treated fibers. The fractured surface of the treated fiber composites was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the tensile properties are predicted using the Hirsch and Modified Bowyer and Bader model and compared with experimental values. The predicted results revealed that the Modified Bowyer and Bader model shows better conformity.

Effect of plasma surface modification on mineral fibers/thermoplastic composites

At present, research is actively being conducted into composite materials using natural fibers and thermoplastic resins that can serve as eco-friendly materials. However, the weak interfacial bonding shape between natural fibers and thermoplastic resins leads to low mechanical properties in the natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite. This study examined the usage of basalt fibers (BFs) and polypropylene (PP) to address this issue. Plasma surface modification (PSM) was performed on the surface of the BF to improve the interfacial bonding force between the fiber and the thermoplastic resin. Studies on monomer selection (HMDSO), plasma generation conditions (3 kV), and surface modification time (20–150 s) were conducted to determine the optimal conditions for PSM. FT-IR analysis was performed to confirm the surface modification and the fracture surface was observed after the mechanical properties were measured. The experimental results confirmed the effect of PSM on the BF resulting in about 10% improvement on the related mechanical properties.

Development of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties for automotive industry application

AbstractIn this research, a newly explored natural fiber named sea purslane fiber (SP) was applied as a reinforcing material with widely used thermosetting polymer epoxy polymer. Chemical treatments on the fibers were done with NaOH followed by acrylic acid treatment. Reinforcing acrylic acid treated and untreated SP fibers at variable weight percentages of fiber loading, variety of composite samples (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 wt%) were developed. The mechanical characteristics of the composites were found to improve initially with increasing filler content until reaching the optimum (20 wt%) fiber loading, after which they began to fall. At 20 wt% filler loading various properties like physical & chemical (density, water absorption, X‐ray diffraction), mechanical (tensile, flexural, impact, micro‐hardness) and thermal (thermogravimetric analysis) properties were examined and compared with untreated fiber reinforced composites. It was noticed that the treated fiber composites reveal better result as compared with untreated fibers composites. The findings provide manufacturers and engineers with a broad concept of how to use this composite to reduce weight, particularly in automotive applications.

The Utility of Recycled Rice Husk-Reinforced PVC Composite Profiles for Façade Cladding.

The production process of construction profiles from natural fibre-reinforced polymer composites, as well as their assembly, generates considerable amounts of waste. The study analysed the possibility of utilising the said waste to produce profiles with the same intended use as products made from the primary material. The analysis involved the recycling of rice husk-reinforced PVC profiles. As a result of the applied post-processing, a composite of higher homogeneity and better filler dispersion than the product made of primary material was obtained. A slight improvement in thermal properties was observed. From the DSC test, Tg values of 78 °C and nearly 80 °C were obtained, while from the TGA test, mass loss values of 0.6% and 0.4% and the decomposition temperatures of 211 °C and 217 °C were noted for profiles of primary and secondary material, respectively. A softening temperature of 75 °C was obtained for primary material profiles, while nearly 77 °C was obtained for secondary. The more favourable mechanical properties of recycled profiles were also maintained. The higher value of flexural strength, flexural modulus, impact strength and hardness by 31%, 24%, 48% and 40% were obtained, respectively. After hydrothermal cycling, the same properties were higher for secondary material profiles by 35%, 20%, 68%, and 67%, respectively. The recorded level of performance properties of recycled products, better than those of primary material standard construction products’, allows us to conclude that profiles made of waste are useful for façade claddings.