Palm Fiber Composites Research Articles

Comparative study of natural fiber-Reinforced composites for sustainable thermal insulation in construction

Natural fiber-reinforced composites are increasingly recognized as sustainable alternatives in construction materials due to their environmentally friendly properties and ability to increase thermal insulation. This study conducts an in-depth comparative study between palm fiber (DPF) composites and other natural fiber-reinforced composites, including hemp and jute, with a focus on their application as insulation that provides insight into their thermal properties, performance, and mechanical properties to inform sustainable construction practices. The research methodology involves constructing and producing composite samples using date palm, hemp, and jute fibers, each combined into a common base material. Composites are mold-made, ensuring consistent and reproducible samples for testing. Through a systematic investigation, we explore these composites' thermal, and mechanical properties. Testing covers a specific range of fiber loadings, from 10 wt % – 30 wt %. Specific characterization techniques, including compression test, bending test, impact, FT-IR, and DSC, were used to evaluate the behavior of the composites under various conditions. Our results show that the thermal conductivity of the composites ranges from 0.0514 – 0.084 W/m. K for different fiber loading is affected by the fiber content.Furthermore, at maximum fiber concentration (30 by weight), the highest heat capacity of the hemp composite was 1674 J/Kg.K. The 30 wt % of jute and date palm composites achieved a maximum compressive strength of (70 MPa) and (64 MPa) respectively.In summary, this comprehensive study demonstrates the potential of natural fiber-reinforced composites as sustainable and fully bio-based alternatives for construction-related applications. Superior thermal properties and improved mechanical strength highlight their viability in thermal insulation applications.

Thermoset and thermoplastic polymer composite with date palm fiber and its behavior: A review

AbstractDate palm fibers possess mechanical properties to synthetic fibers, making them a promising material for fabricating sustainable composites. Date palm fibers exhibit particular hydrophilicity and good mechanical characteristics, which require for particular considerations in composite compositions. Date palm fibers are an incredibly adaptable kind of vegetable fiber which is often used in structural composites. Date palm has also demonstrated promise in a number of other applications, including construction, lighter materials, and sports products. The goal of this study is to present an extensive summary of the current status of research date palm fiber reinforcement composites. This article gives a summary and analysis of the most significant studies on thermoset and thermoplastic composites reinforced with date palm fiber. This document also provides a summary of the primary attributes of date palm fibers, discusses how to improve their characteristics chemically, describes how to create and characterize date palm fiber composites, and highlights prospects for further study. This paper concludes with a few essential suggestions and future directions that highlight the problems that need to be solved in more in‐depth research and possible composites industrialization.Highlights Overviewing the composites made from date palm fiber Different properties of date palm fibers Mechanical behavior of date palm composites Applications of date palm composite Future prospects of the date palm composites.

Influential reinforcement parameters, elemental mapping, topological analysis and mechanical performance of lignocellulosic date palm/epoxy composites for improved sustainable materials

The value of biomaterials for green products has begun to develop more ecofriendly and renewable sustainable materials for a better circular economy and to reduce carbon footprints. This work presents integrated investigations of the lignocellulosic date palm/epoxy composites at various reinforcement condition parameters for sustainable structural materials where elemental mapping, topological analysis, and mechanical performance have been performed. Mapping energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was utilized to assess the composite composition properly. Elemental mapping and a scanning electron microscope were employed to evaluate the chemical composition of the composites. The mechanical performance of the produced composites was also explored in terms of ultimate tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, and impact energy properties. The effects of fiber loading, fiber length, and fiber width (as long fiber, short fiber, and long-thin fiber) were investigated for the date palm fiber/epoxy composites. Results have revealed that the composite behavior was affected by several influential reinforcement parameters. The energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy maps by C–K, O–K, Si–K, K-K, and Ca-K demonstrated that the composites contain mainly carbon, silicon, and oxygen. It was evident that the modulus of elasticity property of short fiber composites exhibits an increasing trend with higher fiber content, even at 35 wt%. Moreover, the enhancement of tensile strength for the short fiber size composites reached 72.5 %. However, such tensile strength of thin fiber size/epoxy composites achieved 135.7 % at 25 wt% indicating superior development of this mechanical property. The long date palm fiber composites demonstrated the best value of modulus of elasticity and the maximum impact energy of 15.3 kJ/m2 attained at 25 wt%, which is about 112.5 % enhancement. Scan electron microscope was capable of confirming that broken fibers were not separated from the matrix indicating the good adhesion between the fiber and the matrix that supports their good mechanical performance.

Water Absorption Behavior of Date Palm Fruit Branches Fiber (DPF) Composites: Experimental and Statistical Analyses

ABSTRACT The environmental effects on the response of Date Palm Fiber (DPF) composites are explored through an in-depth analysis of water absorption behavior. This study comprehensively investigates the influence of fiber content, immersion time, and water type on mass gain. Rigorous experimentation and advanced statistical analyses quantify the percent contribution of each factor, emphasizing the dominant role of fiber content at 96.61%. While immersion time and water type contribute relatively smaller percentages (2.11% and 1.28%, respectively), their insights are invaluable for tailored composite design. The study extends to interaction effects, showcasing the combined influence of factors. Regression models, progressing from linear and reciprocal formulations to comprehensive global models, are developed. Meticulous examination of prediction accuracy, using diverse statistical metrics, highlights the superior performance of the global reciprocal model across different water types. This work provides essential insights for optimizing DPF composite design, fabrication, and application, empowering engineers and researchers to make informed decisions in industries demanding tailored water absorption behavior.

Enhanced Thermal Performance of Alkali-Treated Bamboo, Coir, and Date Palm Fiber Composites for Solar Distillation Applications

Enhanced Thermal Performance of Alkali-Treated Bamboo, Coir, and Date Palm Fiber Composites for Solar Distillation Applications

Valorisation of Agricultural Residue Bio-Mass Date Palm Fibre in Dry-Blended Polycaprolactone (PCL) Bio-Composites for Sustainable Packaging Applications

Abstract Purpose This study experimentally developed and characterised dry-blended Polycaprolactone (PCL)/date palm fibre biodegradable composites for sustainable packaging applications. Date palm fibres are collected from date palm trees as by-products or waste materials. They will be valorised in bio-composite application to promote fibre-based sustainable packaging items over their non-biodegradable synthetic polymer based conventional packaging products. In the dry-blending process, fibre and polymer are mixed with a shear mixer, while, in a melt-blending process, an extruder is used to extrude fibre/polymer blends after applying heating and high shear pressure to melt and mix polymer with fibres. Dry-blending process offers many comparative advantages, such as less equipment, steps, cost, process degradation, energy consumption and hence, lower harmful environmental emissions; while, a proper fibre/polymer mixing is a challenge and it needs to be achieved properly in this process. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of dry-blending process on manufacturing of PCL/date palm fibre bio-composites for packaging applications, before promoting the dry-blending as a suitable alternative to the melt-blending process. Methods Short chopped fibres were grinded as powders and dry-blended at a ratio of (0 − 10%) (w/w) with PCL polymer using hand and a shear mixer for 30 min, following a compression moulding process to produce bio-composite samples. Tensile, water contact angle, SEM, TGA, DSC and DMA tests and analysis were conducted. The dry-blended PCL/date palm fibre composites’ properties were compared with reported melt-blended samples’ results found in literature. Results Dry-blended samples showed an increase in tensile modulus values (up-to 20%) with fibre inclusion and these values were found close to the melt-blended samples in the literature. Tensile strength and strain values were reduced which could be related to the poor fibre/polymer interface. Fibre addition affected the thermal, thermo-mechanical and crystallisation processes in PCL polymer matrix. Conclusion Dry-blending is capable of producing bio-composites with a very comparable properties to melt-blended counterparts, although a more details study is needed to conduct in future. The results of this study, could be used carefully to design dry-blended PCL/date palm fibre bio-composites for possible packaging applications. The irregular fibre distribution in dry-blended samples could be improved in different ways which should be investigated in future. Graphical Abstract

Assessment of mechanical and physicochemical properties of palm fiber composites: Effect of alkaline treatment and volume alterations

This study assesses the impact of alkaline treatments and volume fractions on biocomposites composed of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix reinforced with date palm tree fibers (FPDS). Tensile tests were conducted on both untreated and NaOH-treated biocomposites. Additionally, fiber analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results reveal higher strength and stiffness compared to HDPE, albeit with limited plasticity making the material brittle. The NaOH treatment enhances certain mechanical properties. Further assessments encompassed hardness, density, melt index, and Izod impact tests. Two volume fractions, 20% and 25%, of FPDS were tested. The study establishes a correlation between empirical predictions and artificial neural network (ANN) models. Notably, an ANN architecture consisting of two input factors, 10 hidden nodes, and one output provides the analysis of mechanical properties. This investigation highlights the potential of FPDS-reinforced HDPE biocomposites, emphasizing their mechanical performance under various treatments and fiber levels.

Hygrothermal characterization of lightweight biosourced composites based on date palm fiber and lime

ABSTRACT Biosourced materials derived from agricultural by-products hold significant promise in both enhancing the hygrothermal performance of buildings and reducing their environmental footprint. We investigate the hygrothermal properties of green composites based on date palm fibers and lime. The eco-friendly building composites explored are manufactured using either trunk fiber (surface fiber) or rachi and petiole fiber (wood fiber). Through an experimental approach, for different fiber percentages, the hygrothermal characteristics of the explored composites were experimentally determined in terms of thermal conductivity, diffusivity, porosity, water vapor permeability, and sorption scanning isotherms. The results show that date palm fiber has a positive effect on the thermal properties of the composite material. Indeed, it significantly enhances the insulating capacity of the composites. Water vapor permeability exhibits significant variation depending on the fiber content, with samples containing higher fiber content exhibiting greater permeability. Furthermore, the effective moisture penetration depth (EMPD) model proved effective describing the experimental adsorption scanning isotherm curves. It was observed that the sorption process is significantly influenced by both the type and percentage of fibers. Finally, the observed results demonstrate that date palm fiber and lime composites could offer notable advantages for construction applications and serve as an effective, cost-effective insulation.

Effect of stacking order on the properties of hybrid palm sheath/polyester fiber felt‐reinforced polymer composite laminates

AbstractNatural fiber‐reinforced composites exhibit excellent mechanical properties. However, achieving a balance between excellent mechanical properties and optimal acoustic performance remains a challenge. In this study, four composite laminates with different stacking orders were fabricated using polyester fiber mats (WFs) and palm sheaths (WPs) through a hot‐press process. Moreover, the effects of different stacking orders on the mechanical and acoustic properties of the composite were investigated. The results revealed that the incorporation of polyester fiber felts and the modification of the layup sequence of WP and polyester fiber felts significantly improved the mechanical and acoustic properties of the composites. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed a strong bonding between palm fibers and polyester fibers at the epoxy resin interface. Compared with pure palm fiber composites, the alternately stacked palm fibers and polyester fibers (WP/WP/WF/WP/WF) exhibited the highest mechanical properties, with a significant enhancement of 142.67% and 16.90% in flexural and tensile strengths, respectively. Additionally, the peak absorption coefficient of polyester fiber felts, positioned in the surface layer of the composite material, within the 2580–3400 Hz frequency band significantly increased from 0.07 to 0.44. Therefore, this study indicates that modifying the stacking order improves the mechanical and acoustic properties of the composites, making them suitable for use in acoustic engineering materials for buildings and decorative panels for furniture, including perforated panels and acoustic screens.Highlights The fabric‐like textured structure significantly enhanced the overall performance of the composites. The stacking order significantly influenced the overall properties of the composite. Alternately stacked polyester fiber felts and palm fibers exhibited excellent mechanical performance. The polyester fiber felts positioned on the surface layer of the composites exhibited superior mechanical performance. A laminate with “green” attributes and good acoustic properties was fabricated.

A hybrid AHP-TOPSIS, MOORA technique for multi-objective optimization of thermal, mechanical, and water absorption behavior of epoxy/hemp, pine apple, and palm fiber composites

ABSTRACT Natural fiber composites are capable of replacing synthetic fiber composites in aeronautics, transportation, architecture, and sports. This work used epoxy matrices to produce natural hybrid fiber composites from hemp, pineapple, and palm fiber. To choose the best material for a design or component, a thorough and successful approach is needed. Material selection judgments are best handled by multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) procedures. Integrated MCDM approaches like AHP, TOPSIS, and MOORA rank epoxy-hemp-pineapple-palm fiber composites. TOPSIS and MOORA use AHP weights to rank objects. AHP weights are used to rank objects in both the TOPSIS and MOORA methods. Selection is based on a variety of properties of the generated composites, including water absorption and specific heat capacity, in addition to density, hardness, tensile strength, and toughness. The thermal degradation of fiber polymerization is assessed by thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). According to a thorough evaluation of MCDM methodologies, a hybrid composite made of palm, hemp, and pineapple performed best, followed by a hybrid composite made of palm and pineapple. This study found that a palm fiber composite has subpar results. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to examine fiber form and interfacial bonding in composite samples that have been exposed to tension fracture.

Micromechanical Characterization of Continuous Fiber Date Palm Composites

ABSTRACT Date palm fiber composites with aligned, continuous fibers and epoxy matrix were prepared and mechanically characterized using micromechanical models. A hydrothermal process with microwave heating was utilized to extract the date palm frond (midrib) fibers, making the process eco-friendly as opposed to the commonly reported chemical extraction method. Single fibers were then characterized and found to have an average elastic modulus and ultimate tensile strength of 17.1 ± 1.5 GPa and 333 ± 27.4 MPa, respectively. Interfacial shear strengths ranging between 6 and 12 MPa were determined using a single-fiber pull-out test. Fibers were aligned to make uniaxial tensile samples with volume fraction ranging from 11% to 56%, elastic modulus ranging from 1.72 GPa to 9.52 GPa and ultimate tensile strengths ranging from 16.9 MPa to 43.8 MPa. All the results were found to obey “Rule of Mixtures” theory. The composite’s mechanical properties are similar to or exceeding those of the commercially available wood products such as medium density fiberboard, oriented strand board, thick particle board, hard fiber board, and plywood, making the hydrothermal approach with microwave heating as a promising approach for preparation of date palm composites and further opens up similar process pathway for other natural fibers.

Effect of chitosan filler on the thermal and viscoelasticity properties of bio-epoxy/date palm fiber composites

The present study focuses on the efficacy of incorporating a combination of date palm fibres (DP) and chitosan (CTS) filler in bio-epoxy composites for engineering applications. In this research work, chitosan serves as bio-filler to enhance the viscoelasticity and thermal properties of composites made from bio-epoxy/date palm fiber through DMA and thermogravimetry analysis. Four different amounts of chitosan powder (5,10,15,20%wt) were incorporated into a bio-epoxy/date palm fiber composite. A bio-epoxy/date palm fiber composite without chitosan filler was made for comparison purposes. With the addition of chitosan bio-filler, the storage modulus of the bio-epoxy/date palm fiber composite increased, with the exception of composite containing 5% CTS. Comparing 20% chitosan filler to without chitosan composite, the damping factor (Tan δ) increases from 0.34 to 0.39. Thermogravimetric analysis performed on composites showed that the presence of chitosan influences the thermal properties of the composites. The composite containing 20% CTS demonstrated the greatest improvement in thermal stability. These DMA and TGA results validate the positive thermal and viscoelastic properties of chitosan-incorporated bio-epoxy/date palm fibre composites. Based on the findings, bio-epoxy/date palm fiber with chitosan filled can be used in a variety of lightweight engineering applications with great success.

Production and characterization of recycled low-density polyethylene/amazon palm fiber composites

The research aimed to evaluate the effects of different contents of jupati particles on the properties of composites with a matrix of recycled low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The composites were produced with 0%, 5%, 10% and 15% of jupati particles inserted in the LDPE matrix, and the moisture, bulk density, water absorption, flammability and mechanical resistance were determined. The inclusion of the lignocellulosic material caused an increase in the density, indicating absence of pores, and in the other properties of the composites, except the modulus of rupture. These results were related to its chemical characteristics and the low interaction with the matrix, which can be verified in the scanning electron microscopy images. The work results are interesting and propitiate the development of further questions related to the production parameters, different particle sizes and use of compatibilizing agents to verify the possible effects on the composites.

Mechanical, thermal and physical characteristics of oil palm (Elaeis Guineensis) fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites for FDM – Type 3D printer

Currently, many studies of fused deposition modeling (FDM) focus on the development of new composite materials. For this reason, in order to enhance the quality of the printed parts, it is crucial to study the properties of a newly developed material for FDM. This study aims to investigate the effect of fiber on the mechanical, thermal, and physical characteristics of thermoplastic composites reinforced with oil palm fiber. The samples were characterized using mechanical and physical testing, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show the 3 wt% fiber composite had slightly higher tensile strength and modulus than plain ABS. Unfortunately, as oil palm fiber loading increased from 0 to 7 wt%, flexural strength results showed a declining trend, and the opposite happened for modulus values. Additionally, after the fiber was added, the thermal stability improved and intermolecular hydrogen bonding increased. A composite sample became more resistant to moisture when more fibers were added. 7 wt% oil palm fiber composite showed better dimension stability than 3 and 5 wt%, according to a thickness swelling test. As a result, oil palm fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites have improved mechanical, physical, and physical properties by adding fiber into ABS matrix.

Thermo-physical and fire properties of sustainable bio composites: Experimental and computational analysis

ABSTRACT Bio-composites were prepared by incorporating broom grass, fishtail palm, sansevieria fibers as reinforcement in unsaturated polyester resin using hand lay-up method. The thermo physical and fire properties of bio-composites has been examined by varying the fiber content (0 to 39 wt. %) and temperature (30–120°C). The thermal insulation and heat storage capability of samples was assessed using guarded heat flow meter and differential scanning calorimeter. The experimental results reveal that, as the weight fraction of fiber increased, the insulation capability of composites increased, whereas it decreased with the temperature. The response of specific heat and thermal diffusivity of composites with temperature was analyzed. Temperature distribution and heat transfer through the composite materials was computed using ANSYS fluent solver. The rate of heat transfer through the fishtail palm fiber composite is 14.02% lesser than glass fiber composite. Cone calorimeter was used to measure fire behavior of the samples and the results reveal that the broom grass fiber composite material possesses better fire resistance characteristics against fire hazard. Morphological study of composites was performed with the help of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) for the visualization of homogeneity of surfaces. Developed bio-composites are the potential materials to replace petrochemical-based products.

Epoxy–Date Palm Fiber Composites: Study on Manufacturing and Properties

Epoxy-date palm fiber (DPF) composites have been synthesized and characterized successfully with various reinforced ratios of DPF (i.e., 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%), where the mixture of Epoxy–DPF is poured into different prepared silicone molds. The first type of silicon molds is prepared to produce the samples of the Epoxy–DPF composites to conduct mechanical tests (i.e., impact, creep, and tensile). When the ratio of DPF is increased in the Epoxy matrix, a significant improvement was observed in the results of the mechanical tests. The Epoxy–DPF composites with 15 wt% exhibit a high hardness of 38.4 in comparison with other composite specimens. Maximum impact strength, creep strain, and tensile strengths were recorded to be 0.13 J/mm2, 0.03112, and 23.4 N/mm2, respectively, using 20 wt% DPF.

Finite element analysis of oil palm fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites for fused deposition modeling

Engineers and manufacturers can benefit from finite element analysis (FEA) data of mechanical properties of 3D-printed products to enhance the quality and performance. Fused deposition modelling (FDM) is a filament-based rapid prototyping technology that enables the introduction of novel composite materials as long as they can be produced as feedstock filaments. In prior research, a novel material, oil palm fiber composites filament, was produced for FDM. Then, the tensile and flexural test were conducted according to ASTM 638 and ASTM 730 using universal testing machine. In this paper, the uniaxial tensile test, flexural test, and the construction of a material model for the prediction of the stress–strain response were simulated using nonlinear FEA. The plots of Von Mises stress, resulting displacement, and strain were created. In addition, the derived von Mises plasticity material model and boundary conditions accurately represented the behavior of the specimen under uniaxial tension load, with only minimal differences between actual and theoretical results. The tensile and flexural strengths of oil palm fiber composite (3 wt%) were 33.14 and 33.81 MPa, respectively, according to the results of the FEA simulation. The difference between simulation and experimental error was minor, ranging from 5.4 to 15.2 percent. The aim of this research was to apply non-linear FEA to validate experimental results from tensile and flexural tests of oil palm fiber composites filament, which would be used as a raw material for FDM.

Investigation of Physical, Mechanical Properties of Treated Date Palm Fibre and Kenaf Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Hybrid Composites

ABSTRACT This research is a comparative study of untreated and treated date palm fiber (DPF) and kenaf (KF)-reinforced epoxy hybrid composite and explores the properties of DPF. The prepared hybrid composites were characterized in terms of tensile properties, impact properties, physical behavior, water absorption, and thickness swelling. The composites were prepared by hand layup technique. Treated 30% date palm and 70% kenaf (T-3DP7K) showed the highest tensile strength (26.45 MPa) and modulus (4.54 GPa) among untreated and treated hybrid composites. The scanning electron microscope revealed the behavior of fiber and polymers and also the cause of tensile test failure. The impact strength of T-1DP1K revealed highest impact resistant (5493 J/m) among untreated and treated hybrid composites. Remarkably, alkali-treated hybrid composites reduced the water absorption and thickness swelling compared to the untreated composites. In untreated composites, higher DPF content composites showed higher moisture content and dimensional instability. Overall, we concluded that among all hybrid composites, T-3DP7K showed better tensile properties, lowest water absorption, and lowest thickness swelling, and T-7DP3K showed better impact properties.

Investigation of ABS–oil palm fiber (Elaeis guineensis) composites filament as feedstock for fused deposition modeling

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, dimensional stability and porosity of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)–oil palm fiber composite filament for fused deposition modeling (FDM). Design/methodology/approach A new feedstock material for FDM comprising oil palm fiber and ABS as a matrix was developed by a twin screw extruder. The composite filament contains 0, 3, 5 and 7 Wt.% of oil palm fiber in the ABS matrix. The tensile test is then performed on the fiber composite filament, and the wire diameter is measured. In this study, the Archimedes method was used to determine the density and the porosity of the filament. The outer surface of the wire composite was examined using an optical microscope, and the analysis of variance was used to assess the significance and the relative relevance of the primary factor. Findings The results showed that increasing the fiber loading from 0.15 to 0.4 MPa enhanced tensile strength by 60%. Then, from 16.1 to 18.3 MPa, the Young’s modulus rose by 22.8%. The density of extruded filament decreased and the percentage of porosity increased when the fiber loading was increased from 3 to 7 Wt.%. The diameter deviation of the extruded filaments varied from −0.21 to 0.04 mm. Originality/value This paper highlights a novel natural resource-based feedstock material for FDM. Its mechanical and physical properties were also discovered.

Effect of processing conditions on the rheological and mechanical properties of composites based on a PBS matrix and enzymatically treated date palm fibers

Abstract The rheological properties of biocomposites can change depending on the polymer, fiber type, fiber size and processing conditions. In this work, biodegradable PBS composites filled with raw and enzymatically treated date palm fibers were processed using an internal mixer. The influence of the processing conditions, namely filler concentration, rotor of the mixer rotational speed, as well as the type of the enzymatic fiber treatment on PBS (Poly Butylene Succinate)/date palm fiber composites were studied by measuring the torque and the temperature in real time during melt processing. A rheological analysis was also carried out by performing time and multi-wave-frequency sweeps. It was found that the stabilization torque increased with increasing fiber loading and rotor rotational speed, indicating a higher viscosity. An enhancement of the melting process occurred with modified fibers, which was explained by the decrease in the fiber diameter, denoting cellulose micro-fibrils separation by enzymes action. These composites were characterized by a better thermal resistance and mechanical stiffness compared to those based on raw fibers at the same loading rate.