Use Of Cellulose Fibers Research Articles

Uniform and welded networks of silver nanowires surface-embedded on cellulose yarns with PEDOT:PSS passivation for sustainable E-textiles

Electronic textiles are critical for wearable electronics and real-time health care monitoring. The use of cellulose fibers with conductive components to construct optimized materials for enhanced performance remains an ongoing mission. We report the use of continuous dip-coating of hydrogel fibers to fabricate conductive cellulose yarns (CCYs). Uniform, interwelded and compact silver nanowire (AgNW) networks are embedded on the surfaces of the cellulose yarns, after which a PEDOT:PSS passivation layer is applied to ensure the reliability and practicality of the CCYs. This unique AgNW network provids high electrical conductivity of the CCYs, high strain sensitivities and good Joule heating. Wearable fabric devices embroidered with CCYs exhibit superior performance in strain sensing and electrothermal insulation. This CCY realizes the organic combination of manufacturing, practicability and functionality in sustainable E-textiles. The CCY has the potential to enable scalable manufacturing of low-cost wearable sensors integrated into everyday clothes.

Fabrication of Woven Jute Fiber Epoxy Bio-Composites through the Epoxy/Thiol-Ene Photopolymerization Technique

An eco-friendly epoxy/thiol-ene photopolymerization (ETEP) process was employed to prepare epoxy bio-composites using a commercial biobased epoxy resin and a woven jute fabric as reinforcement. In this process the components of the thiol-ene system, an allyl-functionalized ditertiary amine curing agent, a multifunctional thiol and a radical photoinitiator, were added to the epoxy resin to produce a polyether-polythioether crosslinked co-network. Moreover, the jute fibers were functionalized with thiol groups using the 3-mercaptopropyl (trimethoxysilane) with the purpose of creating a chemically bonded polymeric matrix/fiber system. The obtained bio-composites prepared with the thiol-functionalized cellulose fibers exhibited an increase up to 52% and 40% in flexural modulus and strength with respect to the non-functionalized counterparts. Under the three-point bending loadings, the composites displayed higher deformation at break and toughness due to the presence of polythioethers in the co-network. The prepared bio-composites developed in this work are excellent candidates to extend the use of cellulose fibers for structural applications.

Dimensional stability, density, void and mechanical properties of flax fabrics reinforced bio-phenolic/epoxy composites

Due to the growing trend to promote alternative materials, the use of cellulosic fibers as filler/reinforcement in polymer composites has increased in popularity. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of flax fabric loading on the physical and mechanical properties of bio-phenolic/epoxy composites. The composites were fabricated using hand lay-up method in a mould and cured using a hot press. Bio-phenolic/epoxy blend was fabricated as control. The sample was tested for physical, tensile, flexural, impact and morphological properties. The result showed that, increasing the flax fabric loading has increased the water absorption and density of composites. The highest water absorption density was shown by the composite with 50 wt% flax fabric loading which is 3.73% and 1.23 g/cm3. In addition, there is no significant difference in void content for all composites. Moreover, the incorporation of flax fabric as reinforcement has improved the mechanical properties of composites. According to the morphological analysis results of the experiments, there was a good bonding interaction between the flax fabric and bio-phenolic/epoxy. The highest tensile strength, tensile modulus and impact strength was shown by composite with 50 wt% flax fabric which was 105.04 MPa, 9.10 GPa and 11.94 kJ/m2respectively while composite with 40 wt% showed the highest flexural strength and modulus which was 150.45 MPa and 8.4 GPa respectively. It was concluded that, bio-phenolic/epoxy blend reinforced with 50 wt% flax fabric showed the best overall mechanical properties and it will be used in the future study to fabricate carbon/kevlar/flax reinforced bio-phenolic/epoxy for ballistic helmet application.

Lignocellulosic fiber reinforced composites: Progress, performance, properties, applications, and future perspectives

AbstractEnvironmental awareness across the world has motivated researchers to focus their attention on the use of cellulosic fiber as reinforcement in polymer matrices. Lignocellulosic fibers are an abundantly available resource in all countries, which is cheap and easily renewable. Also, due to their properties, cellulosic plant fibers exhibit a great potential for use in polymer reinforcement. As a result, considerable research and development efforts have been directed towards the use of cellulosic fibers as a reinforcing material in composites. The use of cellulosic fiber reinforced composites has continuously increased during recent years, which benefits the cultivation of fiber plants and the economy of the country. This research area continues to be of interest to both industry and academia, the use of cellulosic fibers in composite applications being investigated throughout the world. Cellulosic fiber reinforced composites are reasonably strong, lightweight, harmless to human health and the environment, and biodegradable, hence they have the potential to be used in various applications. Recent progress in cellulosic fiber composites research has illustrated their great potential as structural components in automobiles, aerospace structures, construction, and building, and so forth. This study is an effort to create awareness about the research works that have been published in the field of natural fiber composites. This review briefly illustrates the main paths and results of major research published in the field of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. The topics covered include the aspects of fiber treatment to improve the mechanical properties of the composites, manufacturing methods, performance of hybrid composites, effect of laminate configuration, and many different applications of natural fiber composites. By presenting a systematic view of the work performed in this area so far, this review will hopefully serve as a starting point for the development of new ideas in the research on natural fiber polymer composites.

Life Cycle Energy and Environmental Assessment of the Thermal Insulation Improvement in Residential Buildings

The refurbishment of the building stock is a key strategy towards the achievement of the climate and energy goals of the European Union. This study aims at evaluating the energy and environmental impacts associated with retrofitting a residential apartment to improve its vertical envelope thermal insulation. Two insulation materials, stone wool and cellulose fibers, are compared. The life cycle assessment methodology is applied assuming 1 m2 of retrofitted vertical envelope as functional unit. Moreover, to estimate the net energy and environmental benefits achievable in the retrofitted scenario compared with the non-retrofitted one, a second analysis is performed in which the system boundaries are expanded to include the building operational phase, and 1 m2 of walkable floor per year is assumed as reference. The results show that the use of cellulose fibers involve lower impacts in most of the assessed categories compared to stone wool, except for abiotic resource depletion. In detail, the use of cellulose fibers allows to reduce the impact on climate change up to 20% and the consumption of primary energy up to 10%. The evaluation of the net energy and environmental benefits shows the effectiveness of the retrofit energy policies.

Application of Corn Fibers from Harvest Residues in Biocomposite Films

Agro-industrial residues are difficult to dispose of or reuse; however, it can be used to generate goods such as biodegradable packaging. The aim was to isolate and characterize fibers from corn stalks, husks, and cobs, and apply them in starch composite films (control, 5 g 100 g−1, 10 g 100 g−1, 15 g 100 g−1 and 20 g 100 g−1). The cellulose fibers were isolated by alkaline treatment and characterized by its morphology, crystallinity, and chemical structure, showing materials with different lengths and diameters, and intermediate crystallinity. The composite films were evaluated by morphological characteristics, water-solubility, water vapor permeability, chemical structure, mechanical properties, and sorption isotherms. Generally, fibers reinforcement decreased moisture adsorption. The tensile strength and Young's modulus increased adding straw fiber (5 g 100 g−1 and 10 g 100 g−1) and stalk and cob fibers (5 g 100 g−1). The use of cellulose fibers in films is important to expand and improve the current lack of biodegradable packaging.

Development of High Resistance Hot Mix Asphalt with Electric Arc Furnace Slag, Ladle Furnace Slag, and Cellulose Fibers from the Papermaking Industry

Roads are currently essential links of communication and economic development. However, these roads are progressively requiring higher quality materials, implying a greater impact on the environment, in order to withstand the high levels of heavy vehicle traffic. Therefore, this research proposes the use of industrial by-products to create bituminous mixtures which are more resistant and durable than traditional ones. The industrial by-products used, are electric arc furnace slag, ladle furnace slag, and cellulose fibers from the papermaking industry. These by-products were physically and chemically characterized to be used to conform with bituminous mixtures. At the same time, bituminous mixtures were conformed with conventional materials, thus being able to compare the physical and mechanical properties of the conformed mixtures through different tests. The results showed how the use of cellulose fibers made it possible to absorb a greater percentage of bitumen, as well as the use of electric arc furnace slag and ladle furnace slag created mixtures, with greater Marshall stability. Therefore, sustainable, durable, resistant, and high waste mixtures were developed in this investigation.

WOOD PULP FOR POLYMER COMPOSITES PRODUCTION

The use of cellulosic fibers in composites is advantageous compared to inorganic materials, because they present lower density, abrasiveness and cost, besides the renewable origin. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of wood pulp obtained by the chemical (bleached and unbleached) and mechanical process, and wood-flour of Pinus taeda as reinforcement in low density polyethylene (LDPE) matrix. The composites were extruded and the specimens molded by compression. The samples were characterized by thermal analysis, density, mechanical properties and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The incorporation of the wood pulps and the wood flour in the matrix improved the composites mechanical properties and reduced the rate of material degradation. All fibers types acted as nucleating agents because the composites had better mechanical properties than pure LDPE. There was influence of the studied parameters on tensile and flexural strength and the interactions were significant. In general, the highest values of strength and stiffness were obtained with the use of thermo-mechanical process pulp as reinforcement and the lowest values with the use of unbleached chemical process pulp. micrographs analysis showed that the coupling agent was effective for compatibilizing the wood fibers with the LDPE in the composites. It was possible to produce composite materials with good physical and mechanical properties and improved thermal stability by experimental model.

Natural Cellulose Fibers for Surgical Suture Applications.

Suture biomaterials are critical in wound repair by providing support to the healing of different tissues including vascular surgery, hemostasis, and plastic surgery. Important properties of a suture material include physical properties, handling characteristics, and biological response for successful performance. However, bacteria can bind to sutures and become a source of infection. For this reason, there is a need for new biomaterials for suture with antifouling properties. Here we report two types of cellulose fibers from coconut (Cocos nucifera) and sisal (Agave sisalana), which were purified with a chemical method, characterized, and tested in vitro and in vivo. According to SEM images, the cellulose fiber from coconut has a porous surface, and sisal has a uniform structure without internal spaces. It was found that the cellulose fiber from sisal has mechanical properties closer to silk fiber biomaterial using Ultimate Tensile Strength. When evaluating the cellulose fibers biodegradability, the cellulose from coconut showed a rapid weight loss compared to sisal. The antifouling test was negative, which demonstrated that neither possesses intrinsic microbicidal activity. Yet, a weak biofilm was formed on sisal cellulose fibers suggesting it possesses antifouling properties compared to cellulose from coconut. In vivo experiments using healthy mice demonstrated that the scarring and mechanical connection was like silk for both cellulose fibers. Overall, our results showed the potential use of cellulose fibers from vegetal for surgical sutures due to excellent mechanical properties, rapid degradation, and no bacterial adhesion.

Thermal, morphological and mechanical properties of composites based on polyamide 6 with cellulose, silica and their hybrids from rice husk

The use of cellulosic fibers from different natural sources as fillers in polymer matrices to improve their properties has been extensively studied in the last years. It is mainly due to the vast availability of natural fibers as well as their biodegradability. The purpose of this present work was to extract cellulose, silica, and cellulose-silica fillers – these last called “hybrids” – from rice husk through delignification and subsequent oxidation and, then, prepare composites with polyamide 6 and improve mainly its thermal-mechanical properties. The content of 10 wt.% of fillers was inserted in PA 6 matrix. Infrared spectroscopy pointed the main characteristic peaks of cellulose and silica of hybrids, as thermogravimetric analysis showed high thermal stability of fillers, allowing their incorporation in PA-6 matrix by extrusion method. Thermo dynamic-mechanical analysis showed, in a general overview, a significant improvement of mechanical properties of composites, as elastic modulus, compared with neat polyamide-6, mainly the one with 2.5 wt% of silica and 7.5% of cellulose. This last also showed increasing of degree of crystallinity, measured by differential scanning calorimetry, showing the extraction efficiency of fillers from rice husk as well as the potential application of composites as structural components in automotive parts.

The Effect of Basalt Fiber on the Performance of Stone Mastic Asphalt

Stone Mastic Asphalt (SMA) is a mixture design against rutting caused by intensive and heavy traffic loads. While modified bitumen needs to be used in this mixture, the use of cellulosic fibers is essential to prevent the infiltration of bitumen during the carriage of mixture due to high bitumen content. In this study, the effects of basalt fiber on the performance of SMA mixtures is investigated as an alternative to cellulosic fiber admixtures in the prevention of draindown. Raw materials commonly used in Turkey were chosen as Type-I graded limestone aggregate and B50/70 asphalt cement, according to the General Directorate of Highways. In total, 109 specimens were prepared by a gyratory compactor according to the superpave design method. Sixty of these specimens were basalt fiber added samples with a ratio from 0.1 % to 0.8 % by dry weight aggregate. An addition of basalt fiber of 0.6 % at 25 °C seriously increases the resilient modulus and tensile strength of the samples. In addition, 0.4 % basalt fiber mixed samples shows that the greatest resistance against permanent deformation according to the results of static uniaxial creep test performed at 40 °C. Basalt fibers have no positive effect when a decrement of bitumen viscosity exceeds the bitumen softening point at the end of repeated uniaxial tests. On the other hand, bitumen draindown and water damage test results are within acceptable limits.

Green composites based on Atriplex halimus fibers and PLA matrix

Abstract This work focuses on the potential use of cellulose fibers extracted from Mediterranean saltbush (Atriplex halimus) as a filler in the polymeric matrix. The fully biodegradable composites were prepared from polylactic acid (PLA) as matrix and microcellulose fibers ranging from 0 to 15 wt.%. The influence of the fiber content on the structure, mechanical, thermal, and water absorption properties was evaluated. Mechanical results indicated that fibers acted effectively as reinforcement, increasing the tensile strength and the Young’s modulus of PLA by 25 and 45%, respectively. This is due to the good stress transfer between fibers and matrix through the strong interactions that have been evidenced by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The thermogravimetric analysis showed that PLA composites have a slightly lower degradation temperature than the pure PLA, but they still have favorable thermal stability. Water absorption measurements and biodegradability tests showed that the addition of fibers accelerates degradation kinetics and confirm that the prepared composites are an environmentally safe material suited for different applications.

Microcrystalline cellulose treated by steam explosion and used for thermo-mechanical improvement of polypropylene

The use of cellulose fibers derived from renewable resources as reinforcement in polymeric composites provides positive environmental benefits with respect to disposal and raw material savings. Microcrystalline cellulose is a regenerated cellulose material that is free of lignin and hemicellulose, widely used in various applications. Recently, there has been enormous interest in producing polymer nanocomposites using cellulose nanofibers as reinforcement. Moreover, the steam explosion process is an ecofriendly method to modify cellulose fibers by inducing fibrillation, allowing the production of nanofibers. Fibrillation of microcrystalline cellulose using steam explosion process as the only cellulose treatment process was not yet studied in the literature. In the present work, steam explosion process was applied to commercial microcrystalline cellulose and the obtained fibers were characterized and employed in composites with polypropylene for evaluation of the thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties in relation to the matrix. The results showed that this process promoted partial fibrillation to nanosized diameter, and an increase in crystalline degree and thermal stability of the original fiber. As for the polypropylene/cellulose composites in the absence of compatibilizer, there was an increase of thermal degradation temperature and mechanical properties measured by dynamic-mechanical analysis in comparison with pure polypropylene.

Effect of microcrystalline and microfibrillated cellulose on the evolution of hydration of cement pastes by thermogravimetry

The interest in the use of cellulose fibers of increasingly smaller sizes in cementitious materials has increased in recent years. This paper brings new contributions in this field showing from respective paste thermal analysis data, how microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) affect differently the formation of Class G cement pastes hydration products from early (2 h) to later hydration ages (672 h). Pastes containing 0, 0.25 and 0.5% of cellulose per cement mass and a water/cement mass ratio of 0.45 were cured at 23 °C, and the TG/DTG tests were carried out after 2, 6, 12, 24, 168 and 672 h. The results show that the pastes with MCC and MFC additions presented higher total combined water content than the reference paste, especially after 24 h of hydration. However, this is strongly related to the quantity of water adsorbed by different celluloses and their concentrations in the mixture. Comparing cellulose pastes, MFC pastes showed lower total combined water up to 28 days, attributed to the fiber’s microfibrillar form. No higher amount of calcium hydroxide was formed in the presence of cellulose, but it was more crystalline than that obtained in the reference. Other hydrated phases (dehydration from 200 to 400 °C) are differently affected by the presence of the celluloses, the highest formation occurring for 0.25% MCC paste. This behavior was attributed to an additional cure of these mixtures related to morphological characteristics and water retention capacity of cellulose.

Cristalinidad de microfibras de celulosa obtenidas de Cistus ladanifer y Erica arborea

The effectiveness of the use of cellulose fibers as particulates/composite reinforcers involves the assessment of the crystallinity of such fibers. The aim of the present work is to provide information on the degree of crystallinity of the cellulose microfibers obtained from the stems of Cistus ladanifer and Erica arborea shrubs through two different methods, namely an alkaline treatment and a microwave-assisted deep eutectic solvent (DES) method. The crystallinity indexes (CrI) obtained from X-ray powder diffraction patterns indicated that higher CrI were attained for cellulose obtained from the DES treatment. Complementary information on the degree of crystallinity was also retrieved from attenuated total reflection- Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) vibrational spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, and accessibility data for the DES-treated celluloses from the two species. The crystallinity results for the fibers derived from these two Mediterranean shrubs were within the range of the results for those derived from wood pulp, opening the door to their valorization for cellulose-derived packing applications or for their use as reinforcers in composite materials in combination with other biopolymers.

Use of cellulose fibers from wheat straw for sustainable cement mortars

In the present research, an environmentally sustainable material as wheat straw deriving from Apulia region, Southern Italy, was added to cement mortars and characterized by thermal, acoustic, mechanical, and microstructural measurements. The straw and the matrix composition were not modified and the mixture preparation did not require complex manufacturing or expensive procedures. The aim was to obtain a lightweight product for indoor applications using a renewable material from the agro-food industry and adopting a safe and cheap process. The samples with high straw content showed very low thermal conductivities exceeding 0.16 W/mK and good acoustic absorptions in the 500–1000 Hz range. The results were strongly dependent on the porosity of the composites, ascribed to the straw features and to the voids at the cellulose fibers/cement matrix interface. Moreover, preliminary observations of the material stability (microstructural analysis) demonstrated that the conglomerate components did not show detectable effects of degradation.

Exploration of Local cellulosic-fiber; its Modification and Potential use by the Industry

ABSTRACTDemand for newer, stronger, stiffer, yet lighter-weight and environmental friendly (biodegradable) materials in the fields such as automobile for non-structural applications are ever increasing. The principal reasons for using natural (cellulosic) fibers is they possess several attractive properties such their economic feasibility, enhanced sustainability, good specific mechanical properties, and desirable aspect ratio for good performance after melt-processing. Natural fiber composite materials are now being rapidly utilized in automobile industries, and they have become the forefront of research and development activity. An interesting alternative for reinforcing soft polymeric matrices with short fibers is the use of cellulose fibers which show remarkable reinforcing effects in thermoplastics such as polypropylene. The current study made an attempt to investigate the suitability of sisal fibers for automobile industry for non-structural and low-strength interior applications. In this work native sisal fibers were extracted and the effect of alkali treatment on their morphological, tensile, moisture absorption and thermal properties were studied. Scanning electron micrographs indicated roughening of the surface of the fiber strands due to the removal of the hemicellulose layer on alkali treatment. The maximum weight-gain for the composite prepared from treated fibers was 2.12 %, while that for the composite prepared from untreated fiber was 4.33 %. From the thermograms, the results indicate initial degradation for the treated fiber to have improved from 174 °C to 230 °C (56 °C shift) when compared to the untreated fiber. This fiber has competitive advantages when evaluated with other natural fibers. A polymer composite was processed from the chemically modified fiber, profiled against equivalent material systems in Ashby material property charts exhibited its suitability for light, low strength and low flexure material applications which can use a potential replacement of fibres being used currently.

An Experimental Study on Sisal/Hemp Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composites

Environmental concerns motivate the use of cellulose fibers since bio-composites decompose easily in nature and low cost compare to synthetic fibers. Present paper investigates the mechanical properties and moisture absorption performance of different wt.% of sisal/hemp fiber incorporated epoxy resin hybrid composites. Sisal and hemp fiber surfaces were treated by 10% NaOH solution to enhance the bonding characteristic between fiber and epoxy resin. Hybrid composites were prepared by traditional cold pressing method. A 40 wt.% of sisal/hemp fiber reinforced hybrid composite discloses maximum flexural and compression strength. Absorption of water increases with fiber loading. Morphological analyses are carried out to analyze the fractured surface by using Scanning Electron Microscope and reported. The experimental result also discloses that the sisal and hemp fibers are promising reinforcement for use in low cost bio-composites which have high strength to weight ratio.

Exploratory study of porous asphalt mixtures with additions of reclaimed tetra pak material

The use of cellulose fibers (CF) has become a common technique for reducing draindown problems in porous asphalt (PA) mixtures, helping to increase the bitumen content and providing thicker binder films. In this research, a laboratory study was conducted to assess the suitability of using recycled Tetra Brick Aseptic (TBA) containers as an environmentally friendly substitute for virgin cellulose fibers used in PA pavements. The results obtained showed that recycled TBA material was a suitable addition for PA mixtures, providing similar, or sometimes greater, improvements than commercial CF.

Experimental Investigation of Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Flax-Glass Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composite using Finite Element Analysis

The use of cellulosic fibers as reinforcing materials in polymer composites has gained popularity due to an increasing trend for developing sustainable materials. In the present experimental study, flax and glass fiber reinforced partially eco-friendly hybrid composites are fabricated with two different fiber orientations of 0° and 90°. The mechanical properties of these composites such as tensile, flexural and impact strengths have been evaluated. From the experiments, it has been observed that the composites with the 0° fiber orientation can hold the maximum tensile strength of 82.71 MPa, flexural strength of 143.99 MPa, and impact strength of 4 kJ/m2. Whereas the composites with 90° fiber orientation can withstand the maximum tensile strength of 75.64 MPa, flexural strength of 134.86 MPa, and impact strength of 3.99 kJ/m2. Morphological analysis is carried out to analyze fiber matrix interfaces and the structure of the fractured surfaces by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The finite element analysis (FEA) has been carried out to predict the resulting important mechanical properties by using ANSYS 12.0. From the results it is found that the experimental results are very close to the results predicted from FEA model values. It is suggested that these hybrid composites can be used as alternate materials for pure synthetic fiber reinforced polymer composite materials.