Preparation and Reinforcement Adaptability of Jute Fiber Reinforced Magnesium Phosphate Cement Based Composite Materials

To improve the brittleness characteristics of magnesium phosphate cement-based materials(MPC)and to promote its promotion and application in the field of structural reinforcement and repair,this study aimed to increase the toughness of MPC by adding jute fiber,explore the effects of different amounts of jute fiber on the working and mechanical properties of MPC,and prepare jute fiber reinforced magnesium phosphate cement-based materials(JFRMPC)to reinforce damaged beams.The improvement effect of beam performance before and after reinforcement was compared,and the strengthening and toughening mechanisms of jute fiber on MPC were explored through microscopic analysis.The experimental results show that,as the content of jute fiber(JF)increases,the fluidity and setting time of MPC decrease continuously;When the content of jute fiber is 0.8%,the compressive strength,flexural strength,and bonding strength of MPC at 28 days reach their maximum values,which are increased by 18.0%,20.5%,and 22.6%compared to those of M0,respectively.The beam strengthened with JFRMPC can withstand greater deformation,with a deflection of 2.3 times that of the unreinforced beam at failure.The strain of the steel bar is greatly reduced,and the initial crack and failure loads of the reinforced beam are increased by 192.1%and 16.1%,respectively,compared to those of the unreinforced beam.The JF added to the MPC matrix dissipates energy through tensile fracture and debonding pull-out,slowing down stress concentration and inhibiting the free development of cracks in the matrix,enabling JFRMPC to exhibit higher strength and better toughness.The JF does not cause the hydration of MPC to generate new compounds but reduces the amount of hydration products generated.

Weak Expansive Soil Physical Properties Modification by Means of a Cement-Jute Fiber

Sixteen groups of comprehensive tests have been conducted to investigate the modifications in the physical properties of a weak expansive soil due to the addition of a cement jute fiber.The tests have been conducted to analyze the liquid plastic limit,the particle distribution and the free expansion rate.The results show that:(1)With an increase in the cement-jute fiber content,the free expansion rate of the modified expansive soil gradually decreases,however,such a rate rebounds when the fiber content exceeds 0.5%and the cement content exceeds 6%.(2)With an increase in the cement percentage,the particle unevenness coefficient(Cu)and curvature coefficient(Cc)of the modified expansive soil tend to grow gradually.The Cc coefficient reaches 1.0 when the cement content is 6%.The unevenness coefficient of 16 soil samples is greater than 5.0,however,the Cu coefficient decreases when the cement content reaches 6%.(3)The plastic limit of soil increases as the cement content is made higher,while the liquid limit and plastic index decrease gradually.When the content of the modified material is 2%+0.1%~2%+0.7%(Cement content+jute fiber content),the change of particle size distribution is most obvious.(4)When the contents of cement and jute fiber are is 6%and 0.5%,respectively,the modification induced in the physical properties of soil samples corresponds to the best case.

Flavanone and flavonoid hydroxylase genes regulate fiber color formation in naturally colored cotton

Using naturally colored cotton(NCC)can eliminate dyeing,printing and industrial processing,and reduce sewage discharge and energy consumption.Proanthocyanidins(PAs),the primary coloration components in brown fibers,are polyphenols formed by oligomers or polymers of flavan-3-ol units derived from anthocyanidins.Three essential structural genes for flavanone and flavonoid hydroxylation encoding flavanone-3-hydroxylase(F3H),flavonoid 3’-hydroxylase(F3’H)and flavonoid 3’5’-hydroxylase(F3’5’H)are initially committed in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway to produce common precursors.The three genes were all expressed predominantly in developing fibers of NCCs,and their expression patterns varied temporally and spatially among NCC varieties.In GhF3Hi,GhF3’Hi and GhF3’5’Hi silenced lines of NCC varieties XC20 and ZX1,the expression level of the three genes decreased in developing cotton fiber,negatively correlated with anthocyanidin content and fiber color depth.Fiber color depth and type in RNAi lines changed with endogenous gene silencing efficiency and expression pattern,the three hydroxylase genes functioned in fiber color formation.GhF3H showed functional differentiation among NCC varieties and GhF3’H acted in the accumulation of anthocyanin in fiber.Compared with GhF3’H,GhF3’5’H was expressed more highly in brown fiber with a longer duration of expression and caused lighter color of fibers in GhF3’5’H silenced lines.These three genes regulating fiber color depth and type could be used to improve these traits by genetic manipulation.

Evaluation of Mechanical Properties of Highly Filled Jute Fiber Reinforced Composites

This study aims for development of highly filled jute fiber reinforced composites that contains jute fiber over fiber weight fraction 60%,and jute fiber reinforced composite was fabricated by the hot-pressing method.The molding temperature was changed from 175°C to 230°C,to investigate the effect of molding temperature on the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced composites.The effect of surface treatment of jute fiber on the mechanical properties of jute fiber reinforced composites was also investigated.As a result,the jute fiber reinforced composites using surface treated fiber has low porosity,and the jute fiber reinforced composite having low porosity has high flexural strength and modulus.The jute fiber reinforced composite using acetone treated fiber molded at 200°C has the maximum flexural strength and modulus.

Overview of Jute Fibre as Thermoplastic Matrix Polymer Reinforcement

Recent decades have seen a substantial increase in interest in research on natural fibres that is aligned with sustainable development goals(SDGs).Due to their renewable resources and biodegradability,natural fiberreinforced composites have been investigated as a sustainable alternative to synthetic materials to reduce the usage of hazardous waste and environmental pollution.Among the natural fibre,jute fibre obtained from a bast plant has an increasing trend in the application,especially as a reinforcement material.Numerous research works have been performed on jute fibre with regard to reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic composites.Nevertheless,current demands on sustainable materials have required new developments in thermoplastic composites.In this paper,the author reviews jute plants as reinforcement materials for thermoplastic matrix polymers.This review provides an overview of the sustainability of jute plants as reinforcement material for thermoplastic matrix polymers.The overview on jute based thermoplastic composites focused on the thermal behavior and mechanical properties.Apart from physical,chemical,and mechanical properties,the study also covers the current and perspectives for future research challenges faced by the researchers on jute fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites.

Characterization and Modeling of Mechanical Properties of Additively Manufactured Coconut Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

In the face of the increased global campaign to minimize the emission of greenhouse gases and the need for sustainability in manufacturing, there is a great deal of research focusing on environmentally benign and renewable materials as a substitute for synthetic and petroleum-based products. Natural fiber-reinforced polymeric composites have recently been proposed as a viable alternative to synthetic materials. The current work investigates the suitability of coconut fiber-reinforced polypropylene as a structural material. The coconut fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites were developed. Samples of coconut fiber/polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared using Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF). Tests were then conducted on the mechanical properties of the composites for different proportions of coconut fibers. The results obtained indicate that the composites loaded with 2 wt% exhibited the highest tensile and flexural strength, while the ones loaded with 3 wt% had the highest compression strength. The ultimate tensile and flexural strength at 2 wt% were determined to be 34.13 MPa and 70.47 MPa respectively. The compression strength at 3 wt% was found to be 37.88 MPa. Compared to pure polypropylene, the addition of coconut fibers increased the tensile, flexural, and compression strength of the composite. In the study, an artificial neural network model was proposed to predict the mechanical properties of polymeric composites based on the proportion of fibers. The model was found to predict data with high accuracy.

Study on the Genetics and Development of Fiber Pigments and Color Deviation After Wetting Process of Naturally Colored Cotton

The genetic control of fiber pigment color in naturally colored cotton was studied. The expression of brown and green fiber color was controlled by incompletely dominant single genes and incompletely dominant major genes, respectively. Production and accumulation of the fiber pigment were related to special expression of enzymatic genes for pigment synthesis in fiber cells. At the stage of fiber lengthening, naturally colored cotton, like white cotton, appeared purely white. But when fiber cell walls entered the thickening stage, pigment appeared by degrees. When the fiber was completely matured (on boll dehiscence), the color reached its darkest level. After wetting process treatment, the hues of the fiber pigment changed in regular patterns. The hue circle for brown and green cotton changed in the opposite direction with wetting process treatment. In general, the treated cotton color and luster became dark and vivid, and this trend provided the possibility for enhancing the fiber quality by suitable environmental friendly finishing. The analysis showed that the color and luster of the cotton may be controlled by a series of pigments which show different chemical performance.

Plasma Treatment of Natural Jute Fibre by RIE 80 plus Plasma Tool

Plasma treatment can be used to modify the structure of natural fibre like jute for a variety of applications. Environmentally friendly jute fibre was treated with argon and oxygen plasma. The treated samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FTIR） and optical microscope. The macromolecular and microstructural changes in cellulose confirmed the change by plasma treatment. The XRD results confirmed that the crystal size and the crystallinity of the plasma treated fibre increased. Argon plasma treated fibre had a smooth and compact surface, compared to oxygen plasma treated fibre. The maximum stain （i.e. stress） concentrated in the oxygen plasma treated fibre. Optical micrographs showed the oxygen plasma treated fibre tended to rupture due to higher strain （i.e., stress） compared to fibre with argon plasma treatment. FTIR results also provided the evidence of change in the chemical constituents with plasma treatment.

Effect of Surface Treatment and Fiber Orientation on the Tensile and Morphological Properties of Banana Stem Fiber Reinforced Natural Rubber Composite

A mixture of NaOH and Na2SO3 was used in modification of banana stem fibers (BSF). Unidirectional BSF reinforced natural rubber (NR) lamina composites were made using compression moulding method. The results of the tensile loading in 0°, 45° and 90° to the fiber directions of the composite with fiber mass fraction of 30% were studied. Surface modification of the BSF with a mixture of 4% NaOH and 2% Na2SO3 increased the tensile strength and elastic modulus of the composite to 4.03 MPa and 147.34 MPa respectively from 3.12 MPa and 84.30 MPa of the untreated. Variation in properties due to fiber orintations was observed indicating a higher value of properties in the 0° fiber orientation than in 45° and 90° directions. The result of scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of the surfaces of the fibers indicted an improvement in bonding of the fiber bundles prior to lamination with natural rubber as a result of surface treatment which resulted in its higher tensile strength.

Enhancing mechanical behavior of micaceous soil with jute fibers and lime additives

Micaceous soils are common in many tropical countries and regions,and in some locations with moderate climate.The soils are spongy and unstable when loaded and are not considered suitable as construction material in earth structures.To resolve the issue,this work examined performance of micaceous soil reinforced with a combination of jute fibers,hydrated lime or slag-lime.A total of 28 sample sets were prepared at various dosages.Unconfined compression tests were conducted on the samples cured for 7 d and 28 d,respectively.The test results suggested that the unconfined compressive strength(UCS)and material stiffness were increased with the inclusion of up to 1%fiber and decreased if additional fibers were used.The ductility was improved consistently with up to 1.5%fiber content.The inclusions of fibers combined with hydrated lime or slag-lime further enhanced strength and stiffness of micaceous soil,and the improvement depended on the dosages used.For the dosages examined,jute fibers outweighed lime and slag in gaining ductility,and the optimal fiber content was 1%where strength and ductility were considered.

Preparation and Characterization of Natural Bamboo Fiber

In this study,natural bamboo fiber was prepared combining chemical pretreatment with mechanical disc refining,opening,and carding.An orthogonal experiment was designed based on four factors and three levels;thereafter,the manufacturing process was optimized.The length,diameter,tensile strength,and elastic modulus of the bamboo fiber were determined,and the crystallinity and morphology of the fiber were analyzed using X-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM).The results showed that the optimum parameters for the chemical pretreatment were a cooking temperature of 130℃,heating time of 2 h,NaOH dosage of 2%,and Na2SO3 dosage of 10%.The cooking yield of bamboo chips was 89.5%,and the carding yield of natural bamboo fiber was 43.0% under the optimum conditions.The length,diameter,tensile strength,and elastic modulus of the obtained fiber were 36.71 mm,0.285 mm,407 MPa,and 27.7 GPa,respectively.XRD analysis and SEM observations showed that the technology used in this study can produce bright and compact natural bamboo fibers with high crystallinity.

Effect of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composite Using Resin Impregnation

In this paper, we deals with mechanical performance of resin impregnation with natural fiber and fiber reinforced composites. The effect of the addition of a rein impregnation process on static strength of the injection molded composites was investigated by carrying out tensile and banding tests, followed by Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation of fiber surface and fracture surface of composites. The tensile strength of natural fiber and natural fiber reinforced composites with resin impregnation method increases with Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) impregnation. In addition, Phenol resin impregnation recovers fiber tensile strength after alkali treatment. Resin impregnation causes decrease in contact surface area;however, it does not cause decrease in mechanical properties. Our results suggest that the using rein impregnation method has better effect on the mechanical properties of natural fiber reinforced Polypropylene (PP) composites.

Decision Support Strategy in Selecting Natural Fiber Materials for Automotive Side-Door Impact Beam Composites

The enforcement on sustainable design and environmental-friendly products has attracted the interest of researchers and engineers in the context of replacing metals and synthetic fibers with natural based fibers,especially in the automotive industry.However,studies on sustainable natural fiber material selection in the automotive industry are limited.Evaluation for the side-door impact beam was conducted by gathering product design specification from literature which amounted to seven criteria and it was forwarded to ten decision makers with automotive engineering and product design background for evaluation.The weightage required for decision-making was obtained using the Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP)method based on six criteria.Following this,the best natural fiber materials to be used as reinforcement in polymer composites were selected using the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje(VIKOR)method.The results using both the AHP and VIKOR method showed that kenaf was the best natural fiber for the side-door impact beam composites.The result showed the lowest VIKOR value,QA1=0.0000,which was determined to be within the acceptable advantage and acceptable stability conditions.It can be concluded that the application of integrated AHP-VIKOR method resulted in a systematic and justified solution towards the decision-making process.

Experimental Investigation of Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymers

The potential usage of virgin Low density polyethelyne (LDPE) reinforced with different concentrations (2%, 5% and 6% by weight) of treated rice straw with different lengths (2 mm, 4 mm and 6 mm) is investigated to produce high value products that have technical and environmental demand. The two treatment methods used for rice straw are alkali and acidic treatments of rice straw. The removal of impurities and waxy substances from fiber surface avoid creation of rougher topography after treatment and improves the quality of fiber, also content of hemi cellulose and lignin decrease so increase effectiveness of fiber due to dispersing of fiber in matrix. The reinforcing material is embedded in the matrix material to enhance tensile and flexural behaviors of the synthesized composite. The result of investigating these two mechanical properties, using statistical analysis & design of experiments, showed an enhancement in the mechaniccal properties of the virgin polymer composite compared to the virgin polymer. The flexural stress of the composite increased three times the virgin flexural stress, while the tensile stress increased eight times the original tensile stress.

Effect of natural and synthetic fibers reinforcement on California bearing ratio and tensile strength of clay

Use of environmentally friendly approaches with the purpose of strengthening soil layers along with finding correlations between the mechanical characteristics of fiber-reinforced soils such as indirect tensile strength(ITS)and California bearing ratio(CBR)and as well as the evaluation of shear strength parameters obtained from the triaxial test would be very effective at geotechnical construction sites.This research was aimed at investigating the influence of natural fibers as sustainable ones including basalt(BS)and bagasse(BG)as well as synthetic polyester(PET)fibers on the strength behavior of clayey soil.To this end,the effects of various fiber contents(0.5%,1%and 2%)and lengths(2.5 mm,5 mm and 7.5 mm)were experimentally evaluated.By conducting ITS and CBR tests,it was found that increasing fiber content and length had a significant influence on CBR and ITS values.Moreover,2%of 7.5 mm-long fibers led to the largest values of CBR and ITS.The CBR values of soil reinforced with PET,BS,and BG fibers were determined as 19.17%,15.43%and 13.16%,respectively.The ITS values of specimens reinforced with PET,BS,and BG fibers were reported as 48.57 kPa,60.7 kPa and 47.48 kPa,respectively.The results of the triaxial compression test revealed that with the addition of BS fibers,the internal friction angle increased by about 100%,and with the addition of PET fibers,the cohesion increased by about 70%.Moreover,scanning electron microscope(SEM)analysis was employed to confirm the findings.The relationship between CBR and ITS values,obtained via statistical analysis and used for the optimum design of road pavement layers,demonstrated that these parameters had high correlation coefficients.The outcomes of multiple linear regression and sensitivity analysis also confirmed that the fiber content had a greater effect on CBR and ITS values than fiber length.

A Review on Mechanical Properties of Natural Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polymer Composites

Natural fibres will take a major role in the emerging “green” economy based on energy efficiency, the use of renewable materials in polymer products, industrial processes that reduce carbon emissions and recyclable materials that minimize waste. Natural fibres are a kind of renewable resources, which have been renewed by nature and human ingenuity for thousands of years. They are also carbon neutral;they absorb the equal amount of carbon dioxide they produce. These fibers are completely renewable, environmental friendly, high specific strength, non-abrasive, low cost, and bio-degradability. Due to these characteristics, natural fibers have recently become attractive to researchers and scientists as an alternative method for fibers reinforced composites. This review paper summarized the history of natural fibers and its applications. Also, this paper focused on different properties of natural fibers (such as hemp, jute, bamboo and sisal) and its applications which were used to substitute glass fiber.

Effect of Fiber Loading on the Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Jute Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

Jute fiber (woven fabric, 1 × 1 plain weave) reinforced polypropylene matrix composites were prepared by compression molding with various fiber loading such as 30%, 40%, 46%, 50%, 55% by weight. The mechanical properties such as tensile strength (TS), bending strength (BS), tensile modulus (TM), bending modulus (BM) and impact strength (IS) of the composite were assessed and analyzed. The highest value of TS, BS, TM, BM and IS were 68.1 MPa, 94.1 MPa, 2936 MPa, 4831 MPa and 14.5 kJ/m2 respectively with 50% fiber loading by weight. It was found that the mechanical properties of the composites were increased with the increase in jute fiber content up to 50% by weight;however, further increase in fiber loading the value decreased. On the basis of fiber content, 50% fiber reinforced composites had the optimum set of mechanical properties. Initially the water absorption rate was higher and then it became slower and static with time. Chemical ageing test with various chemical media such as H2O2, NaOH, HCl and NaCl were performed up to 168 hours. After first 24 hours the composite samples showed gradual weight gain (%) and then the weight gain was become slow and steady in the chemical solution.

A Novel Approach of Dyeing Jute Fiber with Reactive Dye after Treating with Chitosan

Jute is generally not dyed with reactive dye though it is a cellulosic fiber. Reactive dye is extensively used to dye cotton, viscose and other cellulosic fibers whereas jute is dyed with basic dye. This paper presents a novel approach to dye the jute fiber with reactive dye after treating with chitosan. Jute fabric was treated with chitosan solution at different con- centrations (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4%) and then dyed with reactive dye. The depth and fastness of shade of dyed fabric were analyzed by comparing the chitosan treated samples with untreated dyed fabric samples. It has been found that, the dyebath exhaustion is increased with the increment of chitosan concentrations. The exhaustion percentages have found 36.79%, 41.59%, 48.33%, 54.46% and 58.75% for the fabric treated with 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3% and 4% chitosan solution respectively, while the exhaustion of dyebath is only 23.15% for untreated fabric. The K/S values (at λmax = 540 nm) of dyed samples have found 4.93, 6.77, 10.5, 14.07, 15.57 and 2.37 for 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and untreated fabric respectively. The color fastness to washing and rubbing of the dyed fabrics was also evaluated. In case of dry rubbing, both types of fabric have shown almost similar fastness ratings. However, chitosan treated fabrics have shown inferior fastness rating in case of wet rubbing and washing, particularly for the fabrics at higher chitosan concentrations.

Hybrid Composite Based on Natural Rubber Reinforced with Short Fibers of the Triumfetta cordifolia/Saccharum officinarum L.: Performance Evaluation

This article contributes to the development of the new class of fully biodegradable “green” composites by combining fibers (natural/bio) with biodegradable resin. The vegetable fibers (Triumfetta cordifolia and sugarcane bagasse) treated with NaOH and bleached were incorporated into a natural rubber matrix. The influence of the fiber ratio on the physical properties, tensile strength and surface hardness of the hybrid composites was analyzed. The results show that the addition of fibers in the natural rubber matrix increases the water absorption capacity but gradually reduces it with increasing fiber ratio. The hybrid composites of the NRT50-50B proportions show the best tensile strengths at 20 phr and a shore A hardness of 43.7 at 30 phr. The combination of two fibers has improved the physical and mechanical properties of the hybrid composites which can be used in engineering applications.

Applications of Natural Fibers and Its Composites: An Overview

In the present scenario, there has been a rapid attention in research and development in the natural fiber composite field due to its better formability, abundant, renewable, cost-effective and eco-friendly features. This paper exhibits an outline on natural fibers and its composites utilized as a part of different commercial and engineering applications. In this review, many articles were related to applications of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. It helps to provide details about the potential use of natural fibers and its composite materials, mechanical and physical properties and some of their applications in engineering sectors.