Predominant Leptadenia pyrotechnica Alkali-Treated Fiber Composites: Characteristics Analysis

With growing environmental concerns and the depletion of oil reserves,the need to replace synthetic fibres with sustainable alternatives in composite materials has become increasingly urgent.This study investigates the potential of Leptadenia pyrotechnica fibre as a sustainable reinforcement material in hybrid composites alongside E-glass fibres.The primary objectives are to assess these hybrid composites’mechanical properties,structural integrity,and performance.To achieve this,Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM)and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy(FTIR)were employed to analyze the microstructure and chemical composition of the composites.At the same time,mechanical testing focused on properties such as flexural strength and compression strength.Inter-laminar failure analysis evaluated how well the fibres bonded within the composite structure.The results demonstrate that Leptadenia pyrotechnica fibres significantly enhance flexural strength and offer mechanical properties suitable for diverse industrial applications.This indicates their potential as a sustainable alternative to traditional natural fibres.The findings suggest that incorporating Leptadenia pyrotechnica in hybrid composites could lead to the development of more environmentally friendly and durable materials.This work highlights the significance of using sustainable,naturally sourced fibres in composite materials,offering a promising path for further exploration in industrial applications.

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.

Preliminary Study on Tensile and Impact Properties of Kenaf/Bamboo Fiber Reinforced Epoxy Composites

The application of natural fibers as reinforcement in composite material has increased due to environmental concerns,low cost,degradability and health concerns.The purpose of this study is to identify the best type of bamboo fibers to be used as reinforcement for kenaf(K)/bamboo hybrid composite.There were three types of bamboo fibers evaluated in this study which include bamboo mat(B),bamboo fabric(BF)and bamboo powder(BP).Chemical composition of B,BF,BP and K fibers were analyzed in this study.The effect of different types of bamboo fibers on tensile,impact,and morphological properties were investigated.The B/epoxy composites displayed the highest tensile strength(53.03 MPa)while K/epoxy composite had the highest tensile modulus(4.71 GPa).Scanning electron micrographs of B/epoxy composites displayed better fiber/matrix interfacial bonding in comparison to other studied composites.Results showed that impact strength of BF-based composite was highest(45.70 J/m).In conclusion,the tensile strength of B/epoxy composite is superior to the other bamboo reinforced composites and will be further evaluated in the next study.

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 of Recent Advances in Hybrid Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites(NFRCs)have demonstrated great potential for many different applications in various industries due to their advantages compared to synthetic fiber-reinforced composites,such as low environmental impact and low cost.However,one of the drawbacks is that the NFRCs present relatively low mechanical properties and the absorption of humidity due to the hydrophilic characteristic of the natural fibre.One method to increase their performance is hybridization.Therefore,understanding the properties and potential of using multiple reinforcement’s materials to develop hybrid composites is of great interest.This paper provides an overview of the recent advances in hybrid natural fiber reinforced polymer composites.First,the main factors that affect the performance of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites were briefly discussed.The effect of hybridization on the mechanical and thermal properties of hybrid composites reinforced with several types of natural fibers(i.e.,sisal,jute,curauá,ramie,banana,etc.)or natural fibers combined with synthetic fibers is pre-sented.Finally,the water absorption behaviour of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites is also discussed.It was con-cluded that the main challenges that need to be addressed in order to increase the use of natural-natural or natural-synthetic hybrid composites in industry are the poor adhesion between natural fibers and matrix,thermal stability and moisture absorption of natural fibers.Some of these challenges were addressed by recent develop-ment in fibers treatment and modification,and product innovation(hybridization).

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.

Effect of Plant Fiber-Polyacrylamide Blend on Retention and Evaporation Water at Arid and Semi-Arid Soils of Algeria

Soil and water conservation is essential for sustaining food production and for preserving the environment in arid and semi arid lands （ASALs） where conditions for agriculture and other land use systems are often harsh and unpredictable. The ASALs of Algeria are an important source of a variety of non wood forest products like Stipa tenacissima L. plant （esparto grass）. This research was conducted to determine the effects of different low concentration （〈 I%） polyacrylaJnide, Stipa tenacissima L. fiber （esparto grass fibers） and its mixtures with the polymer at water retention in arid and semi arid soil. All samples are characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray Diffractometry, thermal analysis TG DSC and scanning electron micrographs （SEM）. The results showed that polymer blend in soil could improve better soil physical proprieties decreased evaporation and increase water retention in arid soils compared with application of any other blend at the same concentration. The use of Polyacrylamide-Cellulose blend appears to promise for reducing the labor cost of irrigation at arid and semi-arid soils, and offers safe and environmentally friendly inexpensive materials. The importance of Polyacrylamide-Cellulose blends to alleviate poor physical properties and retain water in these arid regions to sustain plant growth.

Synergistic effect of chitin nanofibers and polyacrylamide on electrochemical performance of their ternary composite with polypyrrole

Development of simple methods for preparation of polymeric electrode materials with nanofibrous network structure is a perspective way toward cheap supercapacitors with high specific capacitance and energy density. In this work one-pot synthesis of electroactive ternary composite based on polypyrrole, polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers with beneficial morphology was elaborated. Ternary system demonstrates better electrochemical performance in comparison with both polypyrrole–polyacrylamide and polypyrrole–chitin binary composites. Possible mechanism of synergistic effect of simultaneous influence of polyacrylamide and chitin nanofibers on the formation of composite＇s structure is discussed.The highest attained specific capacitance of electroactive polypyrrole in ternary composite reached 249 F/g at 0.5 A/g and 150 F/g at 32 A/g. Symmetrical supercapacitor was assembled using the elaborated electrode material. High specific capacitance 89 F/g and good cycling stability with capacitance retention of 90% after 3000 cycles at 2 A/g were measured.

A Mini Review on Natural Fiber Honeycomb (NFH) Sandwiched Structure Composite: Flexural Perfomance Perspective

Natural Fiber Honeycomb (NFH) sandwiched structure composite is a type of composite that uses natural fiber as the reinforcement material and honeycomb structure in the form of a sandwich panel. The demand for commercial use of natural fiber-based composites is increasing in the past few years in many industrial sectors. The increase in popularity of natural fibers is because of their particular properties, price, health benefits, and recyclability. This paper aims to analyze the data and analysis of the past research about NFH sandwiched structure composite in terms of the materials used to make the NFH, the physical and mechanical properties, and their applications. Based on the literature review conducted, there were many types of materials used to make the NFH sandwiched structure composite. Some experimental tests were planned and conducted to analyze the mechanical properties of the NFH and its potential to be used in the desired industries. However, there are not many implementations of NFH composite in the construction industry. This is due to the concern related to the issue of the structural integrity of the NFH composite. From the literature review conducted, most of the research shows a positive analysis of the mechanical properties and the potential of the developed NFH to be used for the targeted industry in the study. Therefore, it can be observed that the material used in this study has a high potential to be used in the construction industry.

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.

Tensile and Stress Analysis of Hybrid Composite Prosthetic Socket Reinforced with Natural Fibers

Natural fibers and their composites are the evolving movements in material science,and with that,the utmost use of plant-based fibers has become the focus of this research.Sisal and cotton natural fibers were used to construct a prosthetic socket as an attempt to substitute material currently available in the manufacturing of sockets.The vacuum bagging technique was adopted to produce a below-knee socket.The influence of different fiber layering sequences on the volumetric and mechanical characteristics was estimated experimentally and numerically.Mechanical tensile tests were used to assess laminated specimens,such as tensile strength,young modulus,and elongation percentage.The number and type of reinforcing layers had an effect on mechanical properties,and the best composite specimens were three layers of sisal with two layers of carbon fiber,with tensile strength and modulus of elasticity reaching(261–4760)MPa,respectively.The finite element method(ANSYS-16.1)was used to anatomize by seeing the contours distribution of safety factor,equivalent Von Mises stress,equivalent Von Mises strain,and total deformation.This procedure was executed by building ten models for the socket,which served as three-dimensional structural composite materials.The results of the present study advocate that the arrangement of natural and synthetic reinforcements allow the preparation of bio-composites with enhanced performance.This work revealed the assets of sisal and cotton fiber hybrid reinforced PMMA resin composites(hybridized at diverse volume percentages and lamination layup),which have not been tried up to now.

Synergistic effect of hybrid Himalayan Nettle/Bauhinia-vahlii fibers on physico-mechanical and sliding wear properties of epoxy composites

The cellulosic bast fibers are recognized as a justifiable and biodegradable substitute for producing moderate strength polymer composite materials because of their characteristics of renewability,ecofriendliness,and higher specific strength.Hence the aim of this research work is to fabricate Himalayan bast fibers(Nettle fiber(NF)/bauhinia vahlii fiber(BF)) based mono/hybrid epoxy composites at varying weight percentage of 2-6 wt% and evaluate the physical(void fraction and water absorption),mechanical(tensile strength,flexural strength,hardness) and sliding wear properties of as-fabricated composites.The 6 wt% NBF reinforced composites exhibited higher mechanical properties as compared to NF and BF composites with tensile strength of 34.04 MPa,flexural strength of 42.45 MPa,and hardness of 37.01 Hv respectively.The influence of various control factors(sliding velocity,NF/BF/NBF contents,normal load and sliding distance) on specific sliding wear rate of composites was evaluated by Taguchi(three factors at three levels) experimental design and the percentage contribution of these selected parameters on sliding wear performance was examined by Analysis of variance(ANOVA).The sliding wear property of as-developed composites was found to be greatly influenced by sliding velocity and the wear resistance was observed to be improved with the NF/BF/NBF contents.The wear mechanism of the as-fabricated composites has been elucidated by scanning electron microscopy analysis.The research outcomes demonstrated that the hybridization of Bauhinia vahlii fiber with Nettle fiber led to improve the mechanical and wear properties of epoxy composites.

Hygrothermal/UV Aging Effect on Visual Aspect and Mechanical Properties of Non-Woven Natural-Fiber Composites

This work aims at studying the effect of hygrothermal and UV cyclic aging on the tensile properties and esthetic characteristics of non-woven composites.The composite materials were thermo-compressed from non-woven mats made up of PP and flax or kenaf fibers.This works included evaluating the change in color appearance and analyzing the variations in tensile properties and damage mechanisms,depending on the aging time.The presence of the UV protection film on the composite surface showed its effectiveness against aging.From visual observations and measurement of colorimetric parameters,it has been proved effective in the reduction of the bleaching and yellowing of the composites.As regards the tensile tests,the UV protection film enabled to stabilize the Young’s modulus after 1-week aging for Kenaf/PP and after 3-weeks for Flax/PP.After 4-weeks aging,it halved the number of acoustic emission events related to interfacial decohesion and fiber slippage/pull out for Flax/PP and Kenaf/PP composites.

Acoustic Properties of Micro-Perforated Panels Made from Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Reinforced Polylactic Acid

This paper presents the development and performance of micro-perforated panels(MPP)from natural fiber reinforced composites.The MPP is made of Polylactic Acid(PLA)reinforced with Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber(OPEFBF).The investigation was made by varying the fiber density,air gap,and perforation ratio to observe the effect on the Sound Absorption Coefficient(SAC)through the experiment in an impedance tube.It is found that the peak level of SAC is not affected,but the peak frequency shifts to lower frequency when the fiber density is increased.This phenomenon might be due to the presence of porosity in the inner wall of the holes.Increasing or decreasing the air gap and perforation ratio shifts the peaks of acoustic absorption either way.

The Mechanism of Negative-ion Generation of Natural Fiber Fabrics

Generally there are three kinds of substances used as negative-ion generator in textiles, natural silicate minerals （ceramic/tourmaline）, natural rare-earth minerals and natural sediment with ultra-fine pores. Based on different additive, the mechanism of negative-ion generation is largely divided into three kinds, the piezoelectricity and pyroelectricity of tourmaline crystal, air ionization caused by low-level radiation and breaking up of the clusters of moisture in air when going through the ultra-free pores of natural sediment. In this paper, the negative-ion generating properties of natural fiber fabrics-cctton, wool, silk and linen were first proposed. By some kind of physical stimulation, rubbing or vibrating, natural fiber fabrics without any additive could also emit negative ions. Considering that the piezoelectric effect was observed in wool fibers, silk fibers and cellulose fibers, the piezoelectricity was studied as a mechanism of negative-ion generation of natural fiber fabrics. Another possible mechanism was the tribeelectricity produced by the sense of ntbbtng or vibrating and tip discharge of hairiness. The Final experiment results verified that the latter would be the main reason, and the electrolytic dissociation of moisture was also contributing to negative-ion generation.

Environmental and Durability Perspective of the Use of Curaua Fiber Treated in Mortars

The use of natural lignocellulosic fibers(NLFs)as a reinforcement mechanism for cementitious composites,such as mortar,has been investigated in the last decades.However,their application has often been restricted to technological evaluation research.A NLF with great potential the curaua,which after treatment with NaOH solution,proved to be technologically feasible for mortars reinforcement based on cement and lime.The objective of this research was the comparative evaluation between a traditional mortar,based on cement and lime,with 1:1:6:0.8 ratio of cement:lime:sand:water,and a modified mortar with addition of 2 wt.%treated curaua fiber in cement mass by evaluating environmental and durability aspects.After a curing time for 28 days,environmental assessments were carried out and durability methodologies were evaluated.The tests performed were:(i)attack by chlorides and sulfate,(ii)the wetting and drying cycles,and(iii)slake durability test.The results showed that the mortar with the addition of curaua fiber presented a similar behavior to the reference mixture,both in terms of environmental and durability aspects.This modified mortar is able to be used in internal and external environments,the latter with some conditions.Besides,it also contributes to the promotion of sustainable use of curaua fiber.

The Influence of Two Natural Reinforcement Fibers on the Hygrothermal Properties of Earthen Plasters in Mogao Grottoes of China

Murals in Mogao Grottoes consist of three parts:support layer,earthen plasters and paint layer.The earthen plasters play a key role in the preservation of murals.It is a mixture of Dengban soil,sand,and plant fiber.Two different natural fibers,hemp fiber and cotton fiber,were reinforced to earthen plasters in the same percentage to evaluate the influence on hygrothermal performance.The two types of earthen plasters were studied:one containing hemp fiber in the fine plaster(HFP)and the other containing cotton fiber in the fine plaster(CFP).Specific heat capacity,dry thermal conductivity,water vapor permeability,and sorption isotherms were investigated.The results showed that the difference between two natural fibers has much more impact on the hygric properties(water vapor permeability and sorption isotherms)of earthen plasters than on their thermal performance(specific heat capacity and dry thermal conductivity).The CFP with higher density has higher thermal conductivity than the HFP with lower density.But no significant differences of specific heat capacity were observed.Compared with HFP,CFP used in murals can reduce the rate of water transfer and prevent salt from transferring water to the mural surface.The overall findings highlight that all these features of CFP are beneficial to the long-term preservation of murals.The study of the earthen plasters in Mogao Grottoes is of general significance,and the measured properties can be used to obtain coupled heat and moisture analysis of the earthen plasters and to dissect the degradation mechanism of murals.

Genetic Linkage Analysis of the Natural Colored Fiber and Fuzzless Traits in Cotton

Genetic linkage relationship of the natural colored fiber and six fuzzless seed germplasms in obsolete backgrounds of Gossypium hirsutum(AD genome) and G.barbadense were analyzed in the

Comparative Life-cycle Assessment of Sheet Molding Compound Reinforced by Natural Fiber vs. Glass Fiber

We present comparative life-cycle assessments of three fiber-reinforced sheet molding compounds （SMCs） using kenaf fiber, glass fiber and soy protein resin. Sheet molding compounds for automotive applications are typically made of unsaturated polyester and glass fibers. Replacing these with kenaf fiber or soy protein offers potential environmental benefits. A soy-based resin, maleated acrylated epoxidized soy oil （MAESO）, was synthesized from refined soybean oil. Kenaf fiber and polyester resins were used to make SMC 1 composites, while SMC2 composites were made from kenaf fiber and a resin blend of 20% MASEO and 80% unsaturated polyester. Both exhibited good physical and mechanical properties, though neither was as strong as glass fiber reinforced polyester SMC. The functional unit was defined as mass to achieve equal stiffness and stability for the manufacture of interior parts for automobiles. The life-cycle assessments were done on SMCI, SMC2 and glass fiber reinforced SMC. The material and energy balances from producing one functional unit of three composites were collected from lab experiments and the literature. Key environmental measures were computed using SimaPro software. Kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC composites （SMC1 and SMC2） performed better than glass fiber-reinforced SMC in every environmental category. The global warming potentials of kenaf fiber-reinforced SMC （SMCI） and kenaf soy resin-based SMC （SMC2） were 45% and 58%, respectively, of glass fiber-reinforced SMC. Thus, we have demonstrated significant ecological benefit from replacing glass fiber reinforced SMC with soy-based resin and natural fiber.

A Study of Fabrication Technique, Structural and Morphological Behavior of Polypropylene Reinforced with Short Natural Fiber Banana

Fiber reinforced polypropylene has been widely accepted as material for structural and engineering applications in recent years.Jute,Banana fibers etc.are the most common low cost,versatile,renewable and abundantly available natural fibers which have biodegradable properties.All these fibers are versatile,renewable and most common agro based fibers that have enormous aspect due to their potentiality in composite manufacture.In comparison to other artificial fibers there are many advantages of natural fibers due to everyday applications such as,paperweight,suitcases,lampshades,helmets,and shower and bath units.Untreated and alkali treated banana fiber reinforced with Polypropylene matrix composite were fabricated with 10-25%loading of fiber by weight and were fabricated as Polypropylene Banana Composite(PPBC).Using melt mixing hot press molding technique these biodegradable composites were prepared.Different characteristics like morphologies and micro structural analysis of the composites were studied by Scanning electron microscope(SEM)and infrared spectroscopy instrument(IR).Due to the concept of group vibration infrared spectroscopy has the extensive application.Any kind of structural change such as addition or substitution of groups or atoms in a molecule may affect the relative mode of vibration of the group.This causes change in IR spectral band position,change in relative intensities and appearance of new bands and disappearance of any band and splitting of a single band into two or more bands.To increase the utility of fiber infrared spectroscopy can also be used.It deals with the interaction of infrared light with matter.The former can indicate the presence of functional groups qualitatively and the latter can provide a semi quantitative measure of their concentrations.On the other hand Electron Microscopy is most widely used to obtain information regarding the morphology of fiber surfaces,especially SEM(Scanning Electron Microscopy).Using SEM,it is easy to determine the differences of fiber surface topography after and before treatment,and hence the formation of fiber polymer composites.Fiber deboning was also observed for untreated and treated fiber pp matrix composite.The SEM can have a magnification range from a few times to several hundred thousand times.