The Influences of Fibre Parameters on the Tensile and Flexural Response of Lightweight Thermoplastic Kenaf Fibre Reinforced Metal Composites

ABSTRACT

The increasing demand for high performance and lightweight materials has stimulated the development of alternative materials, namely fiber metal laminates (FMLs). FML is a sandwich structure which is formed by bonding the metallic layers with composite as core constituent using an adhesive agent. In this study, the mechanical behavior of FMLs with the core constituents of environmental friendly kenaf bast fiber reinforced polypropylene composites bonded with aluminum skin layers was investigated. The effects of fiber compositions (50, 60, and 70 wt.%), fiber lengths (30, 60, 90 mm), and alkali treatment on the mechanical responses of FML were investigated. The overall results revealed that the increase of fiber composition and fiber length reduces the mechanical strength of FML owing to the agglomeration of natural fibers when the fiber length exceeds the critical limit. However, the chemical treated kenaf bast fiber reinforced FML showed a significant enhancement of the mechanical properties in comparison to the non-treated fiber reinforced FML owing to the improved fiber-matrix adhesion level.     

Mechanical Characterization and Water Ageing Behavior Studies of Grewia Serrulata Bast Fiber Reinforced Thermoset Composites

Natural fiber-reinforced polyester composites were prepared using bast fibers as the reinforcement which were extracted from Grewia serrulata trees. Chemical treatments such as alkali pretreatment followed by permanganate treatment, acetylation and silane treatment were exclusively applied to modify the fiber surface. Hand lay-up technique with compression molding was adapted for the fabrication of axially oriented fiber reinforced composites. Tensile, flexural and impact strength properties of the specimens prepared were evaluated following the standard procedures. The SEM images of the fractured surfaces shows improvement in compatibility between the chemically treated fibers and the matrix. It was found that the tensile and flexural strengths of chemically treated fiber-reinforced polyester composites have significantly improved when compared to untreated fiber-reinforced polyester specimens. The properties of 1200 hrs water aged specimens were found deteriorated considerably due to diffusion of water into the composite material system. The chemical treatment of fibers prior to fabrication of composites improves the resistance to water absorption tendencies.     

Correlation between Pod Shape Traits and Its Fiber Quality of Wild Calotropis Gigantea

Seed fiber in the Calotropis gigantea (C. gigantea) pods is the most valuable component and can be developed into textile material. Cultivating high-yield and high-quality seed fibers for C. gigantea is one of the critical preconditions for its textile industrialization. In this paper, pods picked from wild C. gigantea plants were used as the experimental materials. The fiber length distribution of the pods was studied. The pod characters (pod shape, single pod weight, fiber weight per pod and seed number per pod, etc.) and the crucial quality characteristics of seed fibers (length, diameter and strength) were tested. The correlations between them were analyzed. The results show that the fiber lengths at the tip, the petiole and the middle part of the pods are significantly different: the fibers from the two sides of the middle part are the longest and more uniform. The pod shape is closely correlated with the fiber length, fineness and strength: longer pods have longer fiber length, smaller length variation and larger fiber diameter, and the percentage of low strength fiber (single fiber strength <1.2 cN) is significantly lower compared to smaller pods. Cultivating C. gigantea with large size and heavy pods will improve the seed fiber yield and the fiber quality.     

ThermoMechanical Characterization of Calotropis gigantea Stem Powder-Filled Jute Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Filler performs key tasks in enhancing the strength of the composites. Calotropis gigantea is a weed waste typically called White Madar, widely grown in Asian countries. It is ground to powder and used as filler. Thus the present work deals with the development of three different jute fiber reinforced epoxy composite filled without and with various weight proportion of Calotropis gigantea stem powder namely 5 and 10 weight percentage using conventional hand lay-up technique. The developed composites are tested for its mechanical properties as per ASTM standards and thermal stability using the Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer. The composite which is filled with 10 weight percentage Calotropis gigantea powder filler showed superior properties in both thermal and mechanical characteristics due to its higher filler content which possess constituents like cellulose, lignin, etc. Scanning Electron Microscopy helped to analyze the fiber pullout, fractured interface, filler distribution, voids of the composites.     

Effectiveness of Alkali and Sodium Bicarbonate Treatments on Sugar Palm Fiber: Mechanical,Thermal, and Chemical Investigations

ABSTRACT

Sugar palm fiber (SPF) as one of the attractive natural fibers to reinforce matrix is gaining attention. This is largely due to its similar properties when compared with other established natural fibers. The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of sodium bicarbonate as a treatment chemical for SPF in comparison with established alkaline treatment. Both treated and untreated fibers were characterized and it was found that the treated fiber shows an increase in crystallinity, thermal stability, and surface’s roughness when compared with the untreated. Among the two different treatments, SPF treated with alkali has an initial decomposition temperature of 255.47°C, while sodium bicarbonate treated and untreated fibers have 250.19°C and 246.76°C, respectively. In both cases, the thermal stability of the fiber was improved. Also, as revealed by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, the crystallinity index of SPF treated with alkali and sodium bicarbonate increased by 18.43% and 13.60%, respectively, when compared with untreated fiber. In conclusion, the investigation proved that treatment with the sodium bicarbonate has a significant effect on the physicochemical properties of SPF and the chemical could be an alternative chemical for treating other cellulose fibers.     

Physico-chemical and mechanical characterization of alkali-treated Agave americana L. fiber

This study investigates the effect of mercerization on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of Agave americana L. fiber. The alkali concentration is a crucial parameter which affects the crystallinity and the tenacity of the fiber. Treatments with low alkali concentrations produce fibers that are stronger than the untreated fibers and at this level the crystallinity reaches high values. However, treatments with high concentrations (>2% wt/v) result in weaker fibers with low crystallinity index. The chemical composition of A. americana L. fibers is also altered by the mercerization process insofar as the cellulose content increased with the NaOH concentration while the hemicelluloses and lignin contents decreased.     

Borassus and Tamarind Fruit Fibers as Reinforcement in Cashew Nut Shell Liquid-Epoxy Composites

In this study borassus and tamarind fruit fibers were extracted and their physical and mechanical properties such as diameter, density, tensile strength and interfacial adhesion strength (IAS) were experimentally determined. To study the effect of alkali treatment, both the fruit fibers were treated with 5% vol. sodium hydroxide solution for 0.5 h, 1 h, 2 h, and 4 h durations. Morphological studies of untreated and alkali treated fibers by using scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the presence of the surface impurities on the untreated fiber whereas the same were absent on the treated fibers. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis also confirmed the elimination of amorphous hemicellulose of the fibers on treatment. Borassus fruit fine fibers and tamarind fruit fibers treated for 2 h exhibited better mechanical properties and improved IAS with Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) -Epoxy matrix.     

Effect of Alkali Treatment on Alfa Fibers Behavior

The object of this study is to characterize of Algerian Alfa (Esparto grass or Stipa tenacissima L), and also to examine the effect of chemical treatment on different properties of this fiber. The surface of the Alfa vegetable fibers was modified by alkali treatment in 5% (NaOH) aqueous solution for 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, 48, and 72 h. The chemical, physical, and morphological properties of the Alfa fibers were investigated. The results show that the Alfa fibers are composed of 39% cellulose, 33% hemicelluloses, 20% lignin, and certain minerals (e.g., SiO₂, K₂O, and CaO). The alkali treatment of the fibers contributes to a decrease in the rate of moisture absorption and to an increase the crystallinity and stiffness. The processing time for adequate alkali treatment is observed at 6 h.     

Characterization of Untreated and Alkaline-Treated Salago Fibers (Genus Wikstroemia Spp.)

Salago fiber (genus wikstroemia spp.) is a bast natural fiber native of the Philippines. This fiber is found all over this country and has various applications, e.g. as handmade paper, currency paper, or bank notes. In this study, untreated and 5 wt% NaOH-treated Salago fibers was characterized chemically, physically, thermally, and morphologically for the first time. It was found that the treatment increases density and improves the mechanical properties of the fiber. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed stretching O–H and C–H alkane groups at 3330 cm^?1 and 2918 cm^?1 respectively and confirmed lignin reduction for the treated fiber. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that treated fibers possessed greater thermal stability. Scanning electron micrographs used to measure fiber diameters showed the rugged surfaces of untreated fibers and the glossier but more distorted surfaces of the treated ones.     

Optimisation of the surface treatment of jute fibres for natural fibre reinforced polymer composites using Weibull analysis

Abstract

The natural bast fibres such as jute, flax, kenaf, hemp, ramie are chemically modified for improving the interfacial adhesion with the hydrophobic matrices. Alkali treatment is amongst the widely used chemical treatment for the surface modification of these natural fibres. In this study, jute fibres are treated with 0.5, 4 and 25?wt.% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution at room temperature for 24?hours, 30?min and 20?min respectively. A comparison has been made between the physical and mechanical properties of these untreated and alkali treated jute fibres. Subsequently, a comparison between the cross-sectional areas of jute fibres before and after alkali treatment by using SEM analysis and circular fibre assumption is also made. The aim of the work is to optimise the alkali treatment processes of jute fibres with different concentrations of NaOH at room temperature. Two-parameter Weibull distribution is also applied to analyse the tensile properties of untreated and different alkali treated jute fibres. It has been observed that probabilistic tensile strength is an effective technique rather than presenting the average tensile strength. The study clearly demonstrates the jute fibre treated with 0.5?wt.% NaOH is more feasible and effective way to improve the mechanical properties of natural fibre reinforced composites.     

Extraction and Characterization of Lignocellulosic Fibers from Girardinia Bullosa (Steudel) Wedd. (Ethiopian Kusha Plant)

ABSTRACT

Currently, eco-friendly products have been given great attention as the world is being polluted severely by non-biodegradable products and by-products. Different textile products have their own share in affecting the environment. This research is focused on exploring alternative bast fiber products to support the supply chain and to assess the possibility of using this fiber as a substitute to already available bast fibers. Kusha fiber was extracted and optimized from Ethiopian kusha plant stem – Girardinia bullosa (Steudel) wedd. – using caustic soda solution by varying the concentration, temperature, and time using design expert 6.0.10, quadratic model software. Tensile property, chemical composition, X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier-transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), fiber morphology, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the fiber were determined. Fiber characterization showed its tensile strength, and the cellulose content was equivalent to or even better than other bast fibers. Morphology of the fiber was similar to that of typical cotton with visible lumen and a slightly flat surface. Therefore, this new extracted fiber has a great potential to be used for different applications such as fiber-reinforced composites, textile furnishing, apparel, and nanocellulose extraction.     

Improvement in mechanical properties of sponge-gourd fibers through different chemical treatment as demonstrated by utilization of the Weibull distribution model

ABSTRACT

Sponge-gourd natural fibers obtained from Luffa cylindrica plant were chemically treated separately using 5?15 wt% NaOH, acetic anhydride and benzoyl chloride solutions. Surface morphological, mechanical and thermal characteristics of untreated and chemically treated fibers were studied. Untreated and modified surfaces of the fibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Tensile tests were carried out by equal length of single fibers to obtain their mechanical properties. The two-parameter Weibull distribution model was applied to find the variation in mechanical properties. Tensile strength, elastic modulus and thermal stability of the fibers were found to significantly increase after chemical treatment.     

Isora Fibre

Abstract

‘Isora’ is a bast fibre separated from the bark of Helicteres isora plant by retting process. Chemical constituents, morphology and physical properties of these fibres have been studied. Density and microscopic methods are used to determine the cross-sectional area and diameter of fibre bundles. Surface modification by alkali and silane treatment was tried. Tensile properties of the treated and untreated fibres were determined by density method. Average tensile strength of the fibre decreased and density increased to some extent on treatment with alkali and silane. The thermal characteristics, crystallinty index, reactivity, and surface morphology of the untreated and treated fibres have been studied by TGA, DSC, DTA, WAXRD, FTIR and SEM. SEM studies showed that fibre surface becomes rough on modification. Thermal analysis showed that chemical modification improves the thermal stability of the fibre. The strength of the fibre was theoretically calculated.     

Alkali treatment on nettle fibers

This work deals with alkali treatment on nettle fibers. The first part of this work examines structure and properties of alkali-treated nettle fibers, while the second part reports on optimization of alkali treatment to improve tensile properties of nettle fibers. In this part, the alkali-treated nettle fibers were examined for their chemical, structural, physical, and mechanical characteristics and compared to untreated fibers. The alkali treatment appeared to remove lignin from the fiber, thereby resulting in increase in its crystallinity, improvement in its appearance, and decrease in its width and linear density. The untreated fiber was quite strong but less flexible and less extensible. A mild alkali treatment resulted in increase in tensile strength and elongation at break, without much changing initial modulus. On the other hand, a severe alkali treatment resulted in reduction in fiber strength as well as initial modulus without much change in elongation at break.     

Properties of Natural Fibers from the Abaxial Side of Fireweed (Gerbera delavayi) Leaf Blade for Manual Spinning

Natural plant fibers obtained from the abaxial side of fireweed (Gerbera delavayi) leaf blade were systematically studied. Fireweed fibers were manually dismantled from hot-bath-treated, refrigerated, or untreated leaves and evaluated for different properties. In terms of the collection method, treatment with hot bath exhibited the highest efficiency. As for chemical composition, that of raw (untreated) fireweed fibers was similar to that of cotton, except for wax content that was four times higher in fireweed fibers that in cotton fibers. Fireweed fiber generally exhibited low values of length (6.5 mm), fineness (0.5 dtex), tenacity (0.7 cN/dtex), density (0.9 g/cm³), and crystallinity (14.6%) but similar elongation at break and moisture regain to those of cotton. Furthermore, fireweed fibers showed a smooth surface, soft texture, and water impermeability. After hot-bath treatment, fibers showed 20% lower wax component but higher thermal stability than raw fibers. The small size hindered the fibers from achieving the desirable standard of spinning and weaving by modern machine, but these unique cellulose fibers can be used for manual textile application without any chemical treatment.     

Morphology,Structure, and Mechanical Properties of Natural Cellulose Fiber from Mendong Grass (Fimbristylis globulosa)

This study was to investigate the morphology, structure, and chemical properties of the Mendong fibers extracted from Mendong grass (Fimbristylis globulosa) in the form of raw and treated fiber by alkali-included chemical content and functional group and to evaluate the strength and properties of Mendong fibers compared with other natural fibers. These studies explore the chemical properties of the fiber including fiber composition and functional group by FTIR, mechanical properties of fiber, and the structural and morphological analysis of the fiber using SEM and XRD. The results showed that the chemical contents of Mendong fibers were 72.14% cellulose, 20.2% hemicellulose, 3.44% lignin, 4.2% extractive, and moisture of 4.2%–5.2%. Mechanical properties of the fiber were a strong character with tensile strength of 452 MPa, and modulus of 17 GPa. The structural properties of Mendong fiber such as crystallinity, crystalline index, microfibril angle, and crystalline size were 70.17% and 58.6%, 22.9°, and 14.3 nm, respectively. This fiber has competitive advantages compared with other natural fibers and can be developed further as a potential reinforcement of polymer matrix composites.     

Cissus Populnea Fiber - Unsaturated Polyester Composites: Mechanical Properties and Interfacial Adhesion

ABSTRACT

Mechanical (flexural, hardness, and impact) properties and interfacial adhesion of acetic anhydride (AC) and ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA) treated Cissus populnea fiber-unsaturated polyester (UPR) composites was investigated because of poor durability of the natural fiber-UPR composite applications. UPR composites were prepared with untreated and optimally treated fiber using hand-lay-up technique. Optimization of mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion between the fiber and UPR were determined using response surface methodology and fiber pull-out method, respectively. AC and EDTA treated fibers improved the flexural and hardness properties and interfacial adhesion at reduced impact strength. This is corroborated with morphology of the composites.     

Effect of Various Chemical Treatments of Prosopis juliflora Fibers as Composite Reinforcement: Physicochemical,Thermal, Mechanical,and Morphological Properties

ABSTRACT

The present environmental regulations enforced by the government authorities have made the investigators around the globe to make use of more and more green materials particularly in composite systems. In this context, natural fibers play an important role and proven to be excellent reinforcements in polymer matrices. However, these natural fibers have got one major limitation: their incompatible hydrophilic behavior which affects their bonding with hydrophobic matrixes. Researchers over the years have come up with several fiber surface modification processes to overcome this defect. So, in this present study, the effect of various chemical treatments like alkaline, benzoyl peroxide, potassium permanganate, and stearic acid on Prosopis juliflora fibers has been discussed. These various chemical treatments on the fiber surfaces impacted on their structure, composition, and properties which were discovered through chemical analysis, Fourier transform-infrared, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and tensile testing.     

麻纤维的改性及其增强复合材料的研究现状

对常见的几种麻纤维与高性能化学纤维的性能进行简单对比,详述了麻纤维表面改性的研究现状。介绍了国内外麻纤维复合材料的应用情况,指出麻纤维增强复合材料具有广泛的应用前景。