Physical,chemical and surface properties of wheat husk,rye husk and soft wood and their polypropylene composites

The main objective of this research was to study the potential of grain by-products such as wheat husk, rye husk as reinforcements for thermoplastics as an alternative or together with wood fibres. Thermal degradation characteristics, bulk density, water absorption and solubility index were also investigated. The particle morphology and particle size was investigated by scanning electron microscopy. Water absorption properties of the fibres were studied to evaluate the viability of these fibres as reinforcements. The chemical composition of fibre such as cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, starch, protein and fat were also measured. Surface chemistry and functionality of grain by-products was studied by EDX and FT-IR. Polypropylene composites were fabricated using a high speed mixer followed by injection moulding with 40 wt.% of fibre load. Tensile and Charpy impact strength of resulting composites were investigated.     

A comparative study on the effects of Coriolus versicolor on properties of HDPE/wood flour/paper sludge composites

In this study, the effects of white-rot fungus (Coriolus versicolor) on the properties of high density polyethylene (HDPE)/wood flour/paper sludge composites were examined. In addition, the effectiveness of using coupling agent on the durability of decayed and undecayed WPCs was investigated. Two different types of sludge materials, namely paper making waste water sludge (PS) and ink-eliminated sludge (IES) were used. The mechanical properties, morphology, and water absorption of fabricated composites were investigated. At a similar wood flour loading, except for modulus of elasticity, the fungi treated composites showed lower mechanical properties (such as modulus of rupture and unnotched Izod impact strength), and higher water absorption compared to untreated composites. According to the results, addition of wood flour decreased the resistance of the composites to moisture and fungal environment. The exposure of the composites to a 4-cycle (2, 24, 48 and 72 h) water immersion caused serious damage to the interfacial adhesion between wood flour and polymer matrix due to contraction and swelling stresses developed during the cyclic exposure. The detrimental effect of fungal treatment on the water uptake of the composites could be explained by the degradation of lignin which made the cellulose content more accessible. Further, it makes chains of cavities that accelerate water absorption. However, the weight losses of all cases of treated composites were low (less than 2.5%), while PS filled composites were more susceptible to white-rot fungi. The addition of coupling agent during the compounding of wood flour and HDPE prevented the colonization and proliferation of fungus on the surface of the composites, and had an advantageous effect on the water uptake and mechanical properties of both treated and untreated composites.     

Effects of chemical preservative treatments on durability of wood flour/HDPE composites

The main objective of this study was to determine the durability of chemical preservatives treated wood flour/high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites to white-rot fungus (Coriolus versicolor). Specimens, containing treated and untreated poplar wood flour (PF, 60%), were mixed with HDPE (38%) as polymer matrix and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE, 2 wt.%) as coupling agent. Two fungicide materials, namely 3-iodo-2-propynyl butylcarbamate (IPBC, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt.%) and 2 thiazol-4-yl-1H-benzoimidazole (TBZ, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 wt.%) were used in preparation of wood plastic composites (WPCs). Then, treated and untreated composites were exposed to the fungal decay for 12 weeks according to the European Union (EN) 113 standard. Mechanical and physical properties of the composites were evaluated before and after fungal incubation. The experimental results indicated that treated composites were more resistant to decay, with strength losses significantly lower than the untreated (control) sample. Physical properties in terms of water absorption and thickness swelling were improved by the incorporation of fungicide agents, but no significant differences were observed between the treaded samples. Weight losses for the various treated composites ranged from 1.1% to 4.5%. In addition, IPBC treated samples showed slightly lower weight loss compared with the treated composites with TBZ. The highest weight loss corresponds to the control. Accordingly, IPBC and TBZ can be effectively used as preservatives for WPC. However, IPBC showed superior results compared to the TBZ and it is recommended for the WPCs preservation.     

Date palm wood flour/glass fibre reinforced hybrid composites of recycled polypropylene: Mechanical and thermal properties

Recycled polypropylene (RPP) based hybrid composites of date palm wood flour/glass fibre were prepared by different weight ratios of the two reinforcements. Mixing process was carried out in an extruder and samples were prepared by injection molding machine. Recycled PP properties were improved by reinforcing it by wood flour. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of wood flour reinforced RPP increased further by adding glass fibre. Glass fibre reinforced composites showed higher hardness than other composites. Morphological studies indicated that glass fiber has good adhesion with recycled PP supporting the improvement of the mechanical properties of hybrid composites with glass fiber addition. Addition of as little 5 wt% glass fibre to wood flour reinforced RPP increases the tensile strength by about 18% relative to the wood flour reinforcement alone. An increase in wood particle content in the PP resulted in a decrease in the degree of crystallinity of the polymer. The tensile strength of the composites increased with an increase in the percentage of crystallinity when adding the glass fibre. The improvement in the mechanical properties with the increase in crystallinity percentage (and with the decrease of the lamellar thicknesses) can be attributed to the constrained region between the lamellae because the agglomeration is absent in this case.     

Mechanical behaviour of agro-residue reinforced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), (PHBV) green composites: A comparison with traditional polypropylene composites

Novel green composites were successfully fabricated by incorporating agro-residues as corn straw (CS), soy stalk (SS) and wheat straw (WS) into the bacterial polyester, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate), PHBV, by melt mixing technique. Effects of these biomass fibers on mechanical, thermal, and dynamic mechanical properties of PHBV were investigated. A comparative study of biomass fiber-reinforced polypropylene composite systems was performed. The tensile and storage modulus of PHBV was improved by maximum 256% and 308% with the reinforcement of 30 wt.% agricultural byproducts to it. For equal amounts of (30%) biomass fibers, tensile and flexural modulii of PHBV composites showed much higher values than corresponding PP composites. Alkali treatment of wheat straw fibers enhanced strain @ break and impact strength of PHBV composites by ∼35%, hardly increasing strength and modulus compared to their untreated counterparts. DMA studies indicated better interfacial interaction of PHBV with the biomass fibers than PP. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), used to study the morphology of composites, also revealed similar outcomes.     

Mechanical,thermal expansion,and flammability properties of co-extruded wood polymer composites with basalt fiber reinforced shells

Basalt fiber (BF) filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) and co-extruded wood plastic composites (WPCs) with BF/HDPE composite shell were successfully prepared and their mechanical, morphological and thermal properties characterized. The BFs had an average diameter of 7 μm with an organic surfactant surface coating, which was thermally decomposed at about 210 °C. Incorporating BFs into HDPE matrix substantially enhanced flexural, tensile and dynamic modulus without causing a noticeable decrease in the tensile and impact strength of the composites. Micromechanical modeling of tensile properties for the BF/HDPE composites showed a good fit of the selected models to the experimental data. Compared to neat HDPE, BF/HDPE composites had reduced linear coefficient of thermal expansion (LCTE) values. The use of the pure HDPE and BF/HDPE layers over a WPC core greatly improved impact strength of core–shell structured composites. However, the relatively less-stiff HDPE shell with large LCTE values decreased the overall composite modulus and thermal stability. Both flexural and thermal expansion properties were enhanced with BF reinforced HDPE shells, leading to well-balanced properties of core–shell structured material. Cone calorimetry analysis indicated that flammability performance of core–shell structured composites was improved as the BF content increased in the shell layer.     

Surface modification of wood flour and its effect on the properties of PP/wood composites

The surface of wood flour used as reinforcement in PP/wood composites was successfully modified by benzylation in NaOH solution of 20 wt% concentration at 105 °C. The time of the reaction was changed between 5 and 360 min in several steps. The progress of modification was followed by the measurement of weight increase and by diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT). The structure of the wood was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and its surface tension was determined by inverse gas chromatography (IGC). PP composites containing 20 wt% filler were prepared from a PP block copolymer and the modified wood flour. The mechanical behavior of the composites was characterized by tensile testing. The majority of the active hydroxyl groups at the surface were replaced by benzyl groups in about 2 h under the conditions used. Further increase in reaction time did not influence the properties of the filler. Both the structure of the wood flour and its surface tension changed as an effect of modification. The reduction of surface tension led to significant changes in all interactions between the wood flour and other substances resulting in a considerable decrease of water absorption, which is the major benefit of this modification. All measured mechanical properties of the composites decreased slightly with increasing degree of modification. A detailed analysis of the results proved that the dominating micromechanical deformation process of these PP/wood composites is debonding, which is further facilitated by the decrease in the surface tension of the filler. Chemical modification of wood flour slightly improved processability and the surface appearance of the composites prepared with them and considerably decreased the water absorption of these latter.     

离子聚合物改性木粉/HDPE复合材料流变特性

为了提高木塑复合材料（WPC）的加工流动性能,利用离子聚合物改性WPC,通过HAAKE Minilab微量混合流变仪研究了离子聚合物改性木粉/高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）的毛细管流变特征。结果表明：添加与未添加离子聚合物的木粉/HDPE均为非牛顿流体中的假塑性流体,均呈现出“剪切变稀”的效应;随着钠离子聚合物含量的增加,改性木粉/HDPE的剪切应力和表观黏度均随着剪切速率的增大呈现降低的趋势,表明钠离子聚合物的加入可以显著改善聚合物熔体的流动特性;添加4wt%的钠离子聚合物和4wt%的锌离子聚合物的木粉/HDPE剪切应力和表观黏度均要低于添加4wt%的偶联剂马来酸酐接枝聚乙烯（MAH-g-PE）的WPC的值,表明与MAH-g-PE相比,离子聚合物更能够改善WPC的流动性能,减小熔体流动时HDPE与木粉之间的摩擦阻力;SEM分析表明,添加离子聚合物后HDPE塑料对木粉有很好的包覆效果,没有明显的界面缝隙,且在WPC断面上存在大量的毛刺纤维。     

Green composites from a conjugated linseed oil-based resin and wheat straw

Green composites have been prepared using a free radically cured conjugated linseed oil-based resin reinforced with wheat straw. The effect of the amount of the wheat straw; the size of the wheat straw fiber; the matrix crosslink density; the incorporation of a compatibilizer, maleic anhydride; and the molding pressure on the structure, water absorption, and thermal and mechanical properties of the composites has been investigated. In general, increasing the amount of the wheat straw, the crosslink density of the matrix, and the molding pressure leads to improved thermal and mechanical properties. By using maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer, significant improvements in the mechanical properties can be achieved. Results from water uptake experiments indicate that the amount and fiber size of the wheat straw are the major factors influencing the absorption of water in the composite. The composites prepared are composed of 75–95 wt.% renewable materials and most have properties suitable for industrial applications.     

Morphology,mechanical properties,and dimensional stability of wood particle/high density polyethylene composites: Effect of removal of wood cell wall composition

Variation in the chemical composition of wood cell walls has a significant influence on the properties of wood plastic composites (WPCs). This study investigated the effect of removal of hemicellulose and/or lignin on the mechanical properties and dimensional stability of WPCs. Four types of wood particles with various compositions including native wood flour (WF), hemicellulose-removed particle (HR), holocellulose (HC), and α-cellulose (αC) were prepared and compounded with high density polyethylene (HDPE) in an extruder, both with and without maleated polyethylene. Injection molding was used to make test specimens. The HR-based composites exhibited the best water resistance. The HC-based composites obtained a greater tensile modulus but a lower water resistance. The highest values for tensile strength, elongation at brake, toughness, and impact strength were achieved by the composites filled with αC.     

亚临界流体挤出法制备高密度聚乙烯/木粉复合材料

采用亚临界流体挤出法制备高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)/木粉复合材料,研究了亚临界流体种类(去离子水、正丙醇和乙醇)与温度对木塑复合材料(WPC)综合力学性能的影响。实验利用傅立叶变换红外光谱、差示扫描量热分析和扫描电镜分别对复合材料的化学组成、热变形温度和界面形貌作了相应的研究。结果表明,亚临界流体的高温高压可以对木纤维起到很好的溶胀作用,一定程度上打破了木素、半纤维素对纤维素的包裹作用,明显促进基体与木纤维之间的机械捏合与酯化反应,增加界面强度。在亚临界流体条件下,尤其在亚临界乙醇条件下,木粉在HDPE树脂基体中具有优异的分散性,拉伸断面处的断裂形式主要以基体与纤维断裂为主,说明HDPE/木粉的WPC具有较好的界面结合强度。     

短切碳纤维表面处理对木粉/高密度聚乙烯复合材料性能的影响

木粉（WF）填充增强高密度聚乙烯（HDPE）复合材料具有良好的环境效益,少量引入短切碳纤维（SCF）可进一步提高其力学性能。为改善SCF与WF/HDPE复合材料中塑料基体的界面结合,提高SCF在WF/HDPE复合材料中的增强作用,采用气相、液相及气液双效氧化3种表面处理方式处理SCF,通过挤出工艺制备短切碳纤维增强木粉/高密度聚乙烯复合材料（SCF-WF/HDPE）,探讨了不同处理方法对SCF-WF/HDPE复合材料性能的影响。SEM观察显示,表面处理增大了SCF的表面粗糙度,可提高其与基体的界面结合;动态力学性能分析证实碳纤维提高了存储模量。测试结果表明：表面处理过的短切碳纤维可使SCF-WF/HDPE复合材料的力学性能、热力学性能和蠕变性能均得到显著提高,其中气相表面处理的效果最好。对比WF/HDPE复合材料,SCF-WF/HDPE的拉伸强度提高了34.5%,弯曲强度提高了23%,冲击强度提高了54.7%。     

Physical,mechanical and morphological properties of polymer composites manufactured from carbon nanotubes and wood flour

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate physical, mechanical and morphological properties of experimental polymer type panels made from single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) and wood flour. The composites with different SWCNTs (0, 1, 2, 3 phc) and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) (0 and 3 phc) contents were mixed by melt compounding in an internal mixer and then the composites manufactured by injection molding method. The mass ratio of the wood flour to LDPE was 50/50 (w/w) in all compounds. Water absorption, thickness swelling, bending characteristics, impact strength and morphological properties of the manufactured composites were evaluated. Based on the findings in this work the water absorption and thickness swelling of the nanocomposites decreased with increasing with amount of the SWCNTs (from 1 to 3 phc) and MAPE (3 phc) in the panels. The mechanical properties of LDPE/wood-flour composites could be significantly enhanced with increased percentage of MAPE and SWCNTs content. Panels having 2 phc SWCNTs and 3 phc MAPE exhibited the highest impact strength value. Also Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) micrographs showed that carbon nanotubes can fill the voids of wood plastic composites as well as addition of MAPE and SWCNTs enhanced interaction between the components.     

Mechanical properties of wood–fiber reinforced polypropylene composites: Effect of a novel compatibilizer with isocyanate functional group

Natural fibers are increasingly being used as reinforcement in commercial thermoplastics due to their low cost, high specific properties and renewable nature. While the maleic anhydride modified polypropylene (MAPP) is most commonly used as compatibilizer to improve interfacial adhesion between hydrophilic wood–fibers and hydrophobic polypropylene, in this study, a novel compatibilizer (m-TMI-g-PP) with isocyanate functional group was synthesized by grafting m-isopropenyl-α,α-dimethylbenzyl-isocyanate (m-TMI) onto isotactic polypropylene (PP) in a twin screw extruder. The effect of filler concentration on the mechanical properties of wood–fiber filled composites, prepared by using m-TMI-g-PP as the compatibilizer, was investigated. The addition of the compatibilizer resulted in greater reinforcement of composites, as indicated by the improvement in mechanical properties. Tensile strength of composites so prepared increased by almost 45%, whereas 85% increase in flexural properties was observed. However the addition of wood–fibers resulted in a decrease in elongation at break and impact strength of the composites.     

The influence of wood flour particle size and content on the rheological,physical, mechanical and morphological properties of EVA/wood cellular composites

Cellular composites reinforced with vegetal fibers are an emerging class of materials combining good mechanical properties with reduced density and superior impact energy absorption, as well as thermal and acoustic isolation compared to other composites. This research aims to investigate the effects of different particle sizes and contents of wood flour (WF) on the properties of cellular poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA)/WF composites. The cellular composites were foamed in a heat press using azodicarbonamide as blowing agent. The results indicate that decreasing the particle size of WF increases the viscosity of the composite, which restricts the expandability of the composite. The presence of WF in the cellular composite increases the nucleation of cells, providing a larger number of smaller cells with increased filler content. Optimal homogeneity was observed with WF B (100–150 mesh), but the highest mechanical properties of tear strength were observed with WF C (150–270 mesh).     

Effects of wood constituents and content,and glass fiber reinforcement on wear behavior of wood/PVC composites

In flooring applications, experimental data and insight from scientific investigations on wear properties of wood/polymer composites (WPCs) are important for engineers to understand how to design and formulate WPC materials with high resistance to wear. In this work, three different types of wood flour – namely Xylia kerrii Craib & Hutch., Hevea brasiliensis Linn., and Mangifera indica Linn. – were utilized and incorporated into poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with a fixed content (10 phr) of E-chopped strand glass fiber. The physical, mechanical and wear properties, in terms of specific wear rate, were then assessed as a function of wood content and sliding distance. The experimental results suggested that the addition of wood flour increased the flexural modulus and strength up to 40 phr; beyond this concentration, the flexural properties decreased. Hardness was not affected by the addition of wood flour. The mechanical and wear properties of WPVC composites were found to improve with the addition of the E-glass fiber. Xylia kerrii Craib & Hutch. wood exhibited the lowest specific wear rate for non-reinforced WPVC composites, whereas Hevea brasiliensis Linn. wood showed the lowest specific wear rate for the glass fiber reinforced WPVC composites. The longer the sliding distance, the greater the specific wear rate in all cases.     

玻璃纤维含量对竹粉/高密度聚乙烯复合材料性能的影响

为利用玻璃纤维提高木塑复合材料的综合性能,探讨玻璃纤维含量对竹粉/高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)复合材料性能的影响规律,首先,采用A-171硅烷偶联剂对竹粉表面进行了改性,并加入了一定量的玻璃纤维;然后,采用热压成型工艺制备了玻璃纤维-竹粉/HDPE复合材料;最后,考察了玻璃纤维含量对复合材料力学性能、热学性能及摩擦学性能的影响,并利用SEM观察材料的断面和磨损表面形貌。结果表明:当玻璃纤维含量为3wt%时,能显著提高竹粉/HDPE复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度,与未添加玻璃纤维的复合材料相比,添加玻璃纤维后复合材料的拉伸强度和弯曲强度分别提高了19.41%和23.54%;在30~60℃温度范围内,复合材料长度-宽度方向上的线膨胀系数随着玻璃纤维含量的增加而明显减小,而同一复合材料的线膨胀系数随温度的升高而逐步增大;在氮气气氛下,随玻璃纤维含量的增加,竹粉/HDPE复合材料的摩擦系数先逐渐增大,而后基本保持不变,磨损率逐渐减小。所得结论显示玻璃纤维含量为3wt%~7wt%的木塑产品适用于建筑横梁(如凉亭或桥梁等),而玻璃纤维含量为7wt%~10wt%的木塑产品适用于高人流量场所(如公园或休闲绿道等)的地面铺装。      

Effect of a novel coupling agent,alkyl ketene dimer,on the mechanical properties of wood–plastic composites

The objective of this study was to investigate the incorporation of poplar wood fibers both with and without a novel coupling agent, alkyl ketene dimer (AKD), on the mechanical properties of wood fiber/polypropylene (PP) composites. The resulting properties were compared to those obtained with the most commonly used coupling agent, maleic anhydride grafted PP (MAPP). Tensile and impact strengths of the composites decreased with increasing poplar wood fibers content. Tensile modulus of the composites increased by the incorporation of the wood fibers content up to 70 wt% but further increment in the wood fibers decreased the tensile modulus. At the constant content of poplar wood fibers (70 wt%), the tensile strength determined for the coupled composites with 5% AKD increased by 41% in comparison with the non-coupled composites while the tensile modulus increased by 45%, the impact strength of the coupled composites increased by 38%. The performance of 5% AKD on the mechanical properties of the composites is a little better than 3% MAPP. The good performance of 5% AKD is attributed to the enhanced compatibility between the poplar wood fibers and the polymer matrix. The increase in mechanical properties of the composites demonstrated that AKD is an effective coupling agent for wood fiber/PP composites.     

Heat treated wood–nylon 6 composites

Heat treatment is a relatively benign modification method that is growing as an industrial process to improve hygroscopicity, dimensional stability and biological resistance of lignocellulosic fillers. There also has been increased interest in the use of lignocellulosic fillers in numerous automotive applications. This study investigated the influence of untreated and heat treated wood fillers on the mechanical and rheological properties of wood filled nylon 6 composites for possible under-the-hood applications in the automobile industry where conditions are too severe for commodity plastics to withstand. In this study, exposure of wood to high temperatures (212 °C for 8 h) improved the thermal stability and crystallinity of wood. Heat treated pine and maple filled nylon 6 composites (at 20 wt.% loading) had higher tensile strengths among all formulations and increased tensile strength by 109% and 106% compared to neat nylon 6, respectively. Flexural modulus of elasticity (FMOE) of the neat nylon 6 was 2.34 GPa. The FMOE increased by 101% and 82% with the addition of 30 wt.% heat treated pine and 20 wt.% heat treated maple, where it reached maximum values of 4.71 GPa and 4.27 GPa, respectively. The rheological properties of the composites correlated with the crystallinity of wood fillers after the heat treatment. Wood fillers with high crystallinity after heat treatment contributed to a higher storage modulus, complex viscosity and steady shear viscosity and low loss factor in the composites. This result suggests that heat treatment substantially affects the mechanical and rheological properties of wood filled nylon 6 composites. The mechanical properties and thermogravimetric analysis indicated that the heat treated wood did not show significant thermal degradation under 250 °C, suggesting that the wood-filled nylon composites could be especially relevant in thermally challenging areas such as the manufacture of under-the-hood automobile components.     

The effect of silane treated- and untreated-talc on the mechanical and physico-mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid)/newspaper fibers/talc hybrid composites

This paper evaluates the effect of the addition of silane treated- and untreated- talc as the fillers on the mechanical and physico-mechanical properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/recycled newspaper cellulose fibers (RNCF)/talc hybrid composites. For this purpose, 10 wt% of a talc with and without silane treatment were incorporated into PLA/RNCF (60 wt%/30 wt%) composites that were processed by a micro-compounding and molding system. PLA is utilized is a bio-based polymer that made from dextrose, a derivative of corn. Talc is also a natural product. The RNCF and talc hybrid reinforcements of PLA polymer matrix were targeted to design and engineer bio-based composites of balanced properties with added advantages of cost benefits besides the eco-friendliness of all the components in the composites. In this work, the flexural and impact properties of PLA/RNCF composites improved significantly with the addition of 10 wt% talc. The flexural and impact strength of these hybrid composites were found to be significantly higher than that made from either PLA/RNCF. The hybrid composites showed improved properties such as flexural strength of 132 MPa and flexural modulus of 15.3 GPa, while the unhybridized PLA/RNCF based composites exhibited flexural strength and modulus values of 77 MPa and 6.7 GPa, respectively. The DMA storage modulus and the loss modulus of the PLA/RNCF hybrid composites were found to increase, whereas the mechanical loss factor (tan delta) was found to decrease. The storage modulus increased with the addition of talc, because the talc generated a stiffer interface in the polymer matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) thermograms of neat PLA and of the hybrid composites showed nearly the similar glass transition temperatures and melting temperatures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of the fracture surface of Notched Izod impact specimen of 10 wt% talc filled PLA/RNCF composite showed well filler particle dispersion in the matrix and no large aggregates are present. The comparison data of mechanical properties among samples filled with silane-treated- and untreated- talc fillers showed that the hybrid composites filled with silane treated talc displayed the better mechanical prosperities relative to the other hybrid composites. Talc-filled RNCF-reinforced polypropylene (PP) hybrid composites were also made in the same way that of PLA hybrid composites for a comparison. The PLA hybrid bio-based composites showed much improvement in mechanical properties as compared to PP-based hybrid counterparts. This suggests that these PLA hybrid bio-based composites have a potential to replace glass fibers in many applications that do not require very high load bearing capabilities and these recycled newspaper cellulose fibers could be a good candidate reinforcement fiber of high performance hybrid biocomposites.