Mechanical,morphological, and thermogravimetric analysis of alkali-treated Cordia-Dichotoma natural fiber composites

ABSTRACT

Usage of composites with natural fiber reinforcement is drastically increasing in recent times because of their low density, biodegradable nature, and low cost. However, natural fibers have certain core problems such as poor adhesion between the fiber and matrix and a relatively high degree of moisture absorption. Alkaline treatment of natural fibers is aimed at improving the adhesive strength so that effective stress transferability takes place in the composite. In the present work, Cordia-Dichotoma fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and composites were prepared with different weight ratios of these fibers reinforced with epoxy. The prepared composites were tested for their tensile and flexural strengths (mechanical properties). Besides, for a comprehensive material characterization, IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out. This work investigates the influence of aforementioned NaOH treatment on thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the composite material.     

Effect of Freezing-Thawing on Clayey Soils Reinforced with Human Hair Fibers

ABSTRACT

The reinforcing of fine-grained soils using natural or synthetic fibers has been successfully applied today. The use of waste human hair fibers among natural fibers is seen as a sustainable solution as a reinforcing material. A series of free pressure tests were performed before and after the freezing-thawing cycle in order to examine the strength properties of the clayey soil (CS) reinforced with human hair fibers (HHF). Before freezing-thawing, clayey soil samples prepared with four different mass ratios of human hair fibers (0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% by dry weight) indicated 14–54% increases in strength, 7–49% increase were obtained after freezing-thawing. The highest strength increases before and after the freezing-thawing cycle has occurred in the mixture of CS+1.5% HHF. In addition, it was determined that the increase in pressure stress is remarkably increases with increasing human hair fiber ratio and cure time and freeze-thaw cycles. As a result, it is concluded that the CS reinforced with HHF can be utilized in cold climate zones.     

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.     

Long-Unidirectional Palm and Sisal Fibers Reinforced Composite: An Experimental Investigation

This paper focuses mainly on investigating the mechanical properties of mortar reinforced with long-unidirectional vegetable fibers such as palm fibers and sisal fibers. The mechanical properties of fibers are also studied by considering fiber tensile test and fiber coupling test to analyze the twist-extension coupling and the tensile strength. Fibers were manually extracted from palm and sisal leaves. Laminated mortar specimens with fibers volume fraction ranging between 0% and 1.95% were prepared. The long unidirectional oriented fibers were placed on the lower part of the mortar. The influence of curing conditions on flexural strength of laminated mortar specimens was analyzed by considering two curing conditions: WCCC (wet chamber curing condition) and LCC (laboratory curing condition). Results confirm that the optimum fiber volume fraction was evaluated as 1.4% for Palm fiber-reinforced mortar. Better mechanical performance was accorded to the Palm fiber reinforced mortar in WCCC case due to the availability of water which is necessary to cement hydratation. Long Sisal fiber submitted to a tensile load shows coupling phenomenon between twist and extension which has a mechanical effect on the matrix behavior.     

A Review: Nanomaterials as a Filler in Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites

Composite reinforcement is defined as a technique to improve the engineering characteristics of composite and a fiber reinforced composite (FRC) is a composite material consisting of a polymer matrix imbedded with high-strength fibers, synthetic fibers or natural fibers. Natural fibers have recently become attractive to researchers, engineers, and scientists as an alternative reinforcement for FRCs. Nanocomposite shows considerable applications in different fields because of larger surface area, and greater aspect ratio, with fascinating properties. Being environmentally friendly, applications of nanocomposites offer new technology and business opportunities for several sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and biotechnology industries. Hybrid bio-based composites that exploit the synergy between natural fibers in a nanoreinforced bio-based polymer can lead to improved properties along with maintaining environmental appeal. This review article intended to investigate natural fiber/nanofiller-based hybrid composite with specific concern to their physical and mechanical properties.     

Fabrication and Characterization of MWCNT Filled Hybrid Natural Fiber Composites

Hybrid composites are fabricated by the combination of two or more fibers using a single matrix. It can be fabricated either with all of its constituents as natural fibers or with one or more constituents belonging to artificial fiber. The stacking sequence of the fibers in a hybrid composite can be altered resulting in a varying mechanical properties. In the present study the MWCNT filled banana-jute-flax fiber reinforced composites are investigated for its mechanical behavior by varying the stacking sequence of the fiber layers and weight % of Multi-Walled Carbon Nano Tube (MWCNT). A Modified resin was prepared by adding MWCNT in the epoxy resin using ultrasonic probe sonicator and a hybrid composite is fabricated with it by using compression moulding processes. The mechanical properties are evaluated as per the ASTM standards. The incorporating of MWCNT and the stacking sequence of fiber layers shows the greater impact on the mechanical properties. The composites of jute fibers at the extremities (JBFBFBFJ) exhibiting the enhancement of tensile, compressive and hardness properties than the flax fiber at the extremities (FBJBJBJF) and it could be used in various automobile applications. Microstructure of the samples are investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)with Energy dispersive X-ray (EDS). The results indicate that increasing the weight % of MWCNT and varying the stacking sequence of fibers improves the mechanical properties of hybrid natural fiber composites.     

Effect of alkali treatment on mechanical properties of the green composites reinforced with milkweed fibers

Polymeric composites disadvantages in terms of high price and non-recoverability make them unsuitable for some applications. Otherwise, natural fibers would be degraded easily and their prices are much lower as compared with most of the commonly used synthetic fibers, especially in composite manufacturing. Hollow Milkweed fiber with non-crimped nature is a known natural fiber which could have high potential to be used as composites reinforcements due to its low-density property. Increasing demand for natural fiber-reinforced composites as well as unique characteristics of Milkweed fibers reveal the need to study the mechanical properties of such fiber-reinforced composites. In this study, milkweed fibers were initially fed to laboratory carding machine in order to be formed as a nonwoven layer which was then applied to a low-velocity needle-punching operation. Surface modifications were carried out on the needle-punched nonwovens using 5% NaOH at 50–60 °C and three different treating time levels (30, 60 and 90 min). The produced nonwovens were then treated in a mixture of boiling water and detergent for 1 h. For making composite parts, the modified nonwovens were impregnated in Ploy vinyl acetate (PVAc) resin using the hand-layup method. The alkali treatment effects regarding the process time period on mechanical properties of the natural-reinforced composites were investigated. The findings suggested significant affectability of the composites mechanical properties by varying the time of alkali treatment, NaOH concentration as well as the type of surface modification process which are all mainly resulted in improving the interaction between fibers and matrix phase.     

Bending load capacity of carbon fiber reinforced concrete beams as a function of fiber performance index (FPI)

Over the past several decades, textile reinforced concrete (TRC) materials have been developed due to their superior mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, lightweight application, and high load-bearing capacity. In this study, the effect of three main factors on bending load capacity of carbon fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC) beams is investigated; the number of reinforcements (carbon-fiber rovings), penetration of the cement within the fibers, and the post-cracking factor. The second and third factors are defined as the fiber performance index (FPI) for evaluating bending load capacity of CFRC beams. The best FPI for a different number of reinforcements was estimated using empirical values of bending load capacity of CFRC beams. The results were indicative of the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed FPI for a wide range of roving numbers, namely 2–24 with 800 tex as the titer. The post-cracking factor was suggested as 2.67 for TRCs and CFRCs materials, which are reinforced by rovings. In order to improve the FPI, the roving was impregnated partially with epoxy, which increased the maximum load capacity and displacement of the beams up to 26.68 and 23.24%, respectively. In addition, the impacts of roving numbers, the first factor, on the failure mode, load-bearing capacity, ductility, and toughness of the CFRC beams were investigated.     

Insitu Self-Assembly of Bacterial Cellulose on Banana Fibers Extracted from Peels

ABSTRACT

In this research work, in-situ self-assembly approach was used the first time, to cultivate bacterial cellulose on the surface of fibers, extracted from banana peels. The characterization was performed using SEM, FTIR, and single fiber tensile test in order to determine the surface morphology and mechanical properties of modified fibers. As-prepared hybrid fibers exhibited comparatively better mechanical properties, which can be attributed to the self-assembly of bacterial cellulose on banana fibers’ surface. Overall, this research work suggests a novel route for fiber extraction from banana peels and to use them for the preparation of bio nano-composites with improved mechanical properties.     

Polyvinyl Chloride Reinforced with Areca Sheath Fiber Composites—An Experimental Study

ABSTRACT

This research work deals with fibrous composites obtained by using treated and untreated areca sheath (AS) fibers reinforced in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) by injection molding process. Surface treatments of fibers have been carried out to have a better compatibility with PVC matrix. The tensile and flexural strength have been found to increase at the early stage with the increase in treated areca fiber content till optimum (18 wt% of fiber) fiber loading thereafter declines. At optimum fiber loading, the tensile strength, flexural strength and young’s modulus values are 42.38 MPa, 18.22 MPa and 2.38 GPa, respectively, which give maximum values in comparison to other fiber loadings. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), biodegradability tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have been used for analysis. The TGA inferred that the thermal stability of the composites increased as compared to neat PVC matrix. Further, the composites exhibit excellent biodegradability property and their biodegradability increases with the increase of areca fiber content. From the properties obtained at optimum fiber loading (18 wt% of fiber), the composite can be suitable for automotive dashboard and door panel applications.     

Effect of Chemical Treatment on Thermal,Mechanical and Degradation Behavior of Banana Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

ABSTRACT

The current research endeavor, explores the thermal, mechanical, and degradation behavior of alkaline treated banana fibers reinforced polypropylene composites. Composites incorporating BF (20% w: w) treated with NaOH (5% w: v) aqueous solution were developed using extrusion-injection molding processes. After chemical treatment, the tensile, flexural and impact strength of the composite increases by 3.8%, 5.17%, and 11.50%, respectively. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations of tested specimens confirm the fiber pull out and fiber fracture as the main reasons for failure of developed composites under tensile and impact loading. The specimens were exposed to two different environments, water immersion and soil burial for 5 weeks for the degradation studies. The degradation behavior of composites was measured in terms of variation in weight and mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, and impact). The maximum degradation in mechanical properties was observed for the composites buried under soil. The composite lost 7.69%, 12.06%, and 3.27% of tensile, flexural, and impact strength, respectively.     

A Comparison of a New Method Mediated by Molybdenum Complex with an Enzymatic Method for Bleaching Flax Fibers

In the last years, the interest in bast fibers for textile products has been growing in line with the necessity for new added-value products. The attention has focused on the research in developing of different methods of processing natural fibers. The main goal of this work was to compare two methods for fiber’s degumming. One method used the molybdenum complex for degumming and the other is an enzymatic one with laccase as catalyst. The physical–mechanical parameters were in the same range for both methods, while the lignin contt was smaller for the molybdenum complex—peroxide process than for the treatment with laccase—peroxide system. The characterization using FT-IR spectroscopy and thermogravimetry also suggest that the treatments with molybdenum complex degraded more lignin than the enzymatic treatments. The crystallinity index of bleached fibers using the system molybdenum complex was higher than for the fibers treated with enzymes while the degrees of whiteness were somehow lower but in the acceptable range.     

The effect of specific surface area of macro fibers on energy absorption capacity of concrete

Energy absorption capacity is the salient property of concrete. Reinforcement of concrete with macro fibers is one of the techniques that has led to enhancement of this important feature of concrete. However, the effect of specific surface area of melt-spun polypropylene macro fibers has hardly been studied so far. In this work, the effect of this parameter on mechanical behavior of fiber reinforced concrete (FRC) was investigated. Diameter of macro fibers was varied by changing the melt feeding rate and fiber draw ratio. Changes in fibers diameter affect fibers specific surface area, which in turn influences the adhesion of fibers to the matrix in FRCs. In order to evaluate the FRCs behavior, bending tests were conducted and the area under load-displacement curves was studied. It was found that increase in specific surface area of fibers results in considerable increase in energy absorption capacity of the FRCs. Concrete reinforced with the larger diameter fibers exhibited 6× energy absorption capacity than the reference sample. This was found to be in line with the 14× energy absorption capacity of sample which was reinforced by smaller diameter fibers. This was attributed to the increase in total contact area between the finer fibers and the matrix as a direct consequence of the increase in number of fibers for a given fiber volume fraction.     

Assessment of Ichu Fibers Extraction and Their Use as Reinforcement in Composite Materials

ABSTRACT

This paper describes the research conducted to develop an optimal methodology to extract useful fibers from the “Ichu” grasses which can be used as reinforcement of polyester resin. Laminates were manufactured and their flexural properties were characterized as well as the optimal fiber properties. Results show that for this kind of materials, the mechanical and retting treatments are insufficient to remove lignin from the raw material state; on the other hand, alkali treatments are considerably effective. Laminates transverse strength shows an improvement (up to 30 MPa) when the alkali treatment time increases. Longitudinal strength and modulus present values around ~144 MPa and ~8.8 GPa respectively with fiber volume fraction around 0.38.     

Evaluation of Phormium Cookianum Fibers as Reinforcements for Polypropylene-based Composites

ABSTRACT

Due to the abundance of vegetable fibers from the large variety of existing plant types, many of them have not yet been explored in terms of mechanical behavior as composite reinforcements. Most of the natural fibers composites are based in a few crop fibers leaving a large number of species without a comprehensive study. This work evaluates the tensile strength of fibers from Phormium cookianum. Scanning electron microscopy images were taken on the fiber surface after the mercerization process, as well as in the composite. Through these results, it can be identified that the damage caused to the surface of the fibers may directly influence the adhesion that occurs at the interface with the polymer. In general, the composites produced here have good mechanical properties with a low cost of production. On this basis, this product has the potential to replace panels, boards, injection and molded parts.     

Low-density polyethylene/sugarcane fiber composites from recycled polymer and treated fiber by steam explosion

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has caused serious environmental damages, and it has been a challenge for waste management in large cities. The LDPE recycling as composites with natural fibers such as sugarcane fibers (SCF) has been an interesting alternative to conciliate economic aspects with environmental benefits. In this study, SCF has been treated by steam explosion and incorporated to low-density polyethylene waste (LDPEW) to generate LDPEW/SCF composites with higher fiber/polymer interaction and improved mechanical properties. LDPEW/SCF composites with fibers content until 20 wt% showed mechanical properties with performance adequate for nobler applications when compared to the isolated recycled LDPEW.     

Oil sorption behavior of acetylated nettle fiber

Abstract

In this work, acetylation of raw nettle fibers was performed to improve the oil sorption capacity. Raw nettle fibers were acetylated with acetic anhydride using N-Bromosuccinimide (NBS) as a catalyst. Box–Behnken experimental design was used to study the effect of some selected parameters such as reaction time, reaction temperature and catalyst concentration (%) on weight percent gain (WPG) and oil sorption behavior. Highest WPG and oil sorption were achieved at 90?min reaction time, 120?°C and 2% catalyst. The oil sorption of acetylated nettle was 23.21?g/g and 18.75?g/g against diesel engine oil and crude oil, respectively. Nettle fibers were also characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis and Scanning electron microscopy. Oil sorption capacity of acetylated nettle were higher than that of commercial polypropylene sorbent. Hence, these acetylated nettle fibers can be used in the place of synthetic sorbents for oil spill cleanup applications.     

Preparing dyeable PP fiber nanocomposites using the special cubic mixture experimental design

Polypropylene (PP) fibers loaded with two different amounts of nanoclay (3 and 5%) were prepared by melt mixing technique. Mixture design was used to find these two optimum percentages for preparing the fiber. The PP nanocomposite fibers obtained were uniformly dyed with three distinct disperse dyes at 100 and 130°C. The enhanced dyeability of PP nanocomposite fiber was characterized by spectrophotometric measurements and polarized optical microscope. Good wash fastnesses were obtained after subjection of dyeing to a reduction clear process. It was found that increasing the nanoclay content had a significant effect on dye uptake. Tensile strength tests showed improvements in mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimeter analysis shows that degrees of crystallinity of the nanocomposites were decreased by increasing the clay content. The dispersion of the nanoclay, a particle in PP, was studied by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analytical techniques.     

Polyvinylamine application for functionalization of polyethylene fiber materials

The permanent functionalization of synthetic fibers and especially of polyethylene fibers (PE fibers) is usually difficult, because the synthetic fiber surface does not contain many functional groups for fixation of finishing agents. For this, the aim of the now presented paper is to report of a functionalization process for PE fibers using the polyelectrolyte polyvinylamine (commercially also named as Lupamin?). The polyvinylamine is applied in a HT process (HT for high temperature process using process temperatures of 95 to 140 °C) and usable to work as anchor for further applied negatively charged functionalizing agents as demonstrated in the current study with acid dyes. Also demonstrated is excellent antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus by simple polyvinylamine application onto PE fibers. This reported method has a high potential for the functionalization of PE fibers and could lead in future to appropriate industrial applications using functionalized PE fibers.