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Natural fibers have in recent times turned into reasonable to automotive production as a substitute corroboration for synthetic fiber reinforced thermoplastics. This research was motivated by evolving and assessing benzoyl-treated Neem and Pineapple fiber reinforced and particulated by sawdust in hybrid epoxy polymers for automotive. Seven types of composites were fabricated using hand layup technique. The prepared composites were cut according to their ASTM standard. The Hybrid Neem and Pineapple Fiber Reinforced with Saw dust Particulated Epoxy Composite (NPFRSPEC) was studied for thermal analysis like Thermal Conductivity (TC), Coefficient of Linear Thermal Expansion (CLTE), Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT) and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). Morphological analysis was done through FESEM on failure surfaces. The results reveal that treatment fibers enhanced the thermal stability among the non-treated composite. The treated fibers exhibited 10% increase in heat deflection temperature and 28% increase in thermal conductivity. From the results, it's also noticed that the treated hybrid composite delivers better thermal efficiency when compared with other natural fiber-reinforced polymers available in the sector which could potentially replace long fiber reinforced thermoplastic components in car doors and bumpers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A natural fiber-reinforced composite from a locally available false banana plant is developed for a prosthesis socket application. Four batches of composite samples are fabricated by arranging the longitudinal uniformly distributed unidirectional false banana fibers in four orientations (0°, 90°, ±45°, 0°/90o). The composites' mechanical and physical properties, such as tensile strength, compression strength, flexural strength, impact resistance, and the effect of chemical treatment on water absorption, are investigated. The results are compared with E-glass fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite. The false banana fiber-polymer composites with a 0° fiber orientation have a tensile strength of 86.81 MPa, less than 9% lower than E-glass-fiber composites (95.44 MPa), and an impact resistance of 6.25 J, 10% higher compared to the E-glass fiber polymer composites (5.70 J). In addition, the treated false banana fiber-polymer composite absorbed 70% less water than the untreated false banana fiber-polymer composite. It is observed that the fiber treatment has increased the polymer–fiber interaction and the interface strength of the false banana fiber-polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High specific strength and modulus of fiber-reinforced polymer composites tend to be the reason for replacing many metallic structures. Synthetic fiber (E-glass) becomes a risk for health and leads to cancer. Ficus Carica (FC) bark fiber undergoes comprehensive characterization analysis such as Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Physical analysis and Chemical analysis. Bark of Ficus Carica plant is taken and the fibers are extracted. It is essential to study microstructure, chemical composition and mechanical properties of the fiber to utilize these lignocellulosic fibers as a reinforcement material in polymer composites. The results of this investigation are very encouraging for its applications to be used in industries for manufacturing fiber composites. FC Bark Fiber (FCBF) contains high cellulose content such as 63.17% and very little wax (0.42%). Good thermal stability of the fiber up to 225°C was produced from thermogravimetric analysis, which is well indicated within its polymerization process temperature. FCBF's exhibit suitable properties that are to be used as natural reinforcement material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fiber-metal laminates consisting of alternating metal and fiber-reinforced polymer layers have displayed remarkable performance in several engineering applications. This work aims to identify the feasibility of incorporating pineapple leaf fiber to partially supersede glass fiber in thermoplastic-based fiber-metal laminates. Fiber-metal laminates made of pineapple leaf/glass/ polypropylene/aluminum were fabricated using the hot press molding technique. The tensile, flexural, Charpy impact and quasi-static indentation tests were performed. The findings indicated that the hybridization of glass with pineapple leaf fibers improved the mechanical properties of the laminates. The results are particularly promising in [G/P/G] laminates in which their tensile and flexural strengths are 38.98% and 20.19% higher than [P/P/P] laminates. In addition, the Charpy impact strengths of [G/P/G] laminates are also 236.66% and 175.68% greater than those of [P/P/P] laminates. In terms of indentation properties, the maximum indentation forces of [G/P/G] laminates are 16.71% and 13.76% higher than those of [P/P/P] laminates at indenter diameters of 12.7 and 20.0 mm, respectively. Interestingly, inplane and out-of-plane properties of [G/P/G] laminates were comparable to [G/G/G] laminates. Thus, it is anticipated that the hybridization concept could escalate the utilization of natural fibers as a potential reinforcement for engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research is a study on the mechanical behavior of novel natural composites consisting of Aegle marmelos fruit resin and epoxy resin as matrix, basalt mat fibers, and Aegle fruit shell powder as reinforcement and fillers, respectively. The composites were fabricated using a hand-lay molding process having five layers of basalt mat fiber and Aegle marmelos shell powder with epoxy/Aegle resins as a matrix. Five weight fraction samples were fabricated, namely EB (basalt and epoxy), EBAP (basalt, epoxy, and Aegle shell Powder), EBAR1 (basalt, epoxy, and 100 g of Aegle resin), EBAR2 (basalt, epoxy, and 150-g Aegle resin), and EBARP (basalt, epoxy, 100 g of Aegle resin, and Aegle shell Powder). The specimens of ASTM standards for various tests were prepared using a water jet cutting process. The specimens were subjected to tensile, flexural, and impact testing. The EBARP composite showed better tensile, flexural, and impact strength, compared to other composites. The composites were subjected to FTIR analysis to understand the existence of bonds in the resin. 1,3-butadiene, vitamin A, and ethylene were noted in the FTIR analysis. Scanning electron microscopy images of the composites revealed strong bonding between the fiber and the matrices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bauhinia vahlii (BV) is a great source of cellulosic biomass, and it is gaining popularity as a renewable resource. BV bast fiber is proposed to have the potential to replace synthetic fibers in biopolymer composites as a reinforcing material. This investigation deals with the extraction, surface modification and comprehensive characterization of BV bast fibers which could be used for the production of sustainable fiber-reinforced polymer composites. The extracted fibers were chemically treated with sodium hydroxide, sodium chlorite, and benzoyl chloride. Then, the chemical properties, mechanical properties, surface morphology and thermal properties were investigated. An improvement in chemical and mechanical properties was observed after surface modification of fibers. Benzoylation treated BV bast fibers revealed highest tensile strength of 128.56 MPa and Young’s modulus of 8.34 GPa. In addition, after treatment, the fibers had rougher surface as seen from SEM images. The surface treatments removed a specific quantity of hemicelluloses, lignin, and pectin from the natural fiber surface, according to FTIR analysis. The surface treatments had a good impact on the crystallinity index of the natural fibers, according to XRD analysis. The characterization results confirmed that BV bast fibers could be used for the production of sustainable fiber reinforced polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural, glass, and carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites are currently being replaced conventional materials due to their lower specific weight and superior strength properties. Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) have grown in importance in real world applications recently due to a growing focus on the environmental and sustainability elements of engineering materials. The difficulty of machining FRP composites, which results in dimensional errors, poor product quality, and material damage, is due to their inhomogeneity, ease of deformation, and anisotropic nature. Moreover, this review gives an insight regarding recent developments and challenges that will help for upcoming researchers. The nonhomogeneous properties and insufficient ductility of natural and synthetic fiber-reinforced composites have produced fracturing and discontinuous chips during the machining operations. The machinability of FRP composites depends on the constituents present in the composites. More delaminations were found in the natural fiber composites due to improper bonding and less compatibility with the polymer matrices, also the lower heat resistant property of the natural fibers causes serious problems during the machining process. Hence more studies are needed to decrease the thrust force and delamination damages in carbon, glass, and natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the importance of using plant fibers in polymeric composites and the no availability of data on fine structure, physico-chemical, morphological and others properties of Typha Angustata stem fibers, a study was undertaken with the objective of determining some of these properties. In this work, untreated and treated Typha stem fibers by NaOH treatment have been extracted and characterized to evaluate and compare their surface condition as well as their chemical composition, their fine structure and their mechanical properties. Typha stem treated fibers (TSTFs) have presented best results with an alpha-cellulose content of 51.3%, a density of 1460 kg/m3, an average tensile strength equal to 9.42cN/tex and a diameter of 208.12 µm. Also, Crystallinity Index (CI) of TSTFs was 57.4%. Unsaturated polyester matrix was reinforced with TSTFs and mechanical properties were undergone. Results show that TSTFs could be used for sustainable fiber-reinforced polymer composites with an enhancement in flexural and tensile tests for 12.6% TSTFs ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bamboo fiber-reinforced polymers have been widely studied as natural fiber composites. This study fabricated a continuous bamboo-textile-reinforced polymer (BTRP) composite by using woven bamboo strips and epoxy through vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VA-RTM). The physical properties, including bulk density and equilibrium moisture content, of various BTRP specimens with different textile architectures, stacking sequences, loading axes, and numbers of layers were preliminarily evaluated. The specimens' flexural properties, including strength, modulus, integral load – deflection relationship, damage parameters, and fractography characteristics, were also examined. As the number of layers increased, the flexural strength decreased but modulus values increased. When the number of layers was constant, the plain-woven BTRP specimens had slightly higher strength and modulus values than did the twill-woven specimens. The BTRP specimens exhibited remarkable mechanical properties and staged failure behaviors unique to laminated materials. Moreover, the stiffness of the specimens was attenuated before reaching the ultimate load, which was attributed to microscopic interphase damage, and the various architectures affected the specimens' fracture modes. The gradual multistage failure modes of the specimens imply that the fabricated composite is relatively safe for use. According to these results, the fabricated composite incorporates the advantages of VA-RTM and continuous nontwisted bamboo strips, indicating that it has substantial commercial potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drilling of natural and synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer and their hybrid composites are a crucial machining process, which becomes essential in helping the assembly of parts. The quality of drilled hole is very crucial for recent applications owing to its dimension tolerance. This paper presents a study on drilling characteristics of natural and synthetic fiber-reinforced polymer composites and their hybrids. Assessment of delamination, thrust force, torque, influence of drill bit for drilled hole quality and effect of chemical treatment of natural fiber are discussed. Influence of composite specimen thickness and burr formation for synthetic fiber are also reported. Influence of speed, feed, feed rate, drill bit type, drill diameter, drill bit angle, fiber orientation and their optimum conditions for drilling are also reported for both natural and synthetic fiber. Results showed that, minimum delamination can be achieved by high cutting speed and low feed rate. Increasing the number of parameters and level of optimization will improve the accuracy of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although bamboo fiber-reinforced polymer has been extensively studied, its utilization has been limited by its unfavorable performance. This study developed a non twisting bamboo textile-reinforced polymer (BTRP) through vacuum resin transfer molding and then used two weaving methods, different layers, different edge treatments, two stacking sequences, and two sizes as factors to investigate the effect of woven structures on the hygroscopic behavior of BTRP, such as water absorption, diffusion, dimensional stability, and moisture transportation. The differences in the results of long-term immersion and the swelling at different locations of BTRP were also examined. The results of this study indicate that the weaving method directly affected the water absorption from the fiber area and that the size of the specimens affected the saturation rate. The swelling behavior differed with the weaving method and number of layers, which indicates that rate of water ingress and transverse fiber swelling were the reasons that cause the different swelling behavior. This study found that moisture may be transferred differently through different parts of BTRP due to variations in fiber saturation. Moreover, the analysis of the center and periphery of BTRP specimens indicated that textile structure significantly affected water uptake and indirectly caused two moisture transport mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work used natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite to explore its feasibility for structural applications in wet or outdoor environments. A novel technique of microwave-assisted compression molding (MACM) is used to manufacture kenaf/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites. Mechanical performance of 30 wt.% reinforced kenaf/HDPE composite conditioned in different environments for 6 months was evaluated. The liquids taken for environmental conditioning were sea water, 5% NaOH solution, deionized water, vegetable oil (soybean oil), and diesel. Mechanical performances were investigated and correlated with different attributes, i.e. wettability, liquid uptake, thickness swelling, absorption mechanism, and morphologies. It was observed that the tensile, flexural, and hardness properties were decreased due to degradation in interfacial bonding. Whereas increased impact strength was observed due to the plasticization effect after conditioning. Composites conditioned in vegetable oil retained highest value of physical and mechanical properties. Whereas composites conditioned in 5% NaOH solution followed by other conditioning environments showed maximum degradation in the properties. It can be inferred from the study that kenaf/HDPE composites can be used for medium load structural applications present in viscous and chemically neutral environments. The best-suited example of the present work is container for storage of vegetable oil and for making boundaries outside the property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-strength materials fabricated from biodegradable resources are in demand due to their renewable nature, lightweight, and environmental friendliness. The current experimental investigation aims to examine the influence of Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica tree trunk bark nano-powder on properties of milkweed fiber-reinforced polymer composites (MFPCs). The composites were prepared by compression molding method, and the properties such as mechanical strength and water absorption behavior were analyzed; differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation were also carried out. Results revealed that the inclusion of V. indica tree trunk nano-powder had a considerable effect on the properties of MFPCs, and it could act as an impending nano-filler for the polymer matrix composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer biocomposites are very attractive materials utilized for many applications owing to their high mechanical and acoustic properties. Research has projected that Natural fiber (NF) could possibly be a replacement for synthetic fiber in reinforced polymer composites due to low influence on the health of humans and environmental friendliness. Research has been enthusiastic on studying their mechanical properties, with little emphasis on enumerating the sound diminution behaviors. This research objective is to examine void content, impact strength, hardness, and the acoustic properties of plantain (Musa paradisiacal) fiber-reinforced biocomposites (PFB). Biocomposite with 5, 10, 15, and 20 (Wt. %) fiber content were fabricated. Impact, hardness, and void content increases as fiber content increases. The sound absorption coefficient shows improvement. Results suggest that PFB could be less-expensive, feasible, and ecologically superior alternatives to synthetic fiber composites for acoustic applications in areas like building architecture and automotive industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing locally available materials and labor in the construction and preservation of water infrastructure is considered an effective strategy toward progressing regional economic development and providing security of water supply in some less industrialized and remote regions. Current pipe manufacturing processes are highly advanced, with the implementation of these manufacturing technologies in remote and less-industrialized areas being difficult to achieve. Flax fiber-reinforced epoxy (FFRE) composite has substantial potential to be used for constructing or reinforcing various structural components, mainly due to a superior combination of stiffness, strength, low cost, and low weight of flax fiber when compared to other natural fibers. Two techniques were proposed to manufacture pipes using FFRE composite, namely, the manual fabric winding technique and the vacuum infusion method. The proposed manufacturing techniques, especially the manual fabric winding method, were shown to be simple to implement, and the processes can be replicated without the necessity for advanced manufacturing technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers are being used more often for composite preparation these days. Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have been used in a wide range of engineering domains due to their significant benefits over synthetic fiber composites. The interfacial interaction with the matrix content and water absorption are two main disadvantages of using natural fibers. The effects of natural fibers (Abutilon indicum, luffa cylindrica, and Prosopis juliflora), chemical treatments (NaOH, KOH, and silane), and fillers (CaCO3, Al2O3, and TiO2) on mechanical and wear properties were investigated in this study. The silane-treated fiber-reinforced composite outperformed the other two treatments and untreated fiber-reinforced composites in terms of mechanical properties. In the present study, multicriteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches were used to cope with the difficulty of choosing good estimate over a wide variety of opportunities. The predicted optimal combinations for good mechanical and wear outputs of the composite were chosen using a performance selection index (PSI) process. Characterizations such as FTIR and SEM are conducted to verify the applicability of hybrid composites in temperature, chemical, and humid environments. The bonding between the treated fibers and matrix strengthened with fiber treatment and filler addition, according to the SEM study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composites reinforced with feather fibers have attracted the attention of scientists due of their low cost, the absence of health risk, availability, biodegradability, renewable character, and low density. These advantages permit their use in various fields such as construction sector and automotive industry that necessitate high-performance lightweight materials, reduced cost of manufacturing, recycling, and minimal environmental impact. This paper is a review of the properties and discusses the environmental benefits of feather fibers reinforced polymer composites. The barbs fibers are known by their compatibilities with all types of polymer due to their hydrophobic nature which permit to create strong covalent bonds in the fiber/matrix interface. The structural aspects and the properties of the keratinous fibers, the mechanical properties of polymers, the effect of the reinforcement rate on the fiber/matrix interface, and the properties of the biocomposites are discussed in this review article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drilling of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRCs) and their hybrid composites is a critical machining operation, which becomes vital to facilitate parts assembly. The quality of the drill hole is crucial for advanced applications due to strict dimension tolerance. The NFRCs have been studied rapidly for recent years because of their comparable specific properties, secure and safe handling, eco-friendly, and accessibility compared to synthetic fiber-based composites. This paper presents a review of past and present research studies of the drilling behavior of NFRCs and their hybrid. Firstly, it investigates various drilling techniques used for NFRCs. Then, an overview of the various drilling parameters and keys aspects of drilling performance parameters are presented to provide the space to narrate the development of ideas and our current understanding of this research field. After that, a study on drill bit geometry and materials, and residual strength is analyzed. Consequently, the method of improving the drilling properties for natural fiber-reinforced polymer composite and their hybrid, the challenges, and recommendations for researchers are highlighted. Results showed that the drilling performance could be enhanced by chemical treatment of natural fiber and using the special drill bit besides determining the optimized drilling performance parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In past decades researchers found many difficulties while providing environmentally supportive materials for product making. Natural fibers possess many advantages over synthetic fibers such as ease of availability, bio-degradability, low cost, lesser density, minimal health hazards, and eco-friendly in nature. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites are the new innovative class of sustainable materials having good mechanical properties for practical applications. Further to increase the performance of a composites, researchers pointed out that using filler materials essentially increases the mechanical properties and in turn minimizes the organic contents in the composite laminates. This literature outlines the effect of natural fillers on the fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites and also discusses on physical, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties in terms of XRD, FTIR and SEM characterization. The main motive of this article is to discuss the different combinations of materials along with natural fillers and to assess their suitability for potential engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents animal fiber characterization and the influence of various fiber loadings on mechanical properties of sheep hair fiber-reinforced polymer (SHFRP) composites. The sheep hair fibers (SHF) characterization was carried out using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and non-contact surface roughness machine. The functional group and chemical bond were analyzed using FTIR techniques. The crystallinity index and thermal stability of the SHF were characterized, using XRD and TGA techniques, respectively. The composites were fabricated using a compression molding technique and a varying weight percentage of 20, 30 and 40 fiber. The composite plates were cut into test samples according to ASTM standard methods for their mechanical (tensile, flexural and impact) behaviors to be extensively analyzed. The surface morphology of the fractured samples was examined with aid of an SEM. From the results obtained, it was evident that the SHFRP composite recorded a significantly increased tensile strength property when fiber loading was increased from 20 to 40 wt%. The optimum 40 wt% SHFRP composite sample recorded better flexural and impact strength, when compared with other counterparts. This was attributed to a better fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion, as established fromSEM micrographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three different pre-treatment methods, that is, alkali hornification, water hornification, and alkali treatment, are evaluated for the improvement in durability of agave natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites under the hygrothermal aging conditions. The composite specimens were prepared following the standard test procedures laid for moisture diffusion analysis. To analyze the effect of different treatment conditions, the standard test specimens were subjected to different hygrothermal aging conditions in the accelerated environments. After four subsequent hornification cycles, the alkali hornification resulted in about 27% lower water retention value in the agave fibers. Under similar conditions, water hornification leads to a meager 6% loss of water retention. Under the direct exposure to water, the alkali-hornified composites had a mass gain of 4.1%, 4.3%, and 4.7%, respectively, at 25°C, 50°C, and 75°C. The mass gain of alkali-treated composites was 4.3%, 4.5%, and 5.1%. and water hornification resulted in a mass gain of 5.5%, 5.9%, and 6.1% at similar temperatures. Under the humidity conditions, the alkali-hornified composites had a mass gain of 0.9%, 1.3%, and 1.1%, respectively, at 25°C, 50°C, and 75°C. The mass gain of alkali-treated composites was 0.6%, 1.05%, and 1.2%. and water hornification resulted in the mass gain of 0.66%, 1.07%, and 1.3% at similar temperatures. The present study reveals the influence of fiber pre-treatment methods on moisture durability of agave natural fiber composites. The results are further supported through microstructural investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-based composites are getting popular due to its major contribution to the green materials industry application. Green techniques reduce the toxic gas emission, waste generation and improve environmental protection. The extraction of cellulose microfibers from natural fibers using the steam explosion technique is a cost-effective and traditional method. In this study, cellulose microfiber was extracted from raw Grewia optiva (GO) fiber by a chemo-mechanical method. Chemical treatments like alkaline treatment, steam explosion, bleaching, and acid treatment are used. Also, mechanical defibrillation of fiber was carried out by stirring and homogenization. The chemical compositions of various stages were determined by using ASTM standards. The microscopic, XRD, FTIR and TGA techniques were used to analyze structural and morphological properties of fibers. The extracted cellulose micro Grewia optiva fibers (CMGOF) had an average diameter of 10 μm. TGA results indicated that the thermal properties of isolated cellulose microfibers are improved after chemical treatment. The cellulose micro Grewia optiva fibers reinforced epoxy composites were fabricated adopting the compression molding method by varying the fiber ratio. Also, the mechanical properties of composites with various fiber ratios were investigated. The experimental results revealed that composite having 40 wt% of fiber has shown higher tensile, impact strength and hardness properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of alkaline surface modification and carbonization on biochemical properties of selected rice and coffee husk varieties in Uganda were studied. Alkali pre-treatment was done by washing the husks in NaOH at a 15:1 liquor ratio. Pre-treatment is used in biomass conversion to overcome chemical and structural difficulties. Carbonization resulted in production of bio-char. Results showed increased cellulose contents for both the husks and their bio-chars after pre-treatment with NaOH solution. Lignin and hemi-cellulose compositions were reduced after pre-treatment in NaOH solution. Bio-chars for all rice husk varieties showed an increase in lignin content after carbonization. Lignin contents for Robusta coffee husks also increased after carbonization. Cellulose content in bio-chars of both rice and coffee husks reduced drastically after carbonization. A simple regression model relating bulk density and biochemical composition was developed at an accuracy of 70%. Alkaline surface modification and carbonization effects on biochemical properties are due to their impact on the non-cellulosic material and hydrophobicity, respectively, on the fibers.

The present work aims to investigate the effect of nanofiller, lead oxide on the mechanical, thermal, and water intake behavior of luffa fiber-reinforced epoxy polymer matrix composites. Filler material PbO of 20 nm was added in different weight proportions along with luffa fiber to the matrix and the compression molding technique was used for the fabrication of the composite laminates. Tensile, flexural, and impact properties were studied on the prepared samples. The influence of lead oxide on glass transient temperature (Tg) and the curing of epoxy were also studied using the Differential scanning calorimeter. The optimum mechanical and thermal properties were observed on the addition of 1.25 wt. % of nanofiller. The morphological images show various defects like interfacial behavior, fiber pulls outs, voids, and internal cracks, and these were examined using a scanning electron microscope. Hence the present investigation showed that the addition of nanofiller could enhance the mechanical strength of the natural fiber composite. Further, it enhanced the moisture resistance and thus could find potential structural and packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both basalt fibers and glass fibers can be used as reinforced material in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. In this paper, the tensile strength, elastic modulus, and hardness of basalt fibers and E-glass fibers are studied by fiber tensile tester and nanoindentation. The crystalline phase and structural feature of fibers are conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that the mechanical properties of basalt fibers are higher than those of E-glass fibers. The density of basalt glasses is higher than that of E-glass and increases with increasing iron content. XRD patterns show that both basalt fibers and E-glass fibers are totally amorphous. Fe3+ mainly exists in the form of [FeO6] in the glass network. It indicates that iron oxide plays a key role in improving the mechanical properties of basalt fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basalt fiber as a type of reinforced material has been widely used in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Iron oxide (Fe2O3) has a great influence on the thermal and elastic properties of basalt fiber. In this study, ultrabasic, basic, and intermediate basalt rocks were chosen as raw materials and the dependence of Fe2O3 content variations on the properties of basalt glass was explored. Results showed that the density, molar volume (Vm), and oxygen packing density (OPD) of basalt glasses increased with the increase of Fe2O3 content. The viscosity, as well as crystallization behavior, is dominated by Fe2O3 content. Besides, the addition of Fe2O3 contributed to increasing the elastic modulus and hardness of basalt glasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present scenario, the searching for novel plant fibers able to be used as reinforcement of polymer composites is highly appreciable. This study deals with extraction and characterization of Eleusine indica grass fibers extracted from its stem by manual retting process. From this study, it was found that the Eleusine indica has higher cellulose of 61.3 wt% content, density of 1143 kg/m3, average tensile strength and Young's modulus equal to 22 MPa and 10.75 GPa, respectively. From the XRD studies, it was noted that the Crystallinity Index (CI) of Eleusine indica was 45%. The surface morphology of Eleusine indica grass was examined using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Chemical functional group were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The thermal stability of EIF was evaluated using TG and DTG curves from Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. The characterization results confirmed that Eleusine indica grass could be used for the production of sustainable fiber-reinforced polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During last few decades, the hybrid composites emerged from natural fiber has brought incontestable advantages over synthetic materials. The environmental impact such as toxicity, nonbiodegradable garbage, and noise pollution has led to the identification of new class of fibers and also subsequent failure in critical stiffness and weight sensitivities of fiber-reinforced polymers has initiated magnification of mechanical toughness. In this present paper, fiber-reinforced composite materials are made with Camellia sinensis–Ananas comosus hybridized by glass fiber and epoxy resin matrix. The amalgamated laminates were forged by a compression molding process with the composition of 40% wt. of reinforcing fiber and 60% wt. of epoxy matrix in a constant proportion. A hydrophilic content present inside natural fibers are alkalized by 5% of NaOH to modify as hydrophobic nature for intensifying bonding between fiber and matrix. These hybridized fibers are mechanically, chemically, morphologically, and acoustically analyzed to meet the requirements of mechanical and sound proofing properties. The results shows that 25% wt. fraction of Camellia sinensis amalgamate with unidirectional fiber shows better average acoustical absorption coefficient (AAC) of 0.46 at 2000–6300 Hz frequency range and compared with existing material to establish the potential of using it in sound-proofing acoustical applications such as architectural acoustics, sound recording and reproduction room, noise barrier walls, loudspeaker design, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Of the numerous special properties of natural fiber composites, light weight and biodegradability are the most attractive. Also, natural fiber reinforced composites have sufficiently good mechanical properties. In the present research investigation, the mechanical properties of the natural fiber (nettle and grewia optiva fiber) reinforced thermoset and thermoplastic composites have been evaluated and compared. The morphological analysis of the fractured test specimens subjected to different types of mechanical loading has also been performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Critical parameters, such as contact angle of polymers, surface roughness of the natural fibers, and twist angle of the natural fiber yarn have been evaluated in order to emphasize their importance in defining the mechanical behavior of the developed composite laminates. The results reveal that poly-lactic acid (PLA)-based natural fiber composites have superior mechanical properties as compared to the polypropylene (PP)- and epoxy-based natural fiber composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]