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The effect of tightening torque and washer size on the performance of basalt natural fiber composite joints was investigated experimentally. It was found that washer size is the main design driver in controlling the out-of-plane behavior of the joint. Specifically, there was a 36.5% increase in the 0.2% offset strength when the torque was increased for small washer configurations, whereas a 42% increase was observed when the torque was increased for large washer configurations. Moreover, the ultimate bearing strength also showed an improvement under the combined effect of washer size and tightening torque. Additionally, damage onset and failure mechanisms of the bolted joint were investigated using optical microscopy. The morphological observations indicated excessive crushing for large washer configurations. It is postulated that bearing performance could be improved by choosing appropriate washer size and tightening torque.

There is a remarkable increase in natural fiber-reinforced composites research over the last three decades due to their abundance, less density, biodegradability, renewable sources, and low cost. The fabrication of natural fiber composites require less energy when compared with synthetic fiber composites. Various natural fibers are available globally and have been used as reinforcements in polymer composites. These fibers provide comparable properties and can be considered as a substitute for synthetic fiber composites. The objective of this review is to analyze the various types of natural fibers used in composite fabrication along with their physical, chemical, mechanical, thermal, and tribological properties. Other important aspects such as fiber extraction, chemical treatments, manufacturing methods, hybridization, interfacial adhesion, and applications for different natural fiber composites are also discussed. The review also establishes the scope of natural fiber composites for future needs in various applications by understanding their merits and demerits.

In the present research, our aim is to study effects of alfa fiber content, alkali, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP), and the combined treatment (alkali and MAPP) on the tensile and flexural behavior of alfa fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. These composites were produced using a single-screw extruder followed by an injection molding process. Both fibers and composites were characterized using optical and SEM microscope in order to evaluate the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the matrix. From the main results, the tensile modulus and flexural strength of 30% untreated Alfa fiber/PP composites were found to increase significantly compared to those of PP. Meanwhile, there is no significant increase in terms of the tensile strength and the flexural modulus. Moreover, the composites with a combined treatment have shown significant effect on the tensile and flexural properties compared to untreated composites and the treated ones. The SEM observation of the morphology of alkali treated fibers exhibited an increase in the surface roughness because the removal of impurities. In addition, SEM photos of the fractured surface of composites reveal the improvement of the fibers and PP matrix interface quality by treatments, in particular the combined treatment.

The mechanical behavior of banana fiber (BA) reinforced polymer composites filled with fly ash (FA) is analyzed in this present investigation. Polyester matrix is used to produce composites with 30% of banana fiber volume and fly ash with three separate volume fractions (1%, 3% & 5%). The failure mechanisms were identified through a scanning electron microscope using the fractured surfaces of the specimen after mechanical testing. The addition of 3% vol of fly ash results in an increase in the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of 46.3%, 24%, and 88.4% when compared with the banana fiber composites without fly ash (BAP). 5% vol of higher fly ash addition indicates a drop in the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of approximately 31.4%, 9.38%, and 30.61% when compared to 3% vol of fly ash added composites, respectively. Owing to weak interfacial bonding caused by the agglomeration of fillers, the higher filler loading results in subdued mechanical properties. With the help of SEM fractography, the parameters, including poor interfacial adhesion, defective surfaces, and fractures, were described.

In this study, composite materials were made from Carica papaya fibers (CPFs), as a reinforcing element in polypropylene (PP), polyester (P) and epoxy (E) matrices, using compression molding technique. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the input parameters with their output responses, specifically density and thickness. Various CPF reinforced PP, P, and E composite specimens with varied fiber orientations of 0°, 45°, and 90° as well as percentages of fiber contents of 10, 20, and 30 wt.% were prepared, according to the ASTM D 570 standard. From the results obtained, it was observed that CPF/E composites with fewer fraction of CPF and orientation of 90° exhibited less water absorption throughout the whole duration of immersion. Water saturated CPF/E composite specimen, designated as E8, with orientation of 0° and fiber content of 20 wt.% showed the highest tensile, flexural strengths, and Shore D Hardness of 119, 115 MPa, and 85, respectively. Also, CPF/E composite specimen (E7) with 90° and 10 wt.% recorded the lowest tensile strength of 32 MPa, and CPF/E composite (E3) with 90° and 30 wt.% showed the lowest flexural strength of 41 MPa. Hence, it was evident that optimum CPF reinforced polymeric composite can be used for some outdoor engineering applications.

Natural fiber composites are used in place of conventional materials for engineering applications due to their demand and imposed stringent government regulations across the globe. Thermo-physical properties are important in the selection of materials for energy saving applications. The objective of this research is to investigate the thermo-physical and fire properties of composites. In this study, vakka, elephant grass, and borassus fruit fibers are incorporated as reinforcement in the preparation of polymer composites. Thermal conductivity and specific heat of these composites were investigated experimentally by a guarded heat flow meter and differential scanning calorimeter. This investigation reveals that the thermal conductivity of composites decreased with the increase of fiber content and the quite opposite trend was observed with increase of temperature. At the maximum volume fraction of fiber, thermal conductivity of vakka fiber composite is lowest (0.179 W/mK) compared to other composites. The peak heat release rate and the flame retardant index are measured using Cone calorimeter and their values for vakka fiber reinforced composite is 373.45 kW/m2 and 1.5. Among all the composites, the vakka composite is suitable for energy saving and fire safety applications. The composites developed in this study could replace petroleum-based insulation materials.

Natural fiber composites are gaining more attention in automobile and aerospace industries due to its light weight with better performance. However, its performance is affected by the critical environment such as high temperature. Hence, analyzing the thermal stability of materials is paramount important. In this investigation, natural fiber-based composite was fabricated using Indian almond (I) and Veli karuvelam fibers (V) and its thermal stability was analyzed. Totally, five composites were fabricated viz. I:V(0:1) – 60 wt% epoxy and 40 wt% Veli karuvelam, I:V(1:3) – 60 wt% epoxy, 10 wt% Indian almond, and 30 wt% Veli karuvelam, I:V(1:1) – 60 wt% epoxy, 20 wt% Indian almond, and 20 wt% Veli karuvelam, I:V(3:1) – 60 wt% epoxy, 30 wt% Indian almond, and 10 wt% Veli karuvelam, and I:V(1:0) – 60 wt% epoxy and 40 wt% Indian almond. Thermogravimetric analysis was made, and the best composite was selected, which was further involved into thermal analysis, and the activation energies were determined by KAS and FWO kinetic models. Results showed that the I:V(0:1) composite showed the superior thermal stability compared to all other composites, and an onset degradation temperature of 387.64°C was observed. Further, the average activation energies determined by FWO and KAS models were showed as 51.73 and 42.19 kJ/mol, respectively, for I:V(0:1) composite. Hence, this investigation concludes that the I:V(0:1) composite could be a better candidate in the automobile and aviation fields to adopt the thermal environment.

Rotational molding is a powder processing technology widely used to manufacture hollow plastic products. It is a well-known process used for the manufacturing of large containers, water tanks, fuel tanks, refrigerated containers, etc. This study aimed at the incorporation of Tampico and Palmyra fibers as reinforcement in Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) tanks produced by the rotational molding process. The effect of fiber content on various properties like mechanical, morphological, and vibration damping characteristics of the composites were investigated. The fibers were initially treated with 5% NaOH solution for better reinforcing efficiency and to improve the degradation temperature. Thermo Gravimetry Analysis (TGA) reported that a sufficient increment in degradation temperature is achieved by NaOH treatment on fibers. The short fiber composites considered for the study have obtained better mechanical strength than long fiber reinforced LLDPE composites. The results proved that fiber length has less effect on the vibration damping characteristics of the composites, but the percentage of fiber content is a significant factor for improving the natural frequency of the composites.

Lignocellulosic natural fibers remain at the forefront of eco-friendly and sustainable reinforcement materials in composites. This work addresses the inherent limitations of lignocellulosic fibers in terms of their hydrophilicity and incompatibility to achieve maximum utilization in most commercial resins using a reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer radiation-induced graft polymerization (RAFT-RIGP) approach. The one-pot surface modification technique via RAFT-RIGP was shown to efficiently graft poly(glycidyl methacrylate) onto lignocellulosic fibers like abaca. Results from the analyses of the different grafting parameters and polymerization trends reveal that the employed RAFT-mediation improved grafting yield compared to a conventional RIGP despite retardation effects inherent in the RAFT mechanism. Additionally, sufficient control over the molecular weight and dispersity of grafted chains was exhibited. The modified fibers showed improved tensile strength, higher thermal stability and reduced moisture uptake. Overall, we have demonstrated that RAFT-RIGP can be a facile, environment-friendly technique for the surface compatibilization of lignocellulose fibers without the mechanical deterioration of substrate properties, unlike other fiber modification processes. Therefore, this method has a great potential in natural fiber compatibilization for reinforcement in polymer composites.

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.

In this paper, the effects of hyperbranched polyamide on the properties of sisal fiber reinforced polypropylene composites were studied. And the microstructure, fluidity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the composites were characterized. The results show that hyperbranched polyamide can significantly improve the interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix. When the fiber content is 20%, the melt flow rate can increase by 54%. Meanwhile, the tensile property of the composite increases by 50%, the impact strength of silane-treated fiber composite increases by 24%. However, the thermal stability of the composite decreases slightly after the addition of hyperbranched polyamide.

Effect of hybridization on dynamic mechanical properties of calotropis procera/glass fiber reinforced epoxy hybrid composites was investigated. The hand layup method was used to fabricate composites by varying fiber reinforcement of calotropis procera and glass fiber composition at 5, 10, 15, and 20 wt%. Dynamic mechanical analysis of composites was carried out in the temperature range of 25°C–180°C at the frequency of 1 Hz. Study revealed a marginal shift in glass transition temperature for fiber reinforced composites compared to neat epoxy which indicates the higher temperature resistance of the fiber reinforced composites. The higher interfacial bonding was revealed by the damping ratio analysis with the increase in glass fiber reinforcement in the hybrid composites. The hybrid composites exhibited increase in storage and loss modulus with increase in glass fiber content. Scanning electron microscopy was carried out to study the fracture surface morphology of the composite specimens.

The usage area of natural fiber reinforced composite materials has been increasing day by day, due to their attaining to not only ecological benefits but also high mechanical properties with their low weight. After the fabrication of natural fiber reinforced composites, they need to be subjected to secondary processes such as milling, drilling and turning processes according to their field of use. In this study, it was aimed to determine milling performance of JFRP and FFRP composites, which are obtained from natural fibers. Experiments were carried out at the different processing parameters. The effects of these parameters on cutting force, vibration amplitude, delamination factor, and surface roughness were investigated. Vibration amplitude and delamination factor increased, and cutting force and surface roughness decreased with increasing spindle speed. Cutting force, vibration amplitude, delamination factor and surface roughness increased with increasing feed rate. The most appropriate values for cutting force, delamination factor and surface roughness were obtained in experiments where WC end mill was used. However, in vibration amplitude, the lowest values were HSS end mill. Delamination factors and surface roughness in FFRP composites were higher than those of JFRP composites. Cutting forces of FFRP composites were lower than those of JFRP composites.

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Six kinds of bamboo/glass fiber vinyl ester hybrid composites with different layers were prepared by vacuum assisted resin infusion (VARI) process. The bending and pendulum properties on them, meanwhile the low-velocity impact and compression-after-impacted response were investigated studied on the energy levels of 7J, 9J, 11J and 13J. The results show that the bending strength, pendulum impact strength and peak impact force of the composite materails with two layers of glass fiber beneath the surface are 120%, 220.68% and 371.38% higher than those of the pure bamboo fiber composite, respectively.

The electro-fracture studies on jute/epoxy composites are conducted for monitoring damage under mode-I interlaminar fracture loading condition. A well-connected electrical network is built inside the composites by electro-flocking microcarbon fibers between the laminates and dispersing carbon nanotubes in the matrix. The effect of carbon fiber length and density on the electro-fracture behavior is studied. The change in electrical resistance is measured using a novel four-probe method through the thickness direction of cantilever beam test specimen. Results show that the maximum increase of fracture initiation toughness is 75% by the composite with carbon fibers length of 350 μm and fiber density of 2000 fibers/mm2 compare to composites with no carbon fibers. For all composite types, the increase in resistance is not noticeable before crack initiation. The cycles of fracture energy build up and release during the crack propagation are accurately detected onsite by the composite with carbon fiber length of 350 μm and fiber density of 2000 fibers/mm2.

In this paper, the effects of hyperbranched polyamide on the properties of sisal fiber reinforced polypropylene composites were studied. And the microstructure, fluidity, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of the composites were characterized. The results show that hyperbranched polyamide can significantly improve the interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix. When the fiber content is 20%, the melt flow rate can increase by 54%. Meanwhile, the tensile property of the composite increases by 50%, the impact strength of silane-treated fiber composite increases by 24%. However, the thermal stability of the composite decreases slightly after the addition of hyperbranched polyamide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Composites have been extensively used in the modern era in wide range of applications. This article deals with the study of vibration characteristics of natural fiber reinforced composite beam in which Aloe vera fiber is reinforced in epoxy matrix and is used in combination with glass-epoxy. Finite element method of analysis is adopted using Ansys software. Effects of several parameters like laminate stacking sequence, support conditions, material hybridization, and number of layers, etc. on the natural frequency of natural fiber reinforced composite beam are analyzed. Experimental study on Aloe vera fiber reinforced composite beam is also conducted for validation.

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In order to improve the mechanical properties of sisal fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites, the sisal fibers were grafted with poly(amidoamine) dendrimer and the effects of grafting generations on the mechanical properties of composites were studied. The results reveal that the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of the composites are improved considerably with the poly(amidoamine) dendrimer grafting treatment. For the 2.0 generation treatment with the poly(amidoamine) dendrimer, the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of the composites at 30 wt% fiber loading increase by 29%, 13%, and 54%, respectively. However, the thermal and mechanical properties of the sisal fibers decrease after prolonged grafting treatment.

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In order to improve the mechanical properties of sisal fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites, the sisal fibers were grafted with poly(amidoamine) dendrimer and the effects of grafting generations on the mechanical properties of composites were studied. The results reveal that the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of the composites are improved considerably with the poly(amidoamine) dendrimer grafting treatment. For the 2.0 generation treatment with the poly(amidoamine) dendrimer, the tensile, flexural, and impact strength of the composites at 30 wt% fiber loading increase by 29%, 13%, and 54%, respectively. However, the thermal and mechanical properties of the sisal fibers decrease after prolonged grafting treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on optimizing drilling parameters to minimize delamination, circularity error, and cylindricity in natural fiber composites through a comprehensive full factorial Design of Experiments (DoE) combined with Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The novelty of this work lies in its systematic integration of these methods to evaluate the effects of spindle speed, feed rate, and drill type (HSS, HSS-Co, and Solid Carbide) on hole quality, providing a robust framework for multi-response optimization. Results reveal that feed rate is the most significant factor, with optimal conditions – lower feed rates (0.04 mm/rev) and moderate speeds (1592 rpm) – delivering reduced delamination and improved hole quality. Among the tested drills, Solid Carbide demonstrated superior performance with the lowest delamination and cylindricity errors. This study highlights the potential of systematic parameter optimization to advance eco-friendly composite manufacturing and enhance drilling precision.

The use of biofiber, or natural fiber, composites by the U.S. automotive industry is on the rise. Biofiber composites are now being considered a meaningful alternative to glass fiber composites. This paper examines the current status of biofiber composites in the automotive sector. The investigation highlights the progress of the application of different types of non-woody and woody cellulosic fibers for designing and fabricating composite automotive components. The improvements in the processing techniques, production methods of different biofiber composites, and the potential applications of these composites in the automotive sector have been taken into consideration. The global emerging trends towards designing and deploying biofiber composite components by leading manufacturers are discussed. Further this study highlights the strengths and obstacles encountered for commercialization and adoption of biofiber composite materials. Current research priorities and global sustainability initiatives further offer insight to future trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]