Search results for "Natural fiber"
showing 10 items of 52 documents
Thermal and Structural Analysis of Natural Fiber Reinforced Starch-Based Biocomposites
2006
This is the second part of a series of articles dealing with characterization of starch based biodegradable composites. Potato, sweet potato, and corn starch varieties were used as matrices of the biocomposites. Natural fibers including jute, sisal, and cabuya were used as discrete reinforcement. Water and glycols were used as plasticizers. Compression molded specimens were prepared and characterized by a variety of techniques. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermogravimetry (TGA) were used to characterize the thermal behavior of these composites. Processed specimens did not show the typical endothermic peak observed in DSC scans for native starch powder. No significant differe…
Scale effect of the tensile strength of flax-fabric-reinforced polymer composites
2011
The development of UD natural fiber composites, considered for application as structural materials, necessitates evaluation of the scale effect of their strength. Alignment of the fibers in flax bast fiber composites can be achieved by employing textile reinforcement, such as yarns and fabrics. Cutting specimens for mechanical tests out of such textile-reinforced composite plates results in a complex non-uniform reinforcement structure at their edges, which may affect the strength of specimens. Scale effect of the tensile strength in the fiber direction of flax-fabric-reinforced composites is studied in the current work. A model accounting for both volume and edge effect of the specimens o…
Strength distribution of elementary flax fibres
2005
Abstract Flax fibres, along with a number of other natural fibres, are being considered as an environmentally friendly alternative of synthetic fibres in fibre-reinforced polymer composites. A common feature of natural fibres is a much higher variability of mechanical properties. This necessitates study of the flax fibre strength distribution and efficient experimental methods for its determination. Elementary flax fibres of different gauge lengths are tested by single fibre tension in order to obtain the stress–strain response and strength and failure strain distributions. The applicability of single fibre fragmentation test for flax fibre failure strain and strength characterization is co…
Random short sisal fiber biocomposites: Optimal manufacturing process and reliable theoretical models
2018
Although several works have been published in literature on agave fibers and their biocomposites, accurate information about the choice of both the fibers and the manufacturing processes that allow the user to optimize the biocomposites properties in terms of strength and stiffness are not yet available; also, no theoretical models that can be used for an accurate evaluation of the mechanical properties of these biocomposites, are reported.To this aim, the present work intends to give a contribution by considering green epoxy biocomposites reinforced by both short and discontinuous sisal agave fibers arranged in proper MAT-type fabrics. In particular, an optimized manufacturing process that…
Salt-fog spray aging of jute-basalt reinforced hybrid structures. Flexural and low velocity impact response
2017
Abstract In this work, a study on the aging resistance of jute and jute-basalt interply hybrid laminates exposed to salt-fog is presented with the aim to investigate the possibility to enhance the durability of natural fiber reinforced composites for marine application by a ply-substitution approach. In particular, jute and basalt/jute reinforced composite plates were manufactured by vacuum assisted resin infusion in two different staking sequences (i.e., intercalated and sandwich-like basalt-jute) and aged under salt fog conditions. The effects of the accelerated aging at increasing times on the mechanical response of laminates were assessed in both quasi static (three point bending) and d…
Estimation of the tensile strength of an oriented flax fiber-reinforced polymer composite
2011
Unidirectional orientation of natural fibers in a polymer composite ensures the highest efficiency of reinforcement. Flax fiber reinforcement is discontinuous due to limited fiber length and heterogeneous due to the presence of elementary fibers and their bundles. In order to assess the upper limit of tensile strength of such slightly misoriented, nominally UD natural fiber composite, a statistical strength model of continuous UD fiber reinforced composites is applied. It is found that the experimental strength of UD flax composites, produced from rovings or manually aligned fibers, approaches the theoretical limit only at relatively low fiber volume fraction ca. 0.2, being markedly below i…
Implementation of eco-sustainable biocomposite materials reinforced by optimized agave fibers
2018
Abstract Although several works have recently been published in literature about biocomposites, i.e. about composites with polymeric matrix reinforced by natural fibers, only a few articles have been devoted to the implementation of high performance biocomposites for structural and semi-structural applications. The present study aims to give a contribution by considering biocomposites obtained by using an eco-friendly partially bio-based epoxy (green epoxy) and sisal (agave sisalana fibers) obtained by a proper optimization process. Through a systematic experimental analysis, three different types of biocomposites obtained with a suitable manufacturing process, such as random short fiber bi…
Numerical model for the characterization of biocomposites reinforced by sisal fibres
2018
Abstract Although several works have been recently published in literature about biocomposites, i.e. on innovative and ecofriendly polymer matrix composites reinforced by natural fibers, there are not studies on the influence of the waviness that various natural fiber present after their extraction. In order to give a contribution to the knowledge of the effects of the fiber waviness on the main mechanical properties of biocomposites, as the longitudinal Young modulus, in the present study a systematic numerical analysis has been carried out by using parametric models properly developed, that let the user to consider the effects of the key influence parameters as the fiber concentrations an…
Nanoporous kaolin
2017
Cellulose nano- and microfibrils (CNF/CMF) grades vary significantly based on the raw materials and process treatments used. In this study four different CNF/CMF grades were combined with kaolin clay pigment particles to form nanoporous composites. The attained composite properties like porosity, surface smoothness, mechanical properties and density properties depended strongly on the raw materials used. In general, higher kaolin content (~80 wt%) led to controllable shrinkage during drying, which resulted in improved dimensional stability of composites, compared to a lower kaolin content (~50 wt%). On the other hand, the use of a plasticizer and a high amount of CNF/CMF was essential to pr…
INDUCED MODIFICATION OF FLEXURAL TOUGHNESS OF BIO-LIME BASED MORTARS BY ADDITION OF GIANT REED FIBERS
2019
Fibers are often used as reinforcement of brittle materials, like mortars, in order to modify their mechanical behavior; particularly the modification in post-cracking toughness, induced by low elasticity modulus fibers in the artificial stone material, is the main goal in natural fibers mortar manufacturing. In this work Arundo donax L. fibers are used to reinforce lime mortars according to the characteristics of this plant, very commonly available and with high mechanical properties, similar to bamboo, traditionally used in buildings in Spain. Influence of fibers’ length and weight ratio is studied. Particularly, three different fibers’ lengths, 4, 8 and 12 centimeters, and three weight r…