Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers: 2000–2010

This paper provides an overview of recent progress made in the area of cellulose nanofibre-based nanocomposites. An introduction into the methods used to isolate cellulose nanofibres (nanowhiskers, nanofibrils) is given, with details of their structure. Following this, the article is split into sections dealing with processing and characterisation of cellulose nanocomposites and new developments in the area, with particular emphasis on applications. The types of cellulose nanofibres covered are those extracted from plants by acid hydrolysis (nanowhiskers), mechanical treatment and those that occur naturally (tunicate nanowhiskers) or under culturing conditions (bacterial cellulose nanofibrils). Research highlighted in the article are the use of cellulose nanowhiskers for shape memory nanocomposites, analysis of the interfacial properties of cellulose nanowhisker and nanofibril-based composites using Raman spectroscopy, switchable interfaces that mimic sea cucumbers, polymerisation from the surface of cellulose nanowhiskers by atom transfer radical polymerisation and ring opening polymerisation, and methods to analyse the dispersion of nanowhiskers. The applications and new advances covered in this review are the use of cellulose nanofibres to reinforce adhesives, to make optically transparent paper for electronic displays, to create DNA-hybrid materials, to generate hierarchical composites and for use in foams, aerogels and starch nanocomposites and the use of all-cellulose nanocomposites for enhanced coupling between matrix and fibre. A comprehensive coverage of the literature is given and some suggestions on where the field is likely to advance in the future are discussed.

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Review: current international research into cellulose nanofibres and nanocomposites

Natural fibres: can they replace glass in fibre reinforced plastics?

In this work, natural fibres (sisal, kenaf, hemp, jute and coir) reinforced polypropylene composites were processed by compression moulding using a film stacking method. The mechanical properties of the different natural fibre composites were tested and compared. A further comparison was made with the corresponding properties of glass mat reinforced polypropylene composites from the open literature. Kenaf, hemp and sisal composites showed comparable tensile strength and modulus results but in impact properties hemp appears to out-perform kenaf. The tensile modulus, impact strength and the ultimate tensile stress of kenaf reinforced polypropylene composites were found to increase with increasing fibre weight fraction. Coir fibre composites displayed the lowest mechanical properties, but their impact strength was higher than that of jute and kenaf composites. In most cases the specific properties of the natural fibre composites were found to compare favourably with those of glass.

Natural fibres: Can they replace glass in fibre reinforced plastics ?

Biofibres and Biocomposites

Composites get greener

Physical and tensile properties of pineapple fibers were characterized. Tensile properties of pineapple fibers, like most natural fibers, showed a large variation. The average interfacial shear strength between the pineapple fiber and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV) was 8.23 MPa as measured by the microbond technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) photomicrographs of the microbond specimens revealed an adhesive failure of the interface. Fully degradable and environment-friendly “green” composites were prepared by combining pineapple fibers and PHBV with 20 and 30% weight content of fibers placed in a 0°/90°/0° fiber arrangement. Tensile and flexural properties of these “green” composites were compared with different types of wood specimens. Even though tensile and flexural strength and moduli of these “green” composites were lower than those of some wood specimens tested in grain direction, they were significantly higher than those of wood specimens tested in perpendicular to grain direction. Compared to PHBV virgin resin, both tensile and flexural strength and moduli of these “green” composites were significantly higher. SEM photomicrographs of the fracture surface of the “green” composites, in tensile mode, showed partial fiber pull-out indicating weak bonding between the fiber and the matrix.

Interfacial and mechanical properties of environment-friendly green composites made from pineapple fibers and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) resin

This paper presents the mechanical and thermal properties of unidirectional, degradable, environment-friendly “green” composites made from pineapple fibers and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) (PHBV) resin. Tensile and flexural properties of the “green” composites with different fiber contents were measured in both longitudinal and transverse directions. Compared to those of virgin resin, the tensile and flexural strengths of “green” composites are significantly higher in the longitudinal direction while they are lower in the transverse direction. However, the mechanical properties are lower than those predicted by simple models. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photomicrographs of the tensile fracture surfaces demonstrate fibers being pulled out from the matrix, the interfacial failure, fiber fibrillation, and the nonunidirectional nature of the “green” composites. The thermal behavior of the “green” composites, studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), showed that the presence of pineapple fibers does not affect the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics, crystallinity, and thermal decomposition of PHBV resin.

Mechanical and thermal properties of environment-friendly green composites made from pineapple leaf fibers and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) resin

The failure of the interface in a carbon fiber-epoxy system was studied for six different epoxy blends using the single-filament-composite technique. The blends were formulated to yield a wide range of stiffnesses, and their effect on interfacial failure was examined. Specimens were made from Hercules IM6-G carbon fiber and the different blends of epoxy, and then strained to obtain a distribution of fiber fragment lengths. Birefringence patterns near the fiber breaks were observed and recorded. Some of the specimens were strained until they failed and the resulting fracture surfaces were observed under a scanning electron microscope to determine fracture patterns and the existence of debonding. The fragment length distributions were interpreted using a Monte-Carlo simulation of a Poisson/Weibull model for fiber strength and flaw occurrence. The results were used to calculate an effective interfacial shear strength. From this analysis we conclude that one cannot accurately predict the interfacial properties of a composite based solely upon conventional single fiber and bulk matrix properties. Local matrix properties and fiber/matrix interactions, on a microscale, play a key role in composite strength.

Interfacial Shear Strength Studies Using the Single-Filament-Composite Test. I: Experiments on Graphite Fibers in Epoxy

Sisal fibers were mercerized, under tension and no tension, to improve their tensile properties and interfacial adhesion with soy protein resin. Mercerization of fibers under tension is known to minimize fiber shrinkage and to lower the microfibrillar angle by aligning them along the fiber axis. Mercerization improved the fracture stress and Young’s modulus of the sisal fibers while their fracture strain and toughness decreased. Mercerized sisal fiber-reinforced composites with soy protein resin showed improvement in both fracture stress and stiffness by 12.2% and 36.2%, respectively, compared to the unmercerized fiber-reinforced composites. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photomicrographs of the composite fracture surfaces showed shorter fibrils protruding in the mercerized fiber-reinforced composites resulting in better sisal fiber/soy adhesion. Changed fiber surface properties were also responsible for better adhesion.

Anil N. Netravali

Papers

Composites get greener

Interfacial and mechanical properties of environment-friendly green composites made from pineapple fibers and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) resin

Mechanical and thermal properties of environment-friendly green composites made from pineapple leaf fibers and poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) resin

Interfacial Shear Strength Studies Using the Single-Filament-Composite Test. I: Experiments on Graphite Fibers in Epoxy

Mercerization of sisal fibers: Effect of tension on mechanical properties of sisal fiber and fiber-reinforced composites