Natural Fiber Composites (NFCs)—Current Research Trends and Applications
A special issue of Journal of Composites Science (ISSN 2504-477X). This special issue belongs to the section "Fiber Composites".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 April 2026 | Viewed by 60
Special Issue Editors
Interests: natural fibers; natural fiber composites (NFCs); biocomposites; nanocomposites; nanomaterials; environmental ageing; textile materials; circular economy; recycling and reuse
Interests: quantitative structure–property relationships (QSPRs); modeling; material–environment interactions (MEI); polymers and composites; environment and sustainability; circular economy; recycling and reuse
Interests: natural fiber composites (NFCs); sustainability and durability; life cycle assessment (LCA); life cycle costing (LCC); social LCA; techno-economic analysis
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Natural fiber composites (NFCs) are gaining increasing prominence in both research and industry due to their distinct advantages (such as comparable specific stiffness, renewability, and environmental sustainability) over their synthetic counterparts, such as GFRPs and CFRPs. When paired with recyclable or circular polymer matrices, NFCs offer enhanced environmental performance, aligning with global green transition strategies, circular economy frameworks, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their interdisciplinary applications span the automotive, maritime, construction, sports and recreation, aviation, and energy sectors, positioning NFCs as a dynamic and rapidly evolving research domain. This Special Issue aims to showcase recent advancements in NFCs, focusing on mechanical performance, environmental durability, sustainability assessments, and emerging applications. By consolidating current research, this collection seeks to advance the development of sustainable composite technologies and support their broader integration into diverse industrial ecosystems.
We welcome original research articles, comprehensive reviews, and short communications on topics including, but not limited to, the following:
- Natural fibers and natural fiber composites (NFCs)—surface treatment, processing techniques, and material characterization.
- Environmental durability or long-term aging performance of NFCs.
- Fully bio-based green composites utilizing natural fibers and biodegradable polymer matrices.
- Circular NFCs with recyclable or circular polymer systems.
- Hybrid NFCs—Combination of NFCs with other natural or synthetic fibers.
- Functionalized NFCs—Incorporation of NFCs with organic, inorganic, or nano-scale fillers.
- Sustainability assessments of natural fibers and their composites (Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Life Cycle Costing, Social LCA, and Techno-Economic Analysis).
- Applications of NFCs.
Dr. Subrata Chandra Das
Dr. Andrejs E. Krauklis
Dr. Nilmini Dissanayake
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Composites Science is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
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Keywords
- natural fibers
- natural fiber composites (NFCs)
- natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites
- biocomposites
- green composites
- recyclable polymers
- circular composites
- hybrid composites
- surface modification
- sustainable composites
- life cycle assessment (LCA)
- environmental impacts
- mechanical characterization
- recycling and reuse
- circular economy
- applications of NFCs
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