Natural Fibers: Characterization, Properties and Applications

Dear Colleagues,

Natural fibers are obtained directly from nature and can be divided into plant fibers, animal fibers and mineral fibers. For a long time, natural fibers have been used to meet human needs in various areas. The importance of natural fibers has reduced because of the development and the use of synthetic fibers. However, the increasing environmental concerns and the depletion of petroleum resources have once again increased the importance of natural fibers and researchers and industries have been encouraged to use sustainable fibers rather than traditional synthetic fibers. Besides good mechanical and physical properties, the low density, considerable toughness, low cost, recyclability, non-toxicity and easy availability of natural fibers are also attractive aspects. These characteristics make natural fibers not only still play an important role in textile industry, but also are widely used as reinforced composite products in other industries such as automotive, construction and furniture. This special issue will give the opportunity to share the investigations about the characterization, properties and application of natural fibers carried out by researchers from different countries.

Dr. Li Cui
Guest Editor

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