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Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites
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Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 February 2026 | Viewed by 2467

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Antonio Formisano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
Interests: manufacturing and thermomechanical characterization of composite structures; incremental sheet forming of metals and polymers; manufacturing and characterization of metal foam structures; investigation of the wear behavior of hard metals and filled resins; FEM analysis of bulk and sheet forming processes
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to announce a new Special Issue of Materials, titled “Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites”.

The aim of this Special Issue is to present the latest achievements related to the manufacturing processes, materials, mechanical characterization, recycling, and applications of natural fiber-reinforced composites. Research articles focusing on the following topics are welcome to be submitted to this Special Issue:

Identification of the optimal process parameters and verification of treatments aimed at improving the adhesion between fibers and matrices for the manufacture of natural composite structures;
Thermomechanical characterization of natural composites;
Description of industrial applications and markets regarding natural composites;
Investigation of the end-of-life of natural fiber-reinforced composites in the framework of the circular economy.

This Special Issue aims to reach widely across the research community to enhance the understanding of the present status and trends of natural fiber-reinforced composites.

Dr. Antonio Formisano
Guest Editor

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. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • composite materials
  • natural fibers
  • thermomechanical properties
  • process parameters
  • recycling
  • end-of-life

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2806 KB  
Article
Polylactide (PLA) Composites Reinforced with Natural Fibrous Filler Recovered from the Biomass of Sorghum Leaves or Stems
by Ryszard Gąsiorowski, Danuta Matykiewicz and Dominika Janiszewska-Latterini
Materials 2025, 18(19), 4634; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194634 - 8 Oct 2025
Viewed by 411
Abstract
In response to environmental pressures and the growing demand for sustainable materials, this study investigates the use of lignocellulosic fillers derived from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) biomass, specifically stems and leaves, as reinforcements in biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) composites. The aim [...] Read more.
In response to environmental pressures and the growing demand for sustainable materials, this study investigates the use of lignocellulosic fillers derived from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) biomass, specifically stems and leaves, as reinforcements in biodegradable polylactic acid (PLA) composites. The aim was to assess the effect of filler type and content (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) on the physicochemical properties of the composites. Sorghum was manually harvested in Greater Poland, separated, dried, milled, and fractionated to particles <0.25 mm. Composites were produced via extrusion and injection molding, followed by characterization using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile and impact testing, density measurements, optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results showed that stem-based fillers provided a better balance between stiffness and ductility, along with improved dispersion and interfacial adhesion. In contrast, leaf-based fillers led to higher stiffness but greater brittleness and agglomeration. All composites exhibited decreased impact strength and thermal stability compared to neat PLA, with the extent of these decreases depending on the filler type and loading. The study highlights the potential of sorghum stems as a viable, renewable reinforcement in biopolymer composites, aligning with circular economy and bioeconomy strategies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites)
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30 pages, 8329 KB  
Article
Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer-Based Composites Resistant to the Corrosive Action of Acetic Acid
by Elena Manaila, Ion Bogdan Lungu, Marius Dumitru, Maria Mihaela Manea and Gabriela Craciun
Materials 2025, 18(19), 4557; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18194557 - 30 Sep 2025
Viewed by 296
Abstract
The potential of elastomeric composites reinforced with natural fillers to replace traditional synthetic materials in applications involving exposure to acidic environments offers both economic and environmental advantages. On the one hand, these materials contribute to cost reduction and the valorization of organic waste [...] Read more.
The potential of elastomeric composites reinforced with natural fillers to replace traditional synthetic materials in applications involving exposure to acidic environments offers both economic and environmental advantages. On the one hand, these materials contribute to cost reduction and the valorization of organic waste through the development of value-added products. On the other hand, the presence of wood waste in the composite structure enhances biodegradation potential, making these materials less polluting and more consistent with the principles of the circular economy. The present study aims to evaluate the behavior of composites based on Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM) synthetic rubber, reinforced with silica and wood sawdust, in a weakly acidic yet strongly corrosive environment—specifically, acetic acid solutions with concentrations ranging from 10% to 30%. The study also investigates the extent to which varying the proportions of the two fillers affects the resistance of these materials under such environmental conditions. Physico-chemical, structural, and morphological analyses revealed that the materials underwent chemical modifications, such as acetylation of hydroxyl groups. This process reduced the hydrophilic character of the sawdust and, combined with the formation of stable interfaces between the elastomeric matrix and the fillers during vulcanization, limited acid penetration into the composite structure. The composites in which 20 phr or 30 phr of wood sawdust were used-replacing equivalent amounts of silica from the initial 50 phr formulation-demonstrated the highest resistance to the corrosive environments. After 14 days of exposure to a 20% acetic acid solution, the composite containing 30% wood sawdust exhibited a decrease in cross-link density of only 1.44%, accompanied by a reduction in Young’s modulus of just 0.95%. At the same time, tensile strength and specific elongation increased by 22.57% and 26.02%, respectively. FTIR and SEM analysis confirmed good rubber-filler interactions and the stability of the composite structure under acidic conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites)
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17 pages, 2641 KB  
Article
The Effect of the Addition of Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Lucerne (Medicago sativa) on the Strength Parameters of a Polymer-Based Composite and Socio-Economic Analysis
by Nikolina Poranek, Marcin Marczak, Agata Wajda and Krzysztof Pikoń
Materials 2025, 18(13), 2959; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18132959 - 23 Jun 2025
Viewed by 505
Abstract
Polymer composites are of considerable interest due to the possibility of improving the performance parameters of plastics. The filler is a component whose introduction into the rubber mixture can affect the physicochemical and functional properties of the composite. It is present in the [...] Read more.
Polymer composites are of considerable interest due to the possibility of improving the performance parameters of plastics. The filler is a component whose introduction into the rubber mixture can affect the physicochemical and functional properties of the composite. It is present in the largest quantity in the mixture, so its type is of significant importance in the polymer composite production process. Currently, much attention is being paid to the potential use of various materials as fillers to improve the properties of composites. These materials should, among other things, exhibit good adhesion to the polymer matrix and a high degree of dispersion. One example of such a material is dried plant material. In this group, dried leaves of two plants—sage (Salvia officinalis) and lucerne (Medicago sativa)—were introduced into a rubber mixture in several different content variants. The mixtures were subjected to durability and aging tests and the results were compared with a mixture without any plant additives. Of all the test variants with plant filler, the best results were obtained with the lowest proportion of dried plant material, which was 5 Parts per Hundred Rubber (PHR). In this case, most parameters remained at a level similar to the variant without additives. A slight improvement was observed in elongation at break for the mixture with sage (from 550% to 559%), while in the case of the mixture with lucerne, the color improved (from 1.21 to 0.94). Some parameters of vulcanization characteristics and tensile strength deteriorated. For the latter parameter, a decrease of 11% was noted for the mixture with sage (from 4.65 MPa to 4.13 MPa) and 18% for the mixture with lucerne (to 3.82 MPa). Interestingly, as a result of the ageing of the samples, a significant part of the mixtures with dried plants obtained better results in the case of tensile strength than before ageing. This applies especially to the following variants: 30 PHR for the mixture with sage (an increase of 48%) and 5 PHR for the mixture with alfalfa (an increase of 15%). In general, it should be noted that the functional parameters deteriorated with the increase in the proportion of plant additives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites)
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13 pages, 3459 KB  
Article
Incremental Forming of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites: Considerations on Formability Limits and Energy Consumption
by Antonio Formisano, Dario De Fazio, Giuseppe Irace and Massimo Durante
Materials 2025, 18(12), 2688; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma18122688 - 7 Jun 2025
Viewed by 760
Abstract
Incremental sheet forming originated as an excellent alternative to conventional forming techniques for incrementally deforming flat metal sheets into complex three-dimensional profiles. Recently, its use has been extended to polymers and composites. Among these, the use of natural fiber-reinforced composites is increasing considerably [...] Read more.
Incremental sheet forming originated as an excellent alternative to conventional forming techniques for incrementally deforming flat metal sheets into complex three-dimensional profiles. Recently, its use has been extended to polymers and composites. Among these, the use of natural fiber-reinforced composites is increasing considerably compared to synthetic fiber-reinforced composites, due to the availability and unique properties of natural fibers in polymer applications. One of the dominant thermoplastics used as a matrix is polypropylene. This experimental study focuses on the incremental forming of natural fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites. Cones and spherical caps were manufactured from composite laminates of polypropylene reinforced with hemp and flax long-fiber fabrics. The formability limits, observed through failures and defects, as well as the forming forces, power, and energy consumption, were investigated to examine the feasibility of incremental forming applied to these composite materials; based on the results obtained, it is possible to say that the process can manufacture components with not very high wall angles but under low load conditions and allowing to limit the energy impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Manufacturing and Recycling of Natural Fiber-Reinforced Composites)
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