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High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers

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A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Circular and Green Polymer Science".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 39138

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Antonio Pantano

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Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università degli Studi di Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: computational mechanics; composite materials; mechanical design; numerical methods for engineering; mechanical engineering aspects of micro/nanoscale engineering; non-destructive evaluation; wind turbines; biomimetic
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Bernardo Zuccarello

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Department of Engineering, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Interests: biocomposites reinforced by natural fibers; hybrid joints between metals and composites materials; implementation and characterization of innovative sandwich structures; residual stress analysis by mechanical methods; strain measurement by electrical strain gauges
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thanks to a growing sensitivity towards environmental protection, as well as to the recent laws against the production pollution of synthetic materials, nowadays, there is great attention given to eco-compatible composite materials consisting of a sustainable or renewable matrix reinforced by natural fibers. Compared to synthetic fibers, natural ones (purposely grown and harvested or recovered from agricultural waste) can combine remarkable mechanical properties with very low greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, the use of green or bio-based polymers reinforced by natural fibers (biocomposites) is growing strongly in many industrial fields, particularly in the automotive sector, but also in the civil construction area and in naval production. German carmakers, soon followed by other manufacturers, introduced natural fiber composites for interior and exterior applications—door panels, parcel shelves, seat cushions, dashboard parts, backrests, etc. In the civil construction area, they can substitute metals as steel and aluminum for the manufacturing of beams, building panels, roofing products, autoclaved cement composite, etc. Conversely, for ship building, the adoption of green composites can potentially represent a valid substitute for fiberglass. Fortunately, several types of natural fibers that can be used as reinforcement, such as agave, hemp, flax, kenaf, and many more, are available in abundance in the current market, and the development of new crops are not necessary. In order to improve the mechanical performance of these biocomposites, several authors have proposed particular fiber treatments or, more recently, the introduction of low volume fractions of micro- and/or nano-fillers. However, to date, few works have been devoted to these more recent approaches, as well as to the accurate analysis of their behavior under various loading conditions (fatigue, impact, wear, etc.) and the corresponding ageing under the main environmental agent (temperature, moisture, and ultra-violet light). In addition, their hybridization with synthetical fibers (carbon/glass) or other natural fibers aimed at optimizing specific characteristics such as impact, wear, and aging, need further research works.

In this Special Issue, modern trends in high-performance biocomposites reinforced by natural fibers, with or without the addition of micro- or nano-fillers, are highlighted and discussed, including their processing, properties, modeling, and applications.

It is our pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript for this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Antonio Pantano
Prof. Dr. Bernardo Zuccarello
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. Polymers 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 2700 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

natural fibers
composites
processing
modeling
hybridization
mechanical properties
fatigue properties
impact properties
ageing
wear
thermomechanical properties
viscoelastic properties
electrical properties

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1285 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Potentiality of Utilizing Woven Pineapple Leaf Fibre for Polymer Composites

by Agung Efriyo Hadi, Januar Parlaungan Siregar, Tezara Cionita, Mohd Bakeri Norlaila, Muhammad Amin Mohd Badari, Agustinus Purna Irawan, Jamiluddin Jaafar, Teuku Rihayat, Ramli Junid and Deni Fajar Fitriyana

Polymers 2022, 14(13), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14132744 - 5 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2405

Abstract

Pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) is one of the natural fibres with the highest tensile strength and cellulose content. This has led to the investigation of the application of short, long, random mats, and unidirectional types as reinforcement agents, but there is limited study on the usage of woven PALF in composites. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potential of this woven PALF in reinforcing epoxy resin (ER) composite as well as the effect of layering numbers and fibre orientations on the mechanical properties of the product. This involved using hand lay-up and press moulding with a hydraulic machine to produce the composite and specimen test while 2, 3, and 4 layers of woven PALF were used as the layering number parameter. Moreover, the warp and weft direction of the woven PALF were used to simulate the effect of fibre orientation in composites. The findings showed that the 3-layer woven PALF performed better in terms of tensile and flexural properties than the other layers. It was also discovered that the orientation of the composite with warp direction is slightly higher than the weft direction. Furthermore, the scanning electron microscopic (SEM) method was applied to analyse the tensile fracture of the composites and the results showed that the interfacial adhesion of the 3-layer woven PALF successfully transferred the load to the epoxy resin matrix due to its reinforcement role in composites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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16 pages, 6201 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Basalt Fiber Hybridization Effects on High-Performance Sisal-Reinforced Biocomposites

by Bernardo Zuccarello, Francesco Bongiorno and Carmelo Militello

Polymers 2022, 14(7), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14071457 - 3 Apr 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2049

Abstract

The increasing attention given to environmental protection, largely through specific regulations on environmental impact and the recycling of materials, has led to a considerable interest of researchers in biocomposites, materials consisting of bio-based or green polymer matrixes reinforced by natural fibers. Among the various reinforcing natural fibers, sisal fibers are particularly promising for their good mechanical properties, low specific weight and wide availability on the current market. As proven in literature by various authors, the hybridization of biocomposites by synthetical fibers or different natural fibers can lead to an interesting improvement of the mechanical properties or, in turn, of the strength against environmental agents. Consequently, this can lead to a significant enlargement of their practical applications, in particular from quite common non-structural applications (dashboards, fillings, soundproofing, etc.) towards semi-structural (panels, etc.) and structural applications (structural elements of civil construction and/or machine components). Hybridizations with natural fibers or with ecofriendly basalt fibers are the most interesting ones, since they permit the improvement of the biocomposite’s performance without an appreciable increment on environmental impact, as occurs instead for synthetic fiber hybridizations that are also widely proposed in the literature. In order to further increase the mechanical performance and, above all, to reduce the aging effects on high-performance sisal-reinforced biocomposites due to environmental agents, the hybridization of such biocomposites with basalt fibers are studied with tensile, compression and delamination tests performed by varying the exposition to environmental agents. In brief, the experimental analysis has shown that hybridization can lead to further enhancements of mechanical performance (strength and stiffness) that increase with basalt volume fraction and can lead to appreciable reductions in the aging effects on mechanical performance by simple hybridization of the surface laminae. Therefore, such a hybridization can be advantageously used in all practical outdoor applications in which high-performance sisal biocomposites can be exposed to significant environmental agents (temperature, humidity, UV). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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14 pages, 6932 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Analysis of the Parameters Affecting the Stiffness of Short Sisal Fiber Biocomposites Manufactured by Compression-Molding

by Antonio Pantano, Carmelo Militello, Francesco Bongiorno and Bernardo Zuccarello

Polymers 2022, 14(1), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14010154 - 31 Dec 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1627

Abstract

The use of natural fiber-based composites is on the rise in many industries. Thanks to their eco-sustainability, these innovative materials make it possible to adapt the production of components, systems and machines to the increasingly stringent regulations on environmental protection, while at the same time reducing production costs, weight and operating costs. Optimizing the mechanical properties of biocomposites is an important goal of applied research. In this work, using a new numerical approach, the effects of the volume fraction, average length, distribution of orientation and curvature of fibers on the Young’s modulus of a biocomposite reinforced with short natural fibers were studied. Although the proposed approach could be applied to any biocomposite, sisal fibers and an eco-sustainable thermosetting matrix (green epoxy) were considered in both simulations and the associated experimental assessment. The results of the simulations showed the following effects of the aforementioned parameters on Young’s modulus: a linear growth with the volume fraction, nonlinear growth as the length of the fibers increased, a reduction as the average curvature increased and an increase in stiffness in the x-y plane as the distribution of fiber orientation in the z direction decreased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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16 pages, 32039 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Stacking Sequence on Fatigue Behaviour of Hybrid Pineapple Leaf Fibre/Carbon-Fibre-Reinforced Epoxy Composites

by Mohd Khairul Rabani Hashim, Mohd Shukry Abdul Majid, Mohd Ridzuan Mohd Jamir, Farizul Hafiz Kasim, Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan, Ain Umaira Md Shah, Kamarul Arifin Ahmad and Adi Azriff Basri

Polymers 2021, 13(22), 3936; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13223936 - 15 Nov 2021

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2297

Abstract

This study examined the fatigue behaviour of pineapple leaf fibre/carbon hybrid laminate composites under various stacking sequences. The vacuum infusion technique was used to fabricate the symmetric quasi-isotropic oriented laminates, in which the stacking was varied. The laminate was tested under static and fatigue tensile load according to ASTM D3039-76 and ASTM D3479-96, respectively. Maximum tensile strength and modulus of 119.34 MPa and 6.86 GPa, respectively, were recorded for the laminate with external PALF ply and internal carbon ply oriented at [± 45°₂, 0°/90°₂]_s (PCCP_45090). The fatigue tests showed that PCCP_45090 and CPPC_09045 (with internal PALF ply and external carbon ply oriented at [0°/90°_2, ± 45°₂]_s) exhibited a higher useful life, especially at the high-stress level of the ultimate tensile strength. The normalised stress against the number of cycles showed that the stacking sequences of different ply orientations affected the fatigue behaviour more than the stacking sequences of the material. The laminate stacking sequence significantly affected the hysteresis energy and stiffness evolution. The scanning electron microscopy images showed that the fatigue failure modes included fibre pull-out, fibre breakage, matrix cracking, debonding, and delamination. The study concluded that PCCP_45090 exhibited an outstanding fatigue performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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23 pages, 6989 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Innovative Banana Fiber Nonwoven Reinforced Polymer Composites: Pre- and Post-Treatment Effects on Physical and Mechanical Properties

by K. Z. M. Abdul Motaleb, Abdul Ahad, Ginta Laureckiene and Rimvydas Milasius

Polymers 2021, 13(21), 3744; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13213744 - 29 Oct 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 10220

Abstract

Four types of nonwovens were prepared from different sections of the banana tree e.g., outer bark (OB), middle bark (MB), inner bark (IB) and midrib of leaf (MR) by wet laid web formation. They were reinforced with two different types of matrices e.g., epoxy and polyester, to make eight variants of composites. Treatments including alkali on raw fibers, water repellent on nonwovens and gamma radiation on composites were applied in order to investigate their effects on properties of the composites such as water absorbency, tensile strength (TS), flexural strength (FS) and elongation at break (Eb%). Variations in the morphological structure and chemical composition of both raw banana fibers and fibers reinforced by the treatments were analyzed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). OB composites exhibited higher water absorbency, TS and FS and lower Eb% compared to other types of composites. Epoxy composites were found to have 16% lower water absorbency, 41.2% higher TS and 39.1% higher FS than polyester composites on an average. Water absorbency of the composites was reduced 32% by the alkali treatment and a further 63% by water repellent treatment. TS and FS of the composites were on average improved 71% and 87% by alkali treatment and a further 30% and 35% by gamma radiation respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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21 pages, 14086 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Properties of Sugar Palm (Arenga pinnata Wurmb. Merr)/Glass Fiber-Reinforced Poly(lactic acid) Hybrid Composites for Potential Use in Motorcycle Components

by S. F. K. Sherwani, E. S. Zainudin, S. M. Sapuan, Z. Leman and K. Abdan

Polymers 2021, 13(18), 3061; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13183061 - 10 Sep 2021

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 2515

Abstract

This research aims to determine the mechanical properties of sugar palm fiber (Arenga pinnata Wurmb. Merr) (SPF)/glass fiber (GF)-reinforced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) hybrid composites for potential use in motorcycle components. The mechanical (hardness, compressive, impact, and creep) and flammability properties of SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites were investigated and compared to commercially available motorcycle Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic components. The composites were initially prepared using a Brabender Plastograph, followed by a compression molding method. This study also illustrated the tensile and flexural stress–strain curves. The results revealed that alkaline-treated SPF/GF/PLA had the highest hardness and impact strength values of 88.6 HRS and 3.10 kJ/m², respectively. According to the results, both alkaline and benzoyl chloride treatments may improve the mechanical properties of SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites, and a short-term creep test revealed that the alkaline treated SPF/GF/PLA composite displayed the least creep deformation. The findings of the horizontal UL 94 testing indicated that the alkaline-treated SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites had good flame resistance. However, alkaline-treated SPF/GF/PLA composites are more suitable materials for motorcycle components. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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17 pages, 6214 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effect of Alkali Treatment on Physical, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Kenaf Fiber and Polymer Epoxy Composites

by Nur Farhani Ismail, Nabilah Afiqah Mohd Radzuan, Abu Bakar Sulong, Norhamidi Muhamad and Che Hassan Che Haron

Polymers 2021, 13(12), 2005; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13122005 - 19 Jun 2021

Cited by 33 | Viewed by 3568

Abstract

The use of kenaf fiber as a reinforcement material for polymer composites is gaining popularity, especially in the production of automotive components. The main objective of this current work is to relate the effect of alkali treatment on the single fiber itself and the composite material simultaneously. The effect of temperature condition during mechanical testing is also investigated. Composite materials with discontinuous natural kenaf fibers and epoxy resin were fabricated using a compression moulding process. The epoxy composites were reinforced with 50 wt% untreated and treated kenaf fibers. The kenaf fiber was treated with NaOH solution (6% by weight) for 24 h at room temperature. Kenaf fiber treated with NaOH treatment had a clean surface and no impurities. For the first time we can see that alkali treatment had a damaging effect on the mechanical properties of kenaf fibers itself and the treated kenaf/epoxy composites. The composite reinforced with untreated kenaf fiber and treated kenaf fiber showed increased tensile strength (72.85% and 12.97%, respectively) compared to the neat epoxy. Reinforcement of the composite with treated kenaf fiber decreased the tensile strength due to the fiber pull out and the formation of voids which weakens the adhesion between the fibers and matrix. The temperature conditions also play an important role in composites with a significant impact on the deterioration of composite materials. Treated kenaf fiber has thermal stability and is not sensitive to temperature and as a result reinforcement with treated kenaf gives a lower loss value of 76%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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12 pages, 3368 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Performance and Dimensional Stability of Bamboo Fiber-Based Composite

by Yahui Zhang, Wenji Yu, Namhun Kim and Yue Qi

Polymers 2021, 13(11), 1732; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13111732 - 25 May 2021

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2868

Abstract

The bamboo fiber-based composite (BFBC) has high-performce in terms of mechanical properties and dimensional stability. In this study, BFBCs were prepared with different hot-pressing temperatures (150 °C, 160 °C, 170 °C, 180 °C, 190 °C, and 200 °C) and designed with different densities (1.05 g/cm³, 1.10 g/cm³, 1.15 g/cm³ and 1.20 g/cm³), and their selected properties were evaluated. Temperature affected BFBC performance, which, with a general increase in temperature, showed a decrement in mechanical properties and an improvement in dimensional stability. Holocellulose content significantly decreased, and the color of BFBC became darker with the increasing of the press temperature. As the density of BFBC increased, the modulus of elasticity (MOE) significantly increased from 23.09 GPa to 27.01 GPa with the increase in temperature. The thickness swelling ratio (TSR), width swelling ratio (WSR) and water absorption ratio (WAR) declined by more than 30% with the increase in density. Overall, the results of this study provide a theoretical basis and a source of technical support to promote the design, application, and popularization of BFBC in different fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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14 pages, 2417 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combination of Corn Pith Fiber and Biobased Flame Retardant: A Novel Method toward Flame Retardancy, Thermal Stability, and Mechanical Properties of Polylactide

by Yunxian Yang, De-Yi Wang, Laia Haurie, Zhiqi Liu and Lu Zhang

Polymers 2021, 13(10), 1562; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13101562 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2574

Abstract

Some crop by-products are considered to be promising materials for the development of novel biobased products for industrial applications. The flammability of these alternatives to conventional materials is a constraint to expanded applications. Polylactide (PLA) composites containing a combination of oxidized corn pith fiber (OCC) and a biobased flame retardant (PA-THAM) have been prepared via an in situ modification method. SEM/EDS, FTIR and TGA were performed to establish that PA-THAM was coated onto the surface of OCC. The mechanical properties, thermal stability and fire behavior of PLA-based biocomposites were investigated. The incorporation of 5 phr PA-THAM imparted biocomposite good interfacial adhesion and increased decomposition temperature at 10% mass loss by 50 °C. The flame retardant properties were also improved, as reflected by an increased LOI value, a UL-94 V-2 rating, reduction of PHRR, and increased formation of char residue. Therefore, the introduction of 5 phr PA-THAM can maintain a good balance between flame retardancy and mechanical properties of this PLA/OCC system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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Review

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22 pages, 19884 KiB

Open AccessReview

Overview of the Important Factors Influencing the Performance of Eco-Friendly Brake Pads

by Agustinus Purna Irawan, Deni Fajar Fitriyana, Cionita Tezara, Januar Parlaungan Siregar, Dwinita Laksmidewi, Gregorius Dimas Baskara, Mohd Zulkfly Abdullah, Ramli Junid, Agung Efriyo Hadi, Mohammad Hazim Mohamad Hamdan and Najid Najid

Polymers 2022, 14(6), 1180; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14061180 - 16 Mar 2022

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 7342

Abstract

The braking system is a crucial element in automotive safety. In order for the braking mechanism to function effectively, the brake pads’ durability as well as quality are crucial aspects to take into account. A brake pad is a part of a vehicle that holds the wheel rotation so that braking can occur. Asbestos, which is harmful to human health, is a raw material that is recently being widely used as a material mixture for the manufacturing of brake pads. Many efforts have been made by researchers to find other natural alternative materials to replace the use of asbestos. Natural materials that have received much attention and research include coconut fiber, wood powder or flour, bamboo fiber, shell powder, etc. This review paper focuses on analyzing the main parameters that affect brake pad performance. The composition of filler and fiber types of reinforcement for polymer composites is discussed. Previous studies’ information on the fabrication and testing of brake pads are also highlighted. Furthermore, the findings of this review can provide researchers and academicians with useful information and points to consider for further research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Biocomposite Reinforced by Natural Fibers)

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