High-Performance Natural Fiber Composites Made from Technical Flax Textiles and Manufactured by Resin Transfer Molding

In the present work it is shown that the resin transfer molding (RTM) is a beneficial technique to manufacture natural fibers into high-performance natural fiber composites. At first, three different types of weaves were produced by using low-twist flax yarns and standard-twisted flax yarns. Laminates based on the weaves and a petrochemical derived epoxy thermoset were fabricated by RTM process. For each laminate different numbers of plies (4, 5, 6, and 7) were used to achieve a broad range of vf (from 32 % up to 55 %) which are having a pore volume fraction, vp, as low as possible (min. 0.7 % - max. 2.7 %). For the laminates, flexural properties in warp and weft direction were determined (ISO 14125) and the effect of respective yarn type on flexural properties was investigated. The best properties were achieved for the laminate based on weave2 with vf = 55 % (strength=303 MPa, modulus=19.3 GPa). When laminates were tested again after half of the year the modulus and strength were reduced, but the strainincreased. The laminates were immersed into a water bath (ASTM D570) to test the influence of vf and vp on the water absorption behavior. The maximum water uptake (4-7 wt.-%) and the maximum thickness swelling (3-12 %) were observed for the samples with higher vf. Laminates based on weave1 were immersed again into the water bath to investigate the extent of deterioration of flexural properties with respect to water absorption at various time intervals. The laminates were tested immediately after removing from the water bath and after re-drying.

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Effect of sawdust addition on the mechanical and water absorption properties of banana-sisal/epoxy natural fiber composites

Materials Today Proceedings ◽

10.1016/j.matpr.2021.07.489 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Niharika Kumari ◽

Manikant Paswan ◽

K. Prasad

Keyword(s):

Water Absorption ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Absorption Properties

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The effect of different variables on in-plane radial permeability of natural fiber mats

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites ◽

10.1177/0731684416646458 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (19) ◽

pp. 1191-1201 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Michael Ehresmann ◽

Ali Amiri ◽

Chad Ulven

Keyword(s):

Fiber Volume Fraction ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Resin Transfer Molding ◽

Limited Information ◽

Fiber Volume ◽

Fiber Mats ◽

Transfer Molding ◽

Fiber Size ◽

Wax Content

There has been a vast growth in manufacturing of fiber reinforced plastics by means of liquid composite molding such as resin transfer molding and vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding processes. In these processes, compression of the porous media and pressure of the injected resin result in in-mold forces that need to be determined. Limited information exists regarding the processing parameters and extent of reinforcing potential natural fibers have in polymer matrices. Current study investigates the effect of different variables such as fiber volume fraction, shive content, fiber size, wax content, and resin viscosity on permeability of five different natural fiber mats. Flax fiber with low-, medium-, and high-shive content as well as hemp and kenaf fiber mats was selected for this study and an original experimental device was setup to measure the permeability of the mentioned fiber mats based on different variables. It was found that increasing fiber volume fraction will result in reduction of permeability of all mats. The presence of shive and larger fiber size increased the permeability. Higher wax content lowered the permeability. These competing factors could be used by manufacturers to produce a mat which had optimum permeability while still maintaining acceptable strength.

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Compression molding of algae fiber and epoxy composites: Modeling of elastic modulus

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites ◽

10.1177/0731684416645410 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (19) ◽

pp. 1202-1216 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alejandra Constante ◽

Selvum Pillay

Keyword(s):

Fiber Volume Fraction ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Fiber Composite ◽

Compaction Pressure ◽

The United States ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Epoxy Composites ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Fiber Volume

The demand for natural fiber composites in the automotive industry in both Europe and the United States has been forecasted to increase in the coming years. The natural fiber composites based on highly commercialized fibers such as flax, hemp, and sisal has grown to become an important sector of polymeric composites. However, little attention has been addressed to expanding natural fiber composites to include new sources of emerging natural reinforcements, such as reclaimed algae fibers, that have a multiple environmental benefits. Not only are extracted algae fibers biodegradable, the reclamation process has the added benefit of restoring health of waterways choked with algae. This study focuses on the processability of algae fiber–epoxy composites. Short fibers, chemically extracted from raw reclaimed algae, were prepared for natural fiber composite products in two ways. First, randomly oriented mats were produced using the wet-laid process to create layered, compression-molded laminates. Second, loose fibers were dispersed directly into the thermoset matrix to produce a bulk molding compound that was further compression molded into composite lamina. The effect of processing variables such as compaction pressure, temperature, and time were addressed. Moreover, the effect of fiber volume fraction ( υf) and fiber form were considered. Enhanced mechanical properties were found when 56% υf algae fiber was used for the compression-molded laminates composite. This variant exhibited an improvement on the flexural and tensile modulus of 70% and 86% when compared to the neat epoxy. However, the volume of porosity on the same variant was 11% due to lack of compression in some of the fibers. The effect of porosity on the theoretical stiffness was estimated by using the Cox–Krenchel model. Furthermore, an empirical exponential model was formulated to characterize the multi-scale effect of compaction pressure on the overall fiber volume fraction, υf.

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Ecodesign Applied to Components Based on Sugarcane Fibers Composites

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.636-637.226 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 636-637 ◽

pp. 226-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Sandra M. Luz ◽

Paulo M.C. Ferrão ◽

C. Alves ◽

M. Freitas ◽

Armand Caldeira-Pires

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

End Of Life ◽

Environmental Impacts ◽

Sugarcane Bagasse ◽

Environmental Performance ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Flexural Properties ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Technical Performance

This work evaluates the technical performance and environmental impacts, when sugarcane bagasse is applied as reinforcement of polypropylene in a component instead neat polypropylene (PP). To achieve the goals of this study, the tensile and flexural properties and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a function of fiber content were performed. In addition, different end-of-life (EOL) options for natural fiber composites were proposed, including incineration, recycling (with economic reuse) and discharging (landfill). Besides the good mechanical properties, natural fiber composites showed great environmental performance during the entire life cycle, mainly in the cultivation phase, when sugarcane consumes carbon while growing, contributing to global warming decreases. As a conclusion, sugarcane bagasse fibers production results in lower environmental impacts compared to neat PP and the recycling with economic reuse of sugarcane bagasse-PP composite was the best alternative to minimize environmental impacts after the end-of-life.

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Recent Developments in Luffa Natural Fiber Composites: Review

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187683 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7683

Author(s):

Mohamad Alhijazi ◽

Babak Safaei ◽

Qasim Zeeshan ◽

Mohammed Asmael ◽

Arameh Eyvazian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Vibration Isolation ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Natural Fibers ◽

Weight Ratio ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Acoustic Properties ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Synthetic Fibers ◽

Recent Developments

Natural fiber composites (NFCs) are an evolving area in polymer sciences. Fibers extracted from natural sources hold a wide set of advantages such as negligible cost, significant mechanical characteristics, low density, high strength-to-weight ratio, environmental friendliness, recyclability, etc. Luffa cylindrica, also termed luffa gourd or luffa sponge, is a natural fiber that has a solid potential to replace synthetic fibers in composite materials in diverse applications like vibration isolation, sound absorption, packaging, etc. Recently, many researches have involved luffa fibers as a reinforcement in the development of NFC, aiming to investigate their performance in selected matrices as well as the behavior of the end NFC. This paper presents a review on recent developments in luffa natural fiber composites. Physical, morphological, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and acoustic properties of luffa NFCs are investigated, categorized, and compared, taking into consideration selected matrices as well as the size, volume fraction, and treatments of fibers. Although luffa natural fiber composites have revealed promising properties, the addition of these natural fibers increases water absorption. Moreover, chemical treatments with different agents such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and benzoyl can remarkably enhance the surface area of luffa fibers, remove undesirable impurities, and reduce water uptake, thereby improving their overall characteristics. Hybridization of luffa NFC with other natural or synthetic fibers, e.g., glass, carbon, ceramic, flax, jute, etc., can enhance the properties of the end composite material. However, luffa fibers have exhibited a profuse compatibility with epoxy matrix.

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Coating applications to natural fiber composites to improve their physical, surface and water absorption characters

Industrial Crops and Products ◽

10.1016/j.indcrop.2017.12.002 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 112 ◽

pp. 196-199 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Zengshe Liu ◽

Brent H. Tisserat

Keyword(s):

Water Absorption ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Physical Surface

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Preparation of High-Performance Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Epoxy Composites by Compression Resin Transfer Molding

Materials ◽

10.3390/ma12010013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 13 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Zeyu Sun ◽

Jie Xiao ◽

Lei Tao ◽

Yuanping Wei ◽

Shijie Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Carbon Fiber ◽

High Performance ◽

Bending Strength ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Resin Transfer Molding ◽

Epoxy Composites ◽

Scanning Calorimetry ◽

Transfer Molding ◽

Molding Method ◽

Compression Resin Transfer Molding

To satisfy the light weight requirements of vehicles owing to the aggravation of environmental pollution, carbon-fiber (CF)-reinforced epoxy composites have been chosen as a substitute for traditional metal counterparts. Since the current processing methods such as resin transfer molding (RTM) and compression molding (CM) have many limitations, an integrated and optimal molding method needs to be developed. Herein, we prepared high-performance composites by an optimized molding method, namely compression resin transfer molding (CRTM), which combines the traditional RTM and CM selectively and comprehensively. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rotational rheometry were performed to optimize the molding parameters of CRTM. In addition, metallurgical microscopy test and mechanical tests were performed to evaluate the applicability of CRTM. The experimental results showed that the composites prepared by CRTM displayed superior mechanical properties than those of the composites prepared by RTM and CM. The composite prepared by CRTM showed up to 42.9%, 41.2%, 77.3%, and 5.3% increases in tensile strength, bending strength, interlaminar shear strength, and volume fraction, respectively, of the composites prepared by RTM. Meanwhile, the porosity decreased by 45.2 %.

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Studi Pengaruh Komposisi Pengisi Serat Alam Kayu Galam (Melalueca Leucadendra) Bentuk Serutan pada Sifat Mekanik dan Mikrostruktur Komposit Poliester Sebagai Material Untuk Aplikasi Bilah Kincir Angin

JURNAL SAINTIS ◽

10.25299/saintis.2019.vol19(1).2629 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 9-14

Author(s):

Andromeda Dwi Laksono ◽

Ika Ismail ◽

Cahyaningtyas Ratna Ningrum

Keyword(s):

Tensile Strength ◽

Bending Strength ◽

Natural Fiber ◽

Volume Fraction ◽

Wood Fiber ◽

Fiber Composites ◽

Impact Testing ◽

Bending Test ◽

Natural Fiber Composites ◽

Melaleuca Leucadendra

[ID] Sebagai alternatif sumber energi konvensional, energi angin merupakan salah satu energi alternatif yang banyak dikembangkan. Pemanfaatan energi ini tidak lepas dari alat pengonversinya, kincir angin. Salah satu komponen kincir angin yang cukup penting adalah bilah. Bilah sering mengalami masalah berupa pengikisan pada bagian permukaannya akibat benturan dengan oleh partikel yang terbawa oleh angin yang dapat mengakibatkan fungsi bilah tidak optimal. Sehingga, dibutuhkan material pengganti yang lebih kuat tetapi ringan, yakni komposit. Komposit yang digunakan adalah komposit serat alam (serat Melaleuca leucadendra-poliester). Dalam penelitian ini akan dianalisa pengaruh fraksi volume serat berbentuk serutan terhadap kekuatan tarik, kelenturan dan ketangguhan. Pembuatan komposit serat alam Kayu Galam (Melaleuca leucadendra)-poliester dengan cara mencampurkan resin, katalis dan serat Kayu Galam yang berbentuk serutan kemudian dicetak didalam cetakan yang telah dilapisi alumunium foil. Sampel kemudian dilakukan pengujian kekuatan tarik dengan standar ASTM D 638, pengujian tekuk dengan standar ASTM D 790 serta pengujian impak dengan standar ASTM D 6110. Metode yang digunakan dalam pembuatan adalah metode hand lay-up. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah nilai optimum yang dicapai yaitu 70% serat pada semua uji mekanik. Didapatkan nilai kekuatan tarik berada sebesar 13,07 MPa, kekuatan tekuk optimum 36,8 MPa dan nilai optimum dari kekuatan impak sebesar 590,39 MPa. [EN] As an alternative to conventional energy sources, wind energy is one of the many alternative energies that have been developed. The utilization of this energy is inseparable from its conversion tool, windmills. One component of the windmill that is quite important is the blade. Blades often experience problems in the form of erosion on the surface due to collisions by particles carried by the wind which can cause the blade function to be not optimal. So, it takes a replacement material that is stronger but lighter, namely composite. The composites used were natural fiber composites (Melaleuca leucadendra-polyester fibers). In this study, the effect of the volume fraction of fiber in the form of shavings on tensile strength, flexibility, and toughness will be investigated. The making of natural fiber composites of Galam Wood (Melaleuca leucadendra) -polyester by mixing resin, catalyst, and Galam Wood fiber in the form of shavings is then printed in a mold that has been coated with aluminum foil. Samples were then tested for tensile strength with ASTM D 638 standard, bending test with ASTM D 790 standard and impact testing under ASTM D 6110 standard. The method used in manufacturing was the hand lay-up method. The result of this study is the optimum value achieved is 70% fiber in all mechanical tests. Obtained tensile strength values of 13.07 MPa, the optimum bending strength of 36.8 MPa and the optimum value of impact strength of 590.39 MPa.

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