Recent Trends in Natural Fibers and Composites

A special issue of Fibers (ISSN 2079-6439).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 2252

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Biorefining and Advanced Materials Research Centre, SRUC, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
2. Enhanced Composites and Structures Center, School of Aerospace, Transport and Manufacturing, Cranfield University, Cranfield MK43 0AL, UK
Interests: biorefining, chemistry, nanotechnology, biomass, and waste; biomedical engineering; composites; sensors; manufacturing of functional materials; aerospace materials; nanomaterials; renewable energy; smart materials; surface engineering; water science and engineering; additive manufacturing of polymers and composites; multifunctional polymer composites and nanocomposites: self-healing, nanoelectronic materials; hydrogels; membranes; nanofiber; composites for extreme environments and manufacturing technology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The global awareness of environmental issues has resulted in the emergence of economically and environmentally friendly materials free from the traditional side effects of synthetics, using biorenewable materials. In this direction, natural fibres from different biorenewable resources have attracted considerable attraction from the research community all around the globe, owing to their unique intrinsic properties, such as their biodegradability, easy availability, environmental friendliness, flexibility, easy processing, and impressive physicomechanical properties. Natural cellulose fibre-based materials are finding their applications in several fields, ranging from automotive to biomedical. Natural fibres have been frequently used as reinforcement in polymers to add specific properties to the final product.

This Special Issue is devoted to the advancements made in the field of natural fibres and composites, including the processing methods and potential applications of green composites.

Prof. Dr. Vijay Kumar Thakur
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • Bioresources
  • Cellulose macromolecules
  • Natural fibres
  • Surface modification
  • Polymers
  • Composites
  • Mechanical properties
  • Semi-structural/structural applications
  • Processing
  • Green materials
  • Biocomposites
  • Materials performance

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2529 KiB  
Article
Valorization of Potential Post-Consumer Polyethylene (PE) Plastics Waste and Ethiopian Indigenous Highland Bamboo (EHB) for Wood Plastic Composite (WPC): Experimental Evaluation and Characterization
by Keresa Defa Ayana, Marco De Angelis, Goran Schmidt, Andreas Krause and Abubeker Yimam Ali
Fibers 2022, 10(10), 85; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib10100085 - 8 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2961
Abstract
The best approaches to minimizing resource scarcity, removing valuable waste streams, and re-establishing a circular economic chain of recycled thermoplastics are to cascade them into product life cycles and their valorization combined with sustainable raw materials. As one part of this goal, WPC [...] Read more.
The best approaches to minimizing resource scarcity, removing valuable waste streams, and re-establishing a circular economic chain of recycled thermoplastics are to cascade them into product life cycles and their valorization combined with sustainable raw materials. As one part of this goal, WPC was formulated from three recycled PE plastic wastes: linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), medium-density polyethylene (MDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), and underutilized EHB. The chemical composition of EHD, chemical structure, crystallinity, melting and crystallization points, residual metal additives, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of recycled PE were investigated using standard chromatographic and spectroscopic methods such as HPAEC-UV/VIS, FTIR, DSC, GC/MSD, and XPS. The properties of WPC formulations from different compositions of bamboo particles (BP) as dispersed phase, individual recycled PE plastics, and equal melt blend (EM) as polymer matrix were investigated extensively and measured with a known standard. These comprised tensile strength (TS), modulus of elasticity (TM), flexural strength (FS), modulus of rupture (FM), and unnotched impact strength (UIS). It also included the effect of various alkaline surface treatment ranges on the interface surface interaction. The results show improved mechanical properties for all blending ratios of surface-treated BP, which resulted from better encapsulation in the polymer matrix. Despite its inherent immiscibility, WPC formulation from equal melt blending revealed unusual properties compared to separate phase blends, which is attributed to thermally induced cross-linking. This implies that melt blending of the weakest and cheapest recycled LLDPE with relatively cheap recycled MDPE and HDPE improves the properties of the blend, particularly toughness, while simultaneously retaining some of their properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Trends in Natural Fibers and Composites)
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