Electrospun nanofibers are emerging reinforcing fillers with epoxy matrix owing to its high aspect ratio, surface area, and mechanical properties resulting in wider applications. Application of non‐woven configuration of nanofiber mats, collected from electrospinning has been traditionally confined to improve interlaminar responses of fiber reinforced composites. However, potential of short nanofiber in improving bulk matrix properties cannot be under estimated. This study adopts matrix modification approach by incorporating different concentration of nylon 6 short nanofiber in epoxy matrix to investigate its influence on tensile and viscoelastic properties of nanocomposite. Results showed a moderate improvement in modulus for nanocomposites despite to general drop in strength, however fracture energy and failure strain improved significantly at an optimum concentration of 0.1 wt% nanofiber. In addition, highest storage modulus as well as damping factor was recorded with decline in glass transition temperature for 0.1 wt% nanofiber content. Moreover, it was revealed that addition of nanofiber altered brittle fracture to neck‐featured ductile mode and effectively introduced energy absorbing interfaces making it well suit for diverse applications.

A novel natural fiber derived from the Cymbopogan citratus plant was investigated for the first time. The characterization of the C. citratus fibers was conducted, and the chemical composition and physical, thermal, mechanical, crystallinity, and morphological characteristics were studied. The chemical composition analysis of Cymbopogan citratus fiber revealed that the suggested fiber was rich in cellulose contents (37.6%). The tensile test of C. citratus fiber demonstrated the fiber’s average tensile strength of 43.81 ± 15.27 MPa and modulus of elasticity of 1.046 ± 0.33 GPa. Further analysis with X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that the crystallinity index of Cymbopogan citratus fiber was 35.2%, and the crystalline size was estimated as 4.28 nm. The Cymbopogan citratus fiber’s thermal stability was investigated via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and observed to be thermally stable (230 °C). A morphological investigation was employed on the fiber via a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The morphological study result exhibited that the fiber had a perforated and rough surface with the lumen in the center. Thus, the findings revealed that the Cymbopogan citratus fiber was a promising potential reinforcement for thermoplastic green composite applications.

This paper reviews the mechanical performance of bamboo fiber reinforced polymer composites (BFRP) for structural applications. Bamboo fibers are very promising reinforcements for polymer composites production due to their high aspect ratio, renewability, environmentally friendly, non-toxicity, cheap cost, non-abrasives, full biodegradability, and strong mechanical performances. Besides, bamboo has its own prospects and good potential to be used in biopolymer composites as an alternative for petroleum-based materials to be used in several advanced applications in the building and construction industry. For bamboo fibre to be reinforced with polymer, they must have good interfacial bond between the polymer, as better fiber and matrix interaction results in good interfacial adhesion between fiber/matrix and fewer voids in the composite. Several important factors to improve matrix-fiber bonding and enhance the mechanical properties of BFRP are by fibre treatment, hybridisation, lamination, and using coupling agent. Moreover, mechanical properties of BFRP are greatly influenced by few factors, such as type of fibre and matrix used, fibre-matrix adhesion, fibre dispersion, fibre orientation, composite manufacturing technique used, void content in composites, and porosity of composite. In order to better understand their reinforcing potential, the mechanical properties of this material is critically discussed in this review paper. In addition, the advantages of bamboo fibers as the reinforcing phase in polymer composites is highlighted in this review paper. Besides that, the bamboo-based products such as laminated bamboo lumber (LBL), glued-laminated bamboo (glubam), hybrid bamboo polymer composites, parallel bamboo strand lumber (PBSL), parallel strand bamboo (PSB), bamboo-oriented strand board (BOSB), and bamboo-scrimber have lately been developed and used in structural applications.

Natural cellulosic fibres, such as kenaf, can be used in polymeric composites in place of synthetic fibres. The rapid depletion of synthetic resources such as petroleum and growing awareness of global environmental problems associated with synthetic products contribute to the acceptance of natural fibres as reinforcing material in polymer composite structures. In Africa and Asia, kenaf is considered a major crop used for various cordage products such as rope, twine, and burlap and in construction, it is used for thermal insulation of walls, floors, and roofs and soundproofing solutions. In the furniture and automotive industry, it is used to manufacture medium-density fibreboard (MDF) and other composite materials for structural applications. Kenaf is primarily composed of cellulose (approximately 40 to 80%), which accounts for its superior mechanical performance. Kenaf fibres are chemically treated before mixing with the polymer matrix to improve their fibre interaction and composite performance. The alkaline treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution is the most frequently used chemical treatment, followed by a silane treatment. Numerous chemical concentrations of NaOH and silane solutions are investigated and several combined treatments such as alkaline-silane. The present review discusses the effect of silane treatments on the surface of kenaf fibre on the fabrication of polymer composites and their mechanical properties.

Natural fiber-reinforced composites are progressively being earning attention in the aerospace, automotive, aeronautics, and marine sectors due to their good strength-to-weight ratio, long-lasting, and cost-effective. Traditional machining methods have trouble machining such composite materials. However, Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM) provides an alternative quality machining method that can be accomplished by regulating various process variables. The efficiency of the AWJM method is the subject of extensive study due to negligible Heat affected zone. This review attempts to focused on the exploration of thermal as well as mechanical properties and the AWJM efficiency of various coir fiber-based composites in relation to various parameters and to determine the best AWJM operating conditions. There are numerous process variables that influence AWJM machined surface quality. However, Standoff Distance, hydraulic pressure, abrasive mass flow rate, nozzle diameter and transverse speed are all important factors to consider. Kerf Taper, Kerf width (TKW, BKW), and Surface Roughness (SR) are considered key response factors.