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Multifunctional fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites provide an ideal platform for next-generation smart composites applications including structural health monitoring, electrical and thermal conductivity, energy storage and harvesting, and electromagnetic interference shielding without compromising their mechanical properties. Recent progress in carbon-based nanomaterials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has enabled the development of many novel multifunctional composites with excellent mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties. However, the effective incorporation of such carbon nanomaterials into FRP composites using scalable, high-speed, and cost-effective manufacturing without compromising their performance is challenging. This review summarizes the recent progress on graphene and CNT-based FRP composites, their manufacturing techniques, and their applications in smart composites. Current technical challenges and future perspectives on smart FRP composites research to facilitate an essential step toward moving from research and development-based smart composites to industrial-scale mass production are also discussed.

Natural fiber reinforced composites (FRC) are of great interests, because of their biodegradability, recyclability, and environmental benefits over synthetic FRC. Natural jute FRC could provide an environmentally sustainable, light weight, and cost-effective alternative to synthetic FRC. However, the application of natural jute FRC is limited because of their poor mechanical and interfacial properties. Graphene and its derivatives could potentially be applied to modify jute fiber surface for manufacturing natural FRC with excellent mechanical properties, and lower environmental impacts. Here, we review the physical and chemical treatments, and graphene-based modifications of jute fibers, and their effect on mechanical properties of jute FRC. We introduce jute fiber structure, chemical compositions, and their potential applications first. We then provide an overview of various surface treatments used to improve mechanical properties of jute FRC. We discuss and compare various graphene derivative-based surface modifications of jute fibers, and their impact on the performance of FRC. Finally, we provide our future perspective on graphene-based jute fibers research to enable next generation strong and sustainable FRC for high performance engineering applications without conferring environmental problems.

Wearable electronics are becoming increasingly popular. [...]

Sustainable natural fiber reinforced composites have attracted significant interest due to the growing environmental concerns with conventional synthetic fiber as well as petroleum‐based resins. One promising approach to reducing the large carbon footprint of petroleum‐based resins is the use of bio‐based thermoset resins. However, current fiber‐reinforced bio‐based epoxy composites exhibit relatively lower mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural strength, and modulus, which limits their wider application. Here the fabrication of high‐performance composites using jute fibers is reported, modified with graphene nanoplates (GNP) and graphene oxide (GO), and reinforced with bio‐based epoxy resin. It is demonstrated that physical and chemical treatments of jute fibers significantly improve their fiber volume fraction (Vf) and matrix adhesion, leading to enhanced mechanical properties of the resulting Jute/Bio‐epoxy (J/BE) composites. Furthermore, the incorporation of GNP and GO further increases the tensile and flexural strength of the J/BE composites. The study reveals the potential of graphene‐based jute fiber‐reinforced composites with bio‐based epoxy resin as a sustainable and high‐performance material for a wide range of applications. This work contributes to the development of sustainable composites that have the potential to reduce the negative environmental impact of conventional materials while also offering improved mechanical properties.