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The development of natural adhesives derived from nonfossil resources is very important for the future. Besides, it is desirable to be safe adhesives without using harmful chemical substances. In this study, application of citric acid as a natural adhesive was investigated. Citric acid powder and bark powder obtained from Acacia mangium were used as raw materials. Citric acid powder was mixed with the bark powder, and the resulting powder mixture was poured into a metal mold. The mold was hotpressed at 180 C and 4 MPa for 10 min, and a bark molding was then obtained. The specific modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity values of the molding containing 20 wt % citric acid were 18.1 MPa and 4.9 GPa, respectively. The molding did not decompose during a repeated boiling treatment. To clarify the effect of tannin on the adhesiveness of molding, bark was separated into tannin and residue. The molding was not obtained while using the tannin due to the marked fluidity, whereas it was obtained while using the residue, the same as while using the bark. It was considered that components other than tannin contributed to the adhesiveness. Based on the results of Fourier transform infrared spectra, the formation of ester linkages between carboxyl groups derived from citric acid and hydroxyl groups in the bark was confirmed. Accordingly, citric acid brought an adhesion by chemical bonding, and it could be used as a safe natural adhesive.

The morphological, physical, and mechanical properties of the nonwood plant fiber bundles of ramie, pineapple, sansevieria, kenaf, abaca, sisal, and coconut fiber bundles were investigated. All fibers except those of coconut fiber had noncircular cross-sectional shapes. The crosssectional area of the fiber bundles was evaluated by an improved method using scanning electron microscope images. The coefficient factor defined as the ratio of the cross-sectional area determined by diameter measurement, to the cross-sectional area determined by image analysis was between 0.92 and 0.96 for all fibers. This indicated that the area determined by diameter measurement was available. The densities of the fiber bundles decreased with increasing diameters. The diameters of each fiber species had small variation of around 3.4%-9.8% within a specimen. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of ramie, pineapple, and sansevieria fiber bundles showed excellent values in comparison with the other fibers. The tensile strength and Young's modulus showed a decreasing trend with increasing diameter of fiber bundles.

Asian countries have abundant resources of natural fibers, but unfortunately, they have not been optimally utilized. The facts showed that from 2014 to 2020, there was a shortfall in meeting national demand of over USD 2.75 million per year. Therefore, in order to develop the utilization and improve the economic potential as well as the sustainability of natural fibers, a comprehensive review is required. The study aimed to demonstrate the availability, technological processing, and socio-economical aspects of natural fibers. Although many studies have been conducted on this material, it is necessary to revisit their potential from those perspectives to maximize their use. The renewability and biodegradability of natural fiber are part of the fascinating properties that lead to their prospective use in automotive, aerospace industries, structural and building constructions, bio packaging, textiles, biomedical applications, and military vehicles. To increase the range of applications, relevant technologies in conjunction with social approaches are very important. Hence, in the future, the utilization can be expanded in many fields by considering the basic characteristics and appropriate technologies of the natural fibers. Selecting the most prospective natural fiber for creating national products can be assisted by providing an integrated management system from a digitalized information on potential and related technological approaches. To make it happens, collaborations between stakeholders from the national R&D agency, the government as policy maker, and academic institutions to develop national bioproducts based on domestic innovation in order to move the circular economy forward are essential.

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