A review on the polymeric laminates reinforced with natural fibers

Abstract

The use of composites in industries has become inevitable due to the enhancement in properties, reduction in the manufacturing cost and suitability to several applications. Among the different classifications, polymeric composites are majorly focused for their use as structural components. In a polymeric composite, the selection and composition of reinforcement play a vital role in deciding the characteristics of the composite. Although composites are developed with man-made reinforcement in the beginning stage, in the present scenario, natural reinforcements have proved consummate results in terms of properties. Hence, present day researches are mainly focused on the use of different natural fibers in different forms as reinforcements in polymeric composite. The present study gives a clear picture of various available natural fibers and how they are made in the form of reinforcement for composites. The study also explains the diverse pre-treatment methods used by the researchers for the enhancement of fiber quality. In addition, this review also gives a detailed insight of how the natural fibers are used in the hybrid form for the improvement of composite property.

Random short sisal fiber biocomposites: Optimal manufacturing process and reliable theoretical models

“…In detail, for the sisal fibers considered in this work, the experimental evidence has shown that the maximum strength is achieved by using a fiber length of about 3-4 mm; such a result is in a good accordance with ref. [34]. In order to overcame this drawback, in addition to the "short fiber" configuration, a "discontinuous fiber" configuration (with fibers longer than the critical length) obtained by using special Chopped Strand Mat (MAT) fabrics, has been also considered in the present work.…”

“…In summary, as it can be observed from the various review articles on biocomposites reported in literature [34][35][36][37][38][39][40], the use of short agave fibers for the reinforcement of thermosetting matrices (epoxy, polyester, phenolic resin etc. ), thermoplastic matrices (polyethylene, polystyrene, PVC, PLA etc.)…”

“…To this latter objective, a detailed analysis of the damage mechanisms has been supported also by proper SEM micrographs of the fracture surfaces. Finally, the mechanical properties of the implemented biocomposites are compared with those of the most performing biocomposites reported in literature [34][35][36][37][38][39][40][45][46][47][48].…”

Friction and wear characteristics of fibre-reinforced plastic composites

“…21 If the test is conducted using block-on-ring setup, then the specific wear rate is calculated using the model presented in equation 3. 22 The friction coefficient is measured using equation (4). where k denotes the specific wear rate (m 3 /J), Dm denotes the loss in the mass during the test (g), L denotes the length of travel (m), F n denotes the normal load applied (N), a denotes the apparent area of contact (m 2 ), Dh denotes the reduction in thickness due to wear (m), n denotes the number of engagement and disengagement, I denotes the moment of inertia of the tester considering the spindle and configuration inertia (kg m 2 ), o denotes the angular speed of the tester (rad/s), l and W denote the length and width of the wear scratch, r denotes the radius of the ring, m denotes the coefficient of friction, F denotes the frictional force against the motion (N), and R denotes the reaction offered against the applied load (N).…”

“…As a result, these natural fibre-reinforced composites enhance the possibility of biodegradability and reusability. 3,4 When a new composite is developed for structural usage, it needs to be tested for all its mechanical strengths [5][6][7][8] and during assembly of components it also requires some kind of machining to finish the surfaces, edges and corners. [9][10][11][12] If the same is used as a material where there are more friction, wear and tear, then the tribological analysis comes in to play to assess the ability of the material to resist the friction and wear.…”