Mapping the progress in natural fiber reinforced composites: Preparation, mechanical properties, and applications

Abstract

Exploration of natural fiber‐reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) in cutting‐edge applications is due to phenomenal properties, such as lightweight, low‐cost, and environmental aspects. NFs can effectively compete to the synthetic fibers in terms of mechanical, thermal and acoustic properties. As a result, the invention and innovation of natural fiber (NF) composites for commercial purposes has increased dramatically in recent years to meet the growing demand of the industrial sectors. Materials are the cornerstone of any manufacturing industry. NFRPCs are a good alternative to conventional materials because of their relatively high mechanical properties and lower production energy. NFs decrease the cost of the material by 5% while reducing the weight of the composite by 10% and the manufacturing energy by 80%. A lot of work has been done to enhance NFRPCs' mechanical properties to overcome their drawbacks, such as poor fiber‐to‐matrix adhesion, thermal stability, and moisture absorption. However, for better mechanical properties, it is crucial to understand the fibers' embedded manufacturing technique and the appropriate fiber weight percentage with appropriate matrix. This review article discusses composites made of NFs providing a comprehensive and up‐to‐date overview of the field of NFRPCs, focusing on recent advancements in preparation techniques, improvements in mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strength of NFRPCs with various fiber types, fiber weight ratio, fiber‐to‐matrix ratio for appropriate engineering applications, and elucidating future research directions by analyzing trends and challenges in the field. The aim of this review article is to provide a deep evaluation of the progress made in the field of NFRPCs, with the ultimate goal of advancing knowledge and understanding of this field.

Fabrication of biodegradable kraft paper from buffing dust and jute fiber: Green solutions for packaging

“…11,12 In the leather manufacturing process, only 20%-25% of the raw materials are transformed into finished leather, while the remaining portion is released into the environment as solid waste. [13][14][15][16] Globally, the leather industry generates around 600,000 tons of solid waste each year, with approximately 2-6 kg of buffing waste being produced for every ton of leather manufactured. 11,16 Proper disposal of these solid wastes is essential, and waste management techniques such as anaerobic digestion, open dumping, and heat combustion are commonly employed.…”

“…However, these methods pose significant environmental challenges. 11,[14][15][16] In recent years, researchers have focused on utilizing these solid wastes in various industries, including the creation of composites and the evaluation of their characteristics.…”

“…Fiber-reinforced composites have gained widespread acceptance as structural and non-structural components due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, small size, and ease of processing. [14][15][16] Extensive research has been conducted to fabricate composites using waste materials from the leather industry, such as finished leather waste combined with natural plant fibers, resulting in polymeric composites. 17 Furthermore, biodegradable and low-cost composite films have been developed by combining leather buffing waste, leather shavings, and low-density polyethylene.…”

Novel okra woven fabric reinforced polylactic acid composites: Mechanical, morphological, and thermal properties

“…[1][2][3][4] Natural fibers from lignocellulosic resources 5,6 are used to make green woven materials which find applications in several domains such as home appliances, packaging, structural and non-structural composites, as well as automotive components, [6][7][8][9] provide them suitable candidates for incorporation into synthetic polymeric materials, either as viable replacements or as hybrid components. [10][11][12] Woven materials are flexible, adaptive, and have intrinsic features due to their weaving structures. Woven fabric-based composites provide superior symmetrical qualities at 0 and 90 angles compared to unidirectional laminates, [13][14][15] a crucial aspect in engineering applications.…”

Surface functionalization of carbon fiber by hydrothermally synthesized ZnO nanostructures for mechanical strengthening of polymer composites

“…Future high‐performance structure and framework development will significantly rely on the usage of contemporary, lightweight materials 1 . Due to the flexibility of its elements, composite materials have a lot of potential for use as sophisticated materials 2,3 . Continuous fiber polymer matrix composites are one kind of composite that has outstanding strength‐to‐weight ratios, high durability‐to‐weight ratios, and design flexibility to accommodate different composite applications 4,5 .…”