Recent Developments of Natural Fibres: Natural Fibre Biocomposites, Treatments, and Characterizations

Abstract

Natural fibres are highly desirable in composites as they are renewable, biodegradable, and cost-effective. They are also abundant in nature with many different types available all over the world. However, despite their advantages, key challenges such as poor fibre-matrix interfacial bonding and moisture absorption limit their widespread adoption in more sophisticated applications. This article provides an overview of natural fibres, including classifications, types, properties, advantages, and disadvantages, with a subsequent review of recent studies, focusing on fibre-matrix selection, treatment methods, and characterization to better understand the current situation. It is apparent from these studies that water absorption is a significant challenge due to the inherent hydrophilic nature of natural fibres as even after treatments like mercerization and silane were applied, substantial amounts of absorption were observed. The effects of powder fillers also vary, with beneficial effects up to a certain proportion, beyond which they became detrimental.