Alkaline Treatment Investigation for Sedge Fibers (): A Promising Enhancement.

Natural fibers have some advantages in comparison to synthetic fibers, especially because they are more environmentally friendly. For this reason, using them as a reinforcement for polymeric matrices is growing exponentially. However, they present the disadvantage of having the hydrophilic nature, which strongly reduces the interface interaction.

Mechanical Properties, Critical Length, and Interfacial Strength of Seven-Islands-Sedge Fibers () for Possible Epoxy Matrix Reinforcement.

The growing concern about the limitation of non-renewable resources has brought a focus on the development of environmentally sustainable and biodegradable composite materials. In this context, a trend in the development of natural fibers used as a reinforcement in composites is ever-increasing. In this work, for the first-time, fibers extracted from the seven-islands-sedge plant () have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to calculate the crystallinity index and the microfibrillar angle (MFA).

Evaluation of the Change in Density with the Diameter and Thermal Analysis of the Seven-Islands-Sedge Fiber.

Basic properties of sedge fibers from the seven-islands-sedge plant () were investigated with possible application in reinforcing composite materials. A dimensional distribution and the effect of fiber diameter on density were investigated using gas pycnometry. The Weibull method, used to statistically analyze the acquired data from the diameter intervals, indicated an inverse dependence, where the thinnest fibers had the highest density values.

Ballistic Properties and Izod Impact Resistance of Novel Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Caranan Fiber ().

Natural lignocellulosic fibers (NFLs) possess several economic, technical, environmental and social advantages, making them an ideal alternative to synthetic fibers in composite materials. Caranan fiber is an NFL extract from the leafstalk of the palm tree, endemic to South America. The present work investigates the addition of 10, 20 and 30 vol% caranan fiber in epoxy resin, regarding the properties associated with Izod notch tough and ballistic performance.

Tucum Fiber from Amazon Palm Tree: Novel Reinforcement for Polymer Composites.

The replacement of synthetic fibers by natural fibers has, in recent decades, been the subject of intense research, particularly as reinforcement of composites. In this work, the lesser known tucum fiber, extracted from the leaves of the Amazon palm tree, is investigated as a possible novel reinforcement of epoxy composites. The tucum fiber was characterized by pullout test for interfacial adhesion with epoxy matrix.

Leaf Fiber: A Promising New Reinforcement for Epoxy Composites.

A basic characterization of novel epoxy matrix composites incorporated with up to 40 vol% of processed leaf fibers from the palm tree, known as carnauba fibers, was performed. The tensile properties for the composite reinforced with 40 vol% of carnauba fibers showed an increase (40%) in the tensile strength and (69%) for the elastic modulus. All composites presented superior elongation values in comparison to neat epoxy.

Caranan Fiber from Palm Tree as Novel Reinforcement for Epoxy Composites.

A growing environmental concern is increasing the search for new sustainable materials. In this scenario, natural lignocellulosic fibers (NLFs) became an important alternative to replace synthetic fibers commonly used as composites reinforcement. In this regard, unknown NLFs such as the caranan fiber () found in South American rain forests revealed promising properties for engineering applications.

Promising Mechanical, Thermal, and Ballistic Properties of Novel Epoxy Composites Reinforced with Sedge Fiber.

Composites reinforced with natural lignocellulosic fibers (NLFs) are gaining relevance as the worldwide demand for renewable and sustainable materials increases. To develop novel natural composites with satisfactory properties, less common NLFs should also be investigated. Among these, the (CM), a type of sedge fiber, is already used in simple items like ropes, furniture, and paper, but has not yet been investigated as composite reinforcement for possible engineering applications.