Abstract
Demands for reducing energy consumption and environmental impacts are the major driving factors for the development of natural fiber–reinforced composites (NFRCs) in many sectors. Compared with synthesized fiber, natural fiber provides several advantages in terms of biodegradability, light weight, low price, life-cycle superiority, and satisfactory mechanical properties. However, the inherent features of plant-based natural fibers have presented challenges to the development and application of NFRCs, such as variable fiber quality, limited mechanical properties, water absorption, low thermal stability, incompatibility with hydrophobic matrices, and propensity to agglomeration. Substantial research has recently been conducted to address these challenges for improved performance of NFRCs and their applications. This article reviews the recent advancements of plant-based NFRCs, focusing on strategies and breakthroughs in enhancing the NFRCs’ performance, including fiber modification, fiber hybridization, lignocellulosic fillers incorporation, conventional processing techniques, additive manufacturing (3D printing), and new fiber source exploration. The sustainability of plant-based NFRCs using life-cycle assessment and the burgeoning applications of NFRCs with emphasis on the automotive industry are also discussed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 108254 |
| Journal | Composites Part B: Engineering |
| Volume | 200 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Nov 1 2020 |
Funding
This research was funded by the US Department of Energy under contract DE-FOA-0001232. Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle, LLC under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. ML also acknowledges the support from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station and AgResearch. This research was funded by the US Department of Energy under contract DE-FOA-0001232 . Oak Ridge National Laboratory is managed by UT-Battelle , LLC under Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Neither the United States Government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, expressed or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. ML also acknowledges the support from the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station and AgResearch . Notice: This manuscript has been authored by UT-Battelle, LLC, under contract DE-AC05-00OR22725 with the US Department of Energy (DOE). The US government retains and the publisher, by accepting the article for publication, acknowledges that the US government retains a nonexclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, worldwide license to publish or reproduce the published form of this manuscript, or allow others to do so, for US government purposes. DOE will provide public access to these results of federally sponsored research in accordance with the DOE Public Access Plan ( http://energy.gov/downloads/doe-public-access-plan .
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| US Department of Energy | |
| UT-Battelle | |
| University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station | |
| U.S. Department of Energy | DE-FOA-0001232 |
| Oak Ridge National Laboratory | |
| Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee | |
| Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station | |
| UT-Battelle | DE-AC05-00OR22725 |
Keywords
- 3D reinforcement
- Fiber/matrix bond
- Mechanical properties
- Polymer-matrix composites (PMCs)
