Submitted Successfully!
To reward your contribution, here is a gift for you: A free trial for our video production service.
Thank you for your contribution! You can also upload a video entry or images related to this topic.
Version Summary Created by Modification Content Size Created at Operation
1
Natalia Fuentes Molina
 + 1315 word(s) 1315 2021-10-25 10:58:00 |
2 h
Camila Xu
 -240 word(s) 1075 2021-11-17 07:08:51 | |
3 h
Camila Xu
 -253 word(s) 1062 2021-11-17 07:09:53 |

Video Upload Options

Do you have a full video?
Send video materials Upload full video

Confirm

Are you sure to Delete?
Yes No
Cite
If you have any further questions, please contact Encyclopedia Editorial Office.
Fuentes Molina, N. Natural Fibers. Encyclopedia. Available online: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/16054 (accessed on 18 April 2024).
Fuentes Molina N. Natural Fibers. Encyclopedia. Available at: https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/16054. Accessed April 18, 2024.
Fuentes Molina, Natalia. "Natural Fibers" Encyclopedia, https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/16054 (accessed April 18, 2024).
Fuentes Molina, N. (2021, November 16). Natural Fibers. In Encyclopedia. https://encyclopedia.pub/entry/16054
Fuentes Molina, Natalia. "Natural Fibers." Encyclopedia. Web. 16 November, 2021.
Natural Fibers
Edit
This entry is adapted from the peer-reviewed paper 10.3390/polym13213612

Natural fibers are flexible filaments extracted from renewable sources, with complex properties due to the wide variations in the chemical and structural composition of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, fatty acids, pectins, and other structures linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and forces of Van der Waals forming microfibrils with parallel arrangement.

natural fibers biocomposites polymer

1. Natural Fibers as a Sustainable Alternative to Reinforce Residual Polymers

Natural fibers are flexible filaments extracted from renewable sources, with complex properties due to the wide variations in the chemical and structural composition of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, fatty acids, pectins, and other structures linked by intermolecular hydrogen bonds and forces of Van der Waals forming microfibrils with parallel arrangement. They are used in different fields of engineering as reinforcing elements that provides resistance to tension and bending, rigidity, and modulus of elasticity [1][2][3] forming a remarkable bioengineering material that is of interest for their multiple uses and applications across a wide range of products with pleasing value; they differ from the initial materials, which is related to the nature of the fibers, crystallinity, and insolubility; however, the elaboration of these composite materials in the melt process can present drawbacks such as the viscosity, which can become very high, especially when the fiber content is greater than 50% by weight; Mazzanti et al. [4] stated in their research that if the capillary is too narrow, the pressure can become too high and the use of lubricants promotes the sliding of the wall, which can alter the viscosity measurements if researchers do not account for wall slip appropriately [5][6].
In natural fibers, the compounds as a whole are held together by the collective function of cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, and pectin as matrix; on average, fibers are mainly composed of cellulose (60 to 80%), lignin (5 to 20%), and around 20% moisture [7]; these percentages can vary according to the type and origin of the fibers [2]. Next, the chemical composition of natural fibers are analyzed in Table 1 using data from different investigations since their understanding allows us to predict and infer their thermal and mechanical performance [3], coupled with the economic and environmental problems that can be solved with this alternative when they are linked to new bio-based compounds.
Table 1. Chemical composition of some natural fibers.
Natural Fibers Scientific Name Cellulose (%) Hemicellulose (%) Lignin (%) Extractive (%) Ashes (%) Author, Year
Sugar cane Saccharum officinarum 46.6–45.1 25.5–25.0 20.7–14.1 29.4–2.7 8.0–2.6 [1][8]
Pineapple Ananas comosus 81.2–45.0 50.0–12.3 30.0–3.4 _ _ [9][10]
Banana Musa paradisiaca 60.0–10.0 19.0–16.0 19.0–5.0 9.6–2.0 11.0–1.2 [10][11]
Hemp Cannabis sativa 72.0–68.0 15.0–10.0 10.0–3.0 _ 5.8–2.3 [12][13]
Coconut Cocos nucifera 53.0–43.0 14.7–1.0 45.0–38.4 _ _ [13][14][15]
Jute Corchorus capsularis 72.0–60.0 22.1–13.0 15.9–13.0 _ 3.0–2.5 [12][13]
Oil palm Elaeis guineensis 45.0–28.2 18.8–12.7 49.5–9.4 7.13–2.0   [16][17]
Wheat Triticum 43.2–60.5 34.1–20.8 22.0–9.0 _ 5.7–5.6 [18][13]
Kenaf Hibiscus cannabinus 65.7–63.5 17.6–15.3 21.6–12.7 4.0–2.0 2.2–1.0 [1][19]
Flax Linum usitatissimum 81.0–70.0 20.6–16.7 10.0–3.0 _ _ [12][14]
Ramie Boehmeria nivea 73.0–69.8 14.0–9.6 3.9–1.6 _ _ [15][19][20]
Sisal Agave sisalana 75.0–65.0 13.9–10.0 10.0–7.6 _ 1.0–0.4 [13][21][22]

1.1. Cellulose

Cellulose is the major structural component of natural fibers. It is a linear biopolymer composed exclusively of β-glucose molecules linked together by 1,4 bonds that impart good resistance, rigidity, structural stability, porosity, and elasticity to the fiber [7]. This polysaccharide is composed of crystalline and amorphous microfibrils helically aligned along the fiber [12] and is resistant to hydrolysis and oxidizing agents, which can partially degrade in strong acid catalyzed media [23].

1.2. Hemicellulose

Hemicellulose is a structure of straight branched chains composed of the various, most-abundant polysaccharides of lower molecular weight that form a branched chain, including β-glucose, mannose, galactose, or xylose, and the acetyl groups that contain side groups, giving rise to their noncrystalline nature, with a medium degree of polymerization through the covalent bonding of these compounds and by ionic and hydrophilic interactions; it is responsible for the thermal and biological degradation of the fiber through moisture absorption [24], which can be easily hydrolyzed by dilute acids and bases [12].

1.3. Lignin

Lignin is a key component in the fiber structure due to the complexity of its molecular structure. It is an amorphous and cross-linked three-dimensional polymer that acts as a natural binder of the individual fibers—filling the spaces between the pectin, hemicellulose, and cellulose [1][25]—composed of an irregular matrix of linked hydroxy and methoxy substituted phenylpropane units [7], which is responsible for stiffness, producing a structure resistant to impact and stress [13]. It is hydrophobic, resists acid hydrolysis, is soluble in hot alkali, easily oxidizes, and is responsible for radiation degradation despite being thermally stable.

1.4. Pectin

Pectin is an anionic polysaccharide complex that provides flexibility to the fibers since its structure is highly branched [23]; it is a structural acid heteropolysaccharide that is composed of modified glucuronic acid and rhamnose residues. The structural integrity of the plant is enhanced by the pectin chains that often cross-link with calcium ions [7].
Finally, there are extractives and ashes in a lower proportion, with great influence on the properties and processing of natural fibers, since they act as protectors; inhibit the attack of acids; and belong to different classes of organic and inorganic chemical compounds, respectively, which are extracted by washing the fibers with water or organic solvents prior to their binding in the polymeric biocomposite.

2. Properties of Natural Fibers and Their Wide Potential as Reinforcements in Residual Polymers

Natural fibers have a number of physical and chemical properties depending on the content of cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose, and pectin, which make then excellent materials along with their renewability and biodegradability, being a common practice to eliminate lignin and pectin to improve the reinforcing effect of natural fibers in biocomposites [26].
Natural fibers when used as reinforcements in biocomposites, in addition to representing environmental benefits, reduction in energy consumption, insulation properties and acoustic absorption [27][28], also have essential mechanical properties, as evidenced in Table 2, with average variations ranging from 1.25–1.5 g/cm3 for density, 320–520 Mpa for tensile strength, 22–48 Gpa for tensile modulus, and 7–25% for elongation before break; additionally, the investigations of Nurazzi et al. [29], Nagaraj et al. [30], and others related flexural strength, modulus of elasticity, thickness swelling, and water absorption as important properties when evaluating them as polymeric reinforcements.
Table 2. Physical and mechanical properties of some natural fibers.
Natural Fibers Density (g/cm3) Endurance Traction (Mpa) Tension Module (Gpa) Elongation at Break (%) Author, Year
Wood 0.50–1.4 130–64 70–7 _ [31][32]
Flax 1.5–1.4 650–250 70–27 3.2–2.3 [33][34][29][31]
Hemp 1.6–1.4 690–630 70.0–45 3.0–1.6 [14][35][36]
Jute 1.5–1.3 773–325 55–26 2.5–1.5 [34][31][37]
Coconut 1.5–1.2 180–146 6–3 30.0–27.5 [33][14][31]
Cotton 1.6–1.5 310–191 12–5 8.0–7.0 [34][31][36]
Sisal 1.2–1.5 430–335 22–9 8.0–2.5 [33][29][36]
Kenaf 1.5–1.4 930–641 53–36 1.6–3.5 [30][38][39]
Bamboo 1.1–0.6 140–600 89–48 _ [34][38][40]
The mechanical properties in natural fibers are lower than in synthetic fibers; they can be improved or equalized by surface modification techniques [41] (as presented below), in addition to the low density, which is one of the properties that makes them more attractive for different purposes and engineering applications, such as in construction, aeronautics, and automobiles [42][43]. On the other hand, it should be noted that the resistance of the fiber depends on the load imposed on the fiber, the weight ratio of the fiber, the cultivation process, the manufacturing or modification process, and the manufacturing methods of the reinforced polymeric matrices [44].

References

  1. Díaz-Ramírez, G.; Maradei, F.; Vargas-Linares, G. Bagasse sugarcane fibers as reinforcement agents for natural composites: Description and polymer composite applications. Rev. UIS Ing. 2019, 18, 117–130.
  2. Azammi, A.N.; Ilyas, R.; Sapuan, S.; Ibrahim, R.; Atikah, M.; Asrofi, M.; Atiqah, A. Characterization studies of biopolymeric matrix and cellulose fibres based composites related to functionalized fibre-matrix interface. Interfaces Part. Fibre Reinf. Compos. 2020, 1, 29–93.
  3. Vinod, A.; Sanjay, M.; Suchart, S.; Jyotishkumar, P. Renewable and sustainable biobased materials: An assessment on biofibers, biofilms, biopolymers and biocomposites. J. Clean. Prod. 2020, 258, 120978.
  4. Mazzanti, V.; Mollica, F.; El Kissi, N. Rheological and mechanical characterization of polypropylene-based wood plastic composites. Polym. Compos. 2016, 37, 3460–3473.
  5. Malagutti, L.; Mollica, F.; Mazzanti, V. Error amplification in capillary viscometry of power law fluids with slip. Polym. Test. 2020, 91, 106816.
  6. Mazzanti, V.; Mollica, F. Pressure dependent wall slip of wood flour filled polymer melts. J. Non Newton. Fluid Mech. 2017, 247, 178–187.
  7. Mohamed, S.; Zainudin, E.; Sapuan, S.; Azaman, M.; Arifin, A. Introduction to natural fiber reinforced vinyl ester and vinyl polymer composites. In Natural Fibre Reinforced Vinyl Ester and Vinyl Polymer Composites; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2018; Volume 1, pp. 1–25.
  8. Maradiaga Rodriguez, W.D.; Wagner Evangelista, A.; Sette, C.R., Jr.; Alves Júnior, J.; Fernandes da Silva, M. Producción de briquetas con residuos de cáscara de piñón manso (Jatropha curcas) y bagazo de caña de azúcar. Bosque 2017, 38, 527–533.
  9. Azman, M.; Asyraf, M.; Khalina, A.; Petrů, M.; Ruzaidi, C.; Sapuan, S.; Nik, W.W.; Ishak, M.; Ilyas, R.; Suriani, M. Natural fiber reinforced composite material for product design: A short review. Polymers 2021, 13, 1917.
  10. Isaza, C.A.V.; Yepes, W.U.; Vergara, M.Y.A.; Manosalba, C.J.S. Comportamiento fisicoquímico de compuestos de caucho natural al adicionar residuos agroindustriales como cargas reforzantes. Rev. EIA 2019, 16, 129–149.
  11. Bonilla, H.; Armijos, H.; Calderón, B. Efecto de tres pre-tratamientos de cáscara de banano para la obtención de jarabe glucosado mediante hidrólisis enzimática. Av. Quím. 2015, 10, 79–82. Available online: https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=93341009011 (accessed on 10 May 2021).
  12. Restrepo, S.M.V.; Arroyave, G.J.P.; Vásquez, D.H.G. Uso de fibras vegetales en materiales compuestos de matriz polimérica: Una revisión con miras a su aplicación en el diseño de nuevos productos. Inf. Téc. 2016, 80, 77.
  13. Pereira, P.H.F.; de Freitas Rosa, M.; Cioffi, M.O.H.; de Carvalho Benini, K.C.C.; Milanese, A.C.; Voorwald, H.J.C.; Mulinari, D.R. Vegetal fibers in polymeric composites: A review. Polímeros 2015, 25, 9–22.
  14. Gowthaman, S.; Nakashima, K.; Kawasaki, S. A state-of-the-art review on soil reinforcement technology using natural plant fiber materials: Past findings, present trends and future directions. Materials 2018, 11, 553.
  15. Castañeda, J.L.S.; Montoya, J.W.R.; Figueroa, A.Q.; Navarro, F.A.M. Fibras vegetales colombianas como refuerzo en compuestos de matriz polimérica. Rev. Tecnura 2017, 21, 57–66.
  16. Megashah, L.N.; Ariffin, H.; Zakaria, M.R.; Hassan, M.A. Properties of cellulose extract from different types of oil palm biomass. IOP Conf. Ser. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2018, 368, 012049.
  17. Salas, N.S.; Gutiérrez, F.O.; Murillo, L.D.M.; Ureña, Y.C.; Johnson, S.; Baudrit, J.V.; González-Paz, R.J. Synthesis and reinforcement of thermostable polymers using renewable resources. J. Renew. Mater. 2017, 5, 313–322.
  18. Chaquilla-Quilca, G.; Quintana, R.R.B.; Mendoza-Wilson, A.M.; Mercado-Ruiz, J.N. Propiedades y posibles aplicaciones de las proteínas de salvado de trigo. CienciaUAT 2018, 12, 137–147.
  19. Sadeghi, S.; Dadashian, F.; Eslahi, N. Recycling chicken feathers to produce adsorbent porous keratin-based sponge. Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2019, 16, 1119–1128.
  20. Syafri, E.; Kasim, A.; Abral, H.; Asben, A. Cellulose nanofibers isolation and characterization from ramie using a chemical-ultrasonic treatment. J. Nat. Fibers 2018, 16, 1145–1155.
  21. Naveen, J.; Jawaid, M.; Amuthakkannan, P.; Chandrasekar, M. Mechanical and physical properties of sisal and hybrid sisal fiber-reinforced polymer composites. In Mechanical and Physical Testing of Biocomposites, Fibre-Reinforced Composites and Hybrid Composites; Elsevier BV: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2019; pp. 427–440.
  22. Varghese, A.M.; Mittal, V. Surface modification of natural fibers. In Biodegradable and Biocompatible Polymer Composites; Elsevier: Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 2018; pp. 115–155.
  23. Thakur, V.K. Green Composites from Natural Resources; CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2013; Volume 1, p. 10.
  24. Montalvo, P.A.J.; Del Pino, L.F.; Figueroa, L.V.; Rengifo, R.A.N. Remoción de lignina en el pretratamiento de cascarilla de arroz por explosión con vapor. Rev. Soc. Quím. Perú 2019, 85, 352–361.
  25. Asim, M.; Saba, N.; Jawaid, M.; Nasir, M. Potential of natural fiber/biomass filler-reinforced polymer composites in aerospace applications. Sustain. Compos. Aerosp. Appl. 2018, 1, 253–268.
  26. Dittenber, D.B.; GangaRao, H.V. Critical review of recent publications on use of natural composites in infrastructure. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 2012, 43, 1419–1429.
  27. Abedom, F.; Sakthivel, S.; Asfaw, D.; Melese, B.; Solomon, E.; Kumar, S.S. Development of natural fiber hybrid composites using sugarcane bagasse and bamboo charcoal for automotive thermal insulation materials. Adv. Mater. Sci. Eng. 2021, 2021, 2508840.
  28. Santoni, A.; Bonfiglio, P.; Fausti, P.; Marescotti, C.; Mazzanti, V.; Pompoli, F. Characterization and vibro-acoustic modeling of wood composite panels. Materials 2020, 13, 1897.
  29. Norizan, M.N.; Moklis, M.H.; Alias, A.H.; Rushdan, A.I.; Norrrahim, M.N.F.; Abdan, K.; Abdullah, N. Treatments of natural fibre as reinforcement in polymer composites—Short review. Funct. Compos. Struct. 2021, 3, 1047.
  30. Bharath, K.N.; Basavarajappa, S. Applications of biocomposite materials based on natural fibers from renewable resources: A review. Sci. Eng. Compos. Mater. 2016, 23, 123–133.
  31. Väisänen, T.; Das, O.; Tomppo, L. A review on new bio-based constituents for natural fiber-polymer composites. J. Clean. Prod. 2017, 149, 582–596.
  32. Medina, A.A.; Baucis, A.G.; Catalán, M.A.; Andía, I.R.; Trangoni, F.; Razquin, M.; Pampiglioni, A.; Vuillermet, A. Características y propiedades físicas de la madera de álamos cultivados en Río Negro, Patagonia Argentina. Madera Bosques 2017, 24, e2411434.
  33. Girijappa, Y.G.T.; Rangappa, S.M.; Parameswaranpillai, J.; Siengchin, S. Natural fibers as sustainable and renewable resource for development of eco-friendly composites: A comprehensive review. Front. Mater. 2019, 6, 226.
  34. Sonar, T.; Patil, S.; Deshmukh, V.; Acharya, R. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composite material—A review. J. Mech. Civil Eng. 2015, 33, 142–147. Available online: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:41129643 (accessed on 11 August 2021).
  35. Maslinda, A.; Majid, M.S.A.; Ridzuan, M.; Afendi, M.; Gibson, A. Effect of water absorption on the mechanical properties of hybrid interwoven cellulosic-cellulosic fibre reinforced epoxy composites. Compos. Struct. 2017, 167, 227–237.
  36. Gurunathan, T.; Mohanty, S.; Nayak, S.K. A review of the recent developments in biocomposites based on natural fibres and their application perspectives. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 2015, 77, 1–25.
  37. Bordoloi, S.; Garg, A.; Sekharan, S. A review of physio-biochemical properties of natural fibers and their application in soil reinforcement. Adv. Civ. Eng. Mater. 2017, 6, 323–359.
  38. Pickering, K.L.; Efendy, M.G.A.; Le, T.M. A review of recent developments in natural fibre composites and their mechanical performance. Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 2016, 83, 98–112.
  39. Laborel-Préneron, A.; Aubert, J.; Magniont, C.; Tribout, C.; Bertron, A. Plant aggregates and fibers in earth construction materials: A review. Constr. Build. Mater. 2016, 111, 719–734.
  40. Kumar, A.; Vlach, T.; Laiblova, L.; Hrouda, M.; Kasal, B.; Tywoniak, J.; Hajek, P. Engineered bamboo scrimber: Influence of density on the mechanical and water absorption properties. Constr. Build. Mater. 2016, 127, 815–827.
  41. Aaliya, B.; Sunooj, K.V.; Lackner, M. Biopolymer composites: A review. Int. J. Biobased Plast. 2021, 3, 40–84.
  42. Peças, P.; Carvalho, H.; Salman, H.; Leite, M. Natural fibre composites and their applications: A review. J. Compos. Sci. 2018, 2, 66.
  43. Asyraf, M.R.M.; Ishak, M.R.; Sapuan, S.M.; Yidris, N.; Ilyas, R.A.; Rafidah, M.; Razman, M.R. Potential application of green composites for cross arm component in transmission tower: A brief review. Int. J. Polym. Sci. 2020, 2020, 8878300.
  44. Keya, K.N.; Kona, N.A.; Koly, F.A.; Maraz, K.M.; Islam, N.; Khan, R.A. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites: History, types, advantages, and applications. Mater. Eng. Res. 2019, 1, 69–87.
More
© Text is available under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.
Upload a video for this entry
Information
Subjects: Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Contributor MDPI registered users' name will be linked to their SciProfiles pages. To register with us, please refer to https://encyclopedia.pub/register :
Natalia Fuentes Molina
View Times: 1.4K
Revisions: 3 times (View History)
Update Date: 17 Nov 2021
Table of Contents
    1000/1000
    Hot Most Recent
    Feedback