• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.283-298
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• 2007

Environment-friendly composites reinforced with bagasse fiber (BF), a kind of natural fiber as the remains from squeezed sugarcane, were fabricated by injection molding and press molding. As appropriate matrices for injection molding and press molding, polypropylene (PP) and polycaprolactone-cornstarch (PCL-C) were selected, as a typical recyclable resin and biodegradable resin, respectively. The mechanical properties of BF/PP composites were investigated in view of fiber mass fraction and injection molding conditions. And the mechanical properties and the biodegradation of BF/PCL composites were also evaluated. In the case of injection molding, the flexural modulus increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction, and the mechanical properties decreased with an increase in cylinder temperature due to the thermal degradation of BF. The optimum conditions increasing the flexural properties and the impact strength were $90^{\circ}C$ mold temperature, 30 s injection interval, and in the range of 165 to $185^{\circ}C$ cylinder temperature. On the other hand, as to BF/PCL-C fully-green composites, both the flexural properties and the impact strength increased with an increase in fiber mass fraction. It is considered that the BF compressed during preparation could result in the enhancement in mechanical properties. The results of the biodegradability test showed the addition of BF caused the acceleration of weight loss, which increased further with increasing fiber content. This reveals that the addition and the quantities of BF could promote the biodegradation of fully-green composites.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2015

There is a limit for deforestation in order to keep the environmental cycle undisturbed. The heart of the paper is to replace the wood to a maximum extent to obtain a sustainable environment. This research aims at new natural composites in which treated hemp fiber used as reinforcement, synthetic cellulose used as particulate to improve the adhesion between matrix - fiber interface and Epoxy LY556 acted as matrix fabricated by hand layup technique. The density, water absorption, tensile properties, impact strength, hardness, flexural properties and compressive properties have been evaluated under ASTM standards and compare the results with existing materials such as wood, aluminium, etc., The composite hemp fiber reinforced polymer (HFRP) could be exploited as an effective replacement for wood and it would be suitable for automotive applications by comparing results.

• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.62-67
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• 2008

Biocomposite was fabricated with biodegradable polymer and natural fiber that has potential to be used as replacement for glass fiber reinforced polymer composite with the benefits of low cost, low density, acceptable specific strength, biodegradability, etc. Until now, mostly natural cellulosic fibers on land have been used as reinforcement for biocomposite. The present study focused on investigating the fabrication and the characterization of biocomposite reinforced with red algae fibers from the sea. The bleached red algae fiber (BRAF) showed very similar crystallinity to the wood cellulose. It has high stability against thermal degradation (maximum thermal decomposition temperature of 359.3$^{\circ}C$) and thermal expansion. Biocomposites reinforced with BRAF have been fabricated by a compression molding method and their mechanical and thermal properties have been studied. The storage modulus and the thermomechanical stability of PBS (polybuthylenesuccinate) matrix are markedly improved by reinforcing with the BRAF. These results indicate that red algae fiber can be used as an excellent reinforcement of biocomposites, which are sometimes called as "green-composites" or "eco-composites".

• Fibers and Polymers
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.286-294
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• 2006

This study has examined the flexural properties of natural and chemically modified coir fiber reinforced cementitious composites (CFRCC). Coir fibers of two different average lengths were used, and the longer coir fibers were also treated with a 1% NaOH solution for comparison. The fibers were combined with cementitious materials and chemical agents (dispersant, defoamer or wetting agent) to form CFRCC. The flexural properties of the composites, including elastic stress, flexural strength, toughness and toughness index, were measured. The effects of fiber treatments, addition of chemical agents and accelerated ageing of composites on the composites' flexural properties were examined. The results showed that the CFRCC samples were 5-12 % lighter than the conventional mortar, and that the addition of coir fibers improved the flexural strength of the CFRCC materials. Toughness and toughness index, which were associated with the work of fracture, were increased more than ten times. For the alkalized long coir fiber composites, a higher immediate and long-term toughness index was achieved. SEM microstructure images revealed improved physicochemical bonding in the treated CFRCC.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.453-459
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• 2005

Natural fiber henequen/unsaturated polyester (UPE) composites were fabricated by means of a compression molding technique using chopped henequen fibers treated at various electron beam (EB) dosages. The interfacial shear strength (IFSS), dynamic mechanical properties, and thermal expansion behavior were investigated through a single fiber microbonding test, fractographic observation, dynamic mechanical analysis, and thermomechanical analysis, respectively. The results indicated that the interfacial and dynamic mechanical properties significantly depended on the level of the EB treatment irradiated onto the henequen fiber surfaces. The effect of EB treatment on the IFSS, storage modulus and fracture surface of the henequen/UPE composites agreed with each other. The results of this study also suggested that the modification of henequen fiber surfaces at 10 kGy EB is the most effective for improving the interfacial properties of the henequen/UPE composites.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.16-23
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• 2008

In this study, novel waste wool/polypropylene NFRPs (natural fiber reinforced polymer composites), which are constituted with waste wool discarded as industrial scrap during manufacturing processes of woven fabrics and general purpose thermoplastic polypropylene (PP), were fabricated by means of compressionmolding and their mechanical and thermal properties were characterized. The mechanical properties of PP resin were significantly improved by an introduction of waste wool to PP. In particular, as the loading of waste wool was 50 vol% in the NFRP, the flexural strength of the NFRP was increased about 20%, the flexural modulus about 143%, the tensile strength about 76%, and the tensile modulus about 90% in comparison with each of PP control. In addition, the maximum value of the heat deflection temperature (HDT) obtained with the NFRP was $138^{\circ}C$ at a 50 vol% loading of waste wool. This is $21^{\circ}C$ higher than the HDT of PP control. The result here suggests that waste wool be a potential candidate for a reinforcing material of thermoplastic matrix resins.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.118-126
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• 2017

In a natural fiber-reinforced composite material, many studies have been devoted to improving the interfacial adhesion between natural fiber and polymer matrix and the composite properties through various fiber surface modifications. In the present study, waste wool-reinforced polypropylene matrix composites were fabricated by compression molding and their mechanical and impact properties were characterized. As a result, the tensile and flexural properties and the impact strength of waste wool/polypropylene composites strongly depended on the treatment medium, alkali treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and silane treatment with 3-glycidylpropylsilane(GPS). The composite with waste wool by silane treatment exhibited higher mechanical properties and impact resistance than that by alkali treatment. The fracture surfaces of the composites support qualitatively the increased properties, showing the improved interfacial bonding between the waste wool and the polypropylene matrix.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society For Composite Materials Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.92-95
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• 2004

Interfacial shear strength (IFSS) of environmentally- friend natural fiber reinforced polymer composites playa very important role in controlling the overall mechanical properties. In this work the IFSS of Ramie and Kenaf fibers/epoxy systems were evaluated using the combination of micromechanical technique, microdroplet test to find out an optimal condition in accordance with final purpose by comparing to each other. Clamping effect on fiber elongation was determined as well. In addition, the mechanical properties of the natural fibers were investigated using single fiber tensile test and analyzed statistically by both uni- and bimodal Weibull distributions. Microfailure modes of different natural fiber structures were observed using optical microscope.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.262-264
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• 2005

This paper is concerned with a fracture strength study of composite adhesive lap joints. The tests were carried out on specimen joints manufactured hybrid stacked joints such as the polyester and bamboo natural fiber layer. The main objective of the work was to test the fracture strength using hybrid fiber composites with a polyester and bamboo natural fiber layer adjacent to the spew fillet of adhesive bonded joints and hybrid stacked joints. The results are presented using tensile-shear strength graph and finite element analysis. The failure mechanisms are discussed in order to explain that spew fillet at the end of the overlap reduces greatly the adhesive shear and effects the tensile-shear strength in hybrid stacked joints.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.133-152
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• 2022

Ecological issues such as natural resource reduction and enormous waste disposals are increasingly leading in developing civilization toward sustainable construction. The two primary environmental issues are the depletion of natural resources and the disposal of trash in open landfills. Waste steel fiber (WSF) was investigated for usage as a cement-based concrete (CBC) constituent in this research. Recycling waste fibers both makes cement composites more long and cost-effective, also aids in pollution reduction. The objective of this study is to analyze the impacts of waste fiber on the fresh and mechanical features of concrete using recycled additives. A comparative research on the durability and mechanical qualities of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) constructed with natural aggregates was conducted for this aim. The obstacles to successful WSF recycling methods application in the building industry have been investigated, resulting that CBCs with these fibers make an economic and long lasting choice to deal with waste materials. The workability of fiber enhanced concrete was found to be comparable to that of normal concrete. Fibers have a considerable impact on the splitting tensile strength, flexural and compressive strength of recycled concrete. Fiber may enhance the water permeability. When the WSF content is 0.6 kg/m3, the water absorption is nearly half. Fibers would have no effect on its permeability.