A REVIEW:NATURAL FIBER BIO COMPOSITE

M.Hazim M.Hamdan, A. Azwan , T.M. Shakir, and M.Nasrullah

1

Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty

Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, 26600 Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia

of

Abstract

The need for renewable fiber reinforced composites has never been as prevalent
as it currently is. Natural fibers offer both cost savings and a reduction in density
when compared to glass fibers. Though the strength of natural fibers is not as
great as glass, the specific properties are comparable.

1.0 Introduction

Research on natural fiber composites has existed since the early 1900s
but has not received much attention until late in the 1980s due to the
environmental awareness. However, the interest in natural fiber-reinforced
composite materials is rapidly growing both in terms of their industrial
applications and fundamental research[1-3]. Natural fiber are gain interest
because it is attractive alternative to traditional material.
The natural fiber are relatively abundant in the environment since can be
grown in just a few month and can be available in large amount. Therefore, the
cost of natural fiber are basically cheap[4]. it can easily grow and have the
potential to be a cash crop for local farmers. Besides that, natural fibers are
renewability, and can be biodegrable [5, 6]. In addition are satisfactory in
mechanical properties such as stiffness,
impact resistance, flexibility, and
modulus . Other desirable feature of natural fiber include low density, less
equipment abarasion, enchanced energy recovery, less skin and respirotary
irritation, vibration damping and low temperature degradation[6, 7].
As the described advantages of natural fiber make it
potential
replacement for glass fibers in composite materials. The natural fibers such a
flax,hemp, jute and sisal are very good especially in specific strength and
modulus compared to the fiber glass[8, 9] .
The natural fiber containing composites are more environmentally friendly,
and are used in transportation[10, 11],military applications[12, 13], building and
construction[14, 15], industries packaging[16], and consumer products[17].

The major drawback for the natural fiber is a the strength of natural fiber
and water absorbion. The strength of natural fiber composites is very low than
glass[18]. Therefore, this has resulted the incompatibility between the fiber and
the resin matrix. In the other hand, Natural fibers absorb water from the air and
direct contact from the surrounding[19-21] . The generated swell and void by
absorption generally deform the surface. The water absorption lower the strength
and increase the mass[21].
The hydrophilic nature of natural fibers adversely affects adhesion to a
hydrophobic matrix and as a result, it may cause a loss of strength. To prevent
this, the fiber surface has to be modified in order to promote adhesion. Several
methods to modify the natural fiber surface such as: graft copolymerization of
monomers onto the fiber surface, the use of maleic anhydride copolymers, alkyl
succinic anhydride, stearic acid, etc. have been proposed. It is also known that
the use of coupling agents such as silanes, titanates, zirconates, triazine
compounds, etc. also improves fibermatrix adhesion[22-24].
Plant Natural Fibre is basically grouped into categories which is a beast,
seed, grasses, fruit, wood and leaf. Plants, such as flax, cotton, hemp, jute, sisal,
kenaf, pineapple, ramie, bamboo, banana, and as well as wood, used from time
immemorial as a source of lignocellulosic fibers, are more and more often applied
as the reinforcement of composites[25].
This paper focuses on the mechanical properties of natural fibres and
associated composites, while their physical properties are briefly addressed. The
aim of this research is the summarize the mechanical properties of the through
the comprehensive study from the published article in various of journal. This
paper will provides overview of mechanical properties of natural fiber reinforced
composites.

2.0 Literature review

The composite is a material made by combining two or more dissimilar
material to produce the new material that endowed with properties superior to
the original ones[26, 27]. Composite material begin in the early of 1940
especially for the military purpose and polymer industries. However, the
composite material were known to mankind since the Old stone age. This proven
from the tower built in the center of Babylon was made with clay mixed with
finely chopped straw.
Glass fiber is a the first generation of the composite. The glass have an
excellent strength, light weight, dimensional stability, resistance to corrosion and
electricity. Even this type of material are strong, it is brittle which can cause

catastrophically when failure. Glass fiber was improved by addition of polymer

result a stronger, stiffer, light-weight product.
Carbon and Boron composite rise in early of 1960 to prompt the the use of
stronger reinforce fiber[28].Carbon fiber a more popular than the Boron due to
the superior processing capabilies and lower in cost. The Boron fiber unpopular
due it major drawback such as expensive arrangement, could not bent in tight
radius, use tungsten wire as subrate [29]. Later on, the Aramid fiber was
introduced by Stephanie Kwok in 1964. The word Kevlar coined by DuPont in 1971
represent the Aramids fiber. Aramid fiber are stronger five time stronger than
steel. Therefore, the aramids fiber are mainly such as a bulletproof vest and
helmet for law enforcement.
Metal Matrix Composite(MMC) introduced in early 1970. MMC have are
properties such as high strength, high temperature resistance, and coefficient of
thermal expansion[30, 31]. The application of MMC has found in mid 1990 for
spacecraft application. Other application of MMC are used as sport equipment
such as bicycle frame for lightweight, high strength. The MMC are limited in
application because the cost for producing MMC are quite expansive which
prevent it to enter other marketplace.
In the invention of Ceramic Metal composite (CMC) are proposely for space
vehicle because it can withstand the temperature more than 1500 C. CMCs
contain ceramic fiber embedded in the ceramic matrix which forming the
ceramic fiber reinforce ceramic material. The CMCs have following advantageous
such as reduced weight, higher load carrying capacity of the system, reusability
for several re-entries and very stable to corrosion.
In 1990, the researcher and industries start focusing on the hybrid and
nanocomposite which extend the composite paradigm into smaller scale. Hybrid
material are mixed between organic and inorganic component under molecular
scale. The design of hybrid material mimic the the nature process that stable
structure formed by the spontaneous ascosiation of molecules. Hybridization of
two types of short fibers having different lengths and diameters offers some
advantages over the use of either of the fibers alone in a single polymer
matrix[32, 33].
In the other hand, Nanocomposite is multi phase solid material that have
nano scale repaeat distance between the different phases that make up the
material. One of the distinguish example for the nano composite is the carbon
nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes are fascinating due to low-weight
nanocomposite of the extraordinary mechanical, electrical, thermal and
multifunctional properties. Inaddition,properties of nanotubes particularly in the
size scale and aspect ratio provide advantages in a variety of application[34].

Recently interest in the natural fiber reinforce polymer composite material

in industrial application and fundamental research. Natural fiber basically can
classified into their origin that is a vegetable fiber,animal fiber and mineral
fiber[35, 36] . Vegetable fiber are generally compromise mainly of cellulose. The
example of celleluse are like cotton, jute, ramie, sisal, and hemp. The most used
natural fiber are cotton, hemp, jute, kenaf and coconut. Animal fiber generally
comprise protein that sourced form animal hair, silk fiber, and avian fiber.Mineral
fiber are naturally occurring fiber that can be categorized into asbestos, ceramic
fiber and metal fiber. From the three categorize of the natural fiber only asbestos
fiber are harmful to people.The asbestos fiber are banned for application to
provide protection of worker and consumers[37]. There are many literature that
support the evidence that the asbestos fiber that cause lung fibrosis, bronchial
cancer, and mesothelimeo in human[38-40] .
The natural fiber are attractive because make it important as replacement
for synthetic fiber that potentially toxic. These lignocellulosic fibers posses many
characteristic and can be modified through the chemical agents[41]. The
application of vegetable natural fiber are wide in industries especially coconut,
sisal and banana fiber. Coconut fibres have moderate modulus and strength, but
a high strain to failure. This means that potentially tough composites may be
developed.Composites of coconut fiber were extensively used by the automotive
industry. Sisal fibre is fairly coarse and unsuitable . It has durability, strength to
stretch, affinity for certain dye stuffs and resistance to regress in seawater. Sisal
fiber possesses high specific strength and modulus, low price, recyclability,
easy availability. Sisal fiber is one of the strongest fibers, which can be used for
several applications[42]. Therefore any composite comprising of these two fibers
will exhibit the above desirable properties of the individual constituents. Sisal
ropes and twines are widely used for marine, agronomic, transport and general
industrial use[43, 44].
Banana fiber, a lignocellulosic fiber, obtained from the pseudo-stem
of banana plant is a bast fiber with relatively good mechanical properties
Banana fibre at present is a waste product of banana cultivation. Hence, without
any including cost input, banana fibre can be obtained for industrial purposes.
Banana fibre is found to be good reinforcement in polyester resin. The properties
of the composites are strongly influenced by the fibre length. Banana fibers
showed lower moisture content, holocellulose, cellulose and hemicellulose
contents, but higher ash and Klasson lignin contents [45]. Banana fibers are
stiffer and stronger than sisal

3.0 Mechanical properties of natural fiber

There are various test that was performed to obtained the mechanical
properties of natural fiber. The common test run to determine the mechanical
properties are included tensile test, bending test and izod impact test.
The tensile test is the most import tests in the structural mechanic.By the
given load and elongation of the material throughout the test, the stress-strain
curve for the material which contain an information such a material proportional
limit, yield strength, elastic modulus, ultimate strength, rupture strength, strain
hardening ratio and ductility. The tensile tests were carried out according to ASTM
D 038-01.
Bending test also known as the flexural testing are test that performed to
measure the flexural strength and modulus of all types materials. The flexural
modulus measure the slope of the stress or strain for indication of material
stiffness. Meanwhile, flexural strength measure the maximum force and that the
material can withstand before it break or yield. Besides that, the yield point also
can be determined in this testing. Since the physical properties of many elements
can vary depending on ambient temperature, it is appropriate to test materials at
temperatures that simulate the intended end use environment. Bending Test
Three point bending tests were performed using a testing machine in accordance
to ASTM D 790 standards.
Izod impact test used to evaluate the resistance to failure of a material to a
suddenly applied force such as a collision, falling object and instantaneous blow.
The impact energy and energy absorbed prior failure was determined. The impact
strength of notched specimen was determined by using an impact tester
according to ASTM D 256-05 standards. In each case three specimens were
tested to obtain average value.
However, there are other mechanical testing that was conducted such as
water absorption test, hardness test and density test.Water absorption is used to
determine the amount of water absorbed under specified conditions. Factors
affecting water absorption include: type of manufacturing of automotive seat
shells among the other natural fibre combinations. The Rockwell hardness
number represents the additional depth to which a test ball or sphereconical
penetrator is driven by a heavy (major) load beyond the depth of a previously
applied light (minor) load. Top hardness numbers that are obtained from hard
materials indicate a shallow indentation while low numbers found with soft
materials indicate deep indentation.Density is the term used to describe the
relationship between the weight of the substance and its size. Density is a
physical property of every substance, and different substances have different
densities. Density can be measured in a variety of units, including grams per
centimeter and pounds per cubic foot.

3.1 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Numerous reports are available on the mechanical properties of natural
fiber composites. Table I summarizes the reported work on natural fiber
composites. As can be seen from the table, the majority of the work is on wood
flour, with a few reports on other fibers such as jute,sisal, and kenaf
fiber

Matrix
polymer

Wood
flour/fibe
r

PE
PP
PVC
PS
Polyuretha
ne
PP
SBR, nitrile
rubber
Epoxy
Polyester
Phenol
formaldeh
yde
PE
Natural
rubber
Polyester
epoxy
Epoxy
PE
polyester
Polyester
PP
Rubber
PE
PP
Natural
rubber
Polyester
PP
PP

Jute

Sisal

Abaca
Pineappl
e
Sunhem
p
Oil palm
Kenaf
Coir
Banana
Flax
Wheat
straw
Bamboo

Epoxy

Flexural
strength

Flexural
Modulus

stiffness

Water
absorpti
on

Hardnes
s

Referenc
e

4.0 Conclusion
Natural fibers are considered as potential replacement for man-made fibers
in composite materials. Although natural fibers have advantages of being low
cost and low density, they are not totally free of problems. A serious
problem of natural fibers is their strong polar character which creates
incompatibility
with
most polymer matrices. Surface treatments, although
having a negative impact on economics, are potentially able to overcome the
problem of incompatibility. Chemical treatments can increase the interface
adhesion between the fiber and matrix, and decrease the water absorption
of fibers. Therefore, chemical treatments can be considered in modifying
the
properties
of natural fibers. Some compounds are known to promote
adhesion by chemically coupling the adhesive to the material, such as
sodium hydroxide, silane, acetic acid, acrylic acid, maleated coupling agents,
isocyanates, potassium permanganate, peroxide, etc. Fiber modification
methods discussed in this paper have different efficacy in causing adhesion
between the matrix and the fiber. Yet most chemical treatments have achieved
various levels of success in improving fiber strength, fiber fitness and fiber
matrix adhesion in natural fiber-reinforced composites.
The field of natural fiber reinforced composites research has experienced
an explosion of interest, particularly with regard to its comparable properties to
glass fibers within composites materials. It should be mentioned that natural fiber
reinforced composite materials are gaining increasing importance in automotive,
construction, aerospace, and other industrial applications due to their lighter
weight, competitive specific strength and stiffness, improved energy recovery,
carbon dioxide sequestration, ease and flexibility of manufacturing, and
environmental friendliness as well as their renewable nature. It is also observed
that the market scenario for composite applications is changing due to the
introduction of newer biobased and biodegradable polymers.

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