Thermo-Mechanical, Structural, and Biodegradability Properties of Water Hyacinth and Sheep Wool Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Polypropylene Composites
Abstract
Hybrid fiber reinforcements can incorporate a wider array of qualities than single fiber reinforcement. Instead of synthetic fibers, applying plant and animal-based organic materials as reinforcement in polymer matrix offers certain benefits, such as low price, greater availability, and better biodegradability. In the present study, water hyacinth fiber and sheep wool fiber reinforced polypropylene hybrid composites were fabricated at three different (5, 10, and 15 wt.%) fiber loading. The effect of fiber loading on thermo-mechanical, structural, and biodegradability properties was subsequently investigated. The manufacturing process of the composite material was carried out with utmost consideration for biodegradability, since polypropylene, the primary constituent, is not inherently biodegradable. The insertion of fibers into the polypropylene matrix showed variance in properties of different aspects. The tensile strength of the composites displayed a downward trajectory (from 25 to 10 MPa) with a 15% increase in fiber loading due to voids, and fiber dispersion, while impact strength exhibited an opposite trend (from 25 to 32 J/m). Except for hardness, all the mechanical properties degraded slightly after the employment of the reinforcement. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis revealed the movement of typical peaks and the appearance of new peaks demonstrating the bonding between the fiber and the matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal degradation temperature of the composites improved at maximum fiber loading. On the other hand, the goal of achieving biodegradability has been succeeded by the implementation of a combination of plant and animal-based fibers as biodegradability of the manufactured composites thrives with increasing fiber content for the presence of cellulosic bonds, as evident from the FTIR spectrum. Even though some properties of the hybrid composite declined slightly with increasing fiber loading, the other characteristics, including service temperature and biodegradability experienced a prospective advancement. Hence, the 15% fiber-loaded composite was found to be a potential candidate in terms of slightly high temperature and environment-friendly applications.
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Exploring the effective incorporation of natural fibers into polymer composites offers a sustainable approach to finding eco-friendly alternatives that do not harm the environment. Sheep wool–based polymer composites have emerged as a promising and sustainable alternative in the field of materials science. This review comprehensively examines the recent advancements and developments in the utilization of sheep wool as reinforcement in polymer composites. The abundant availability of sheep wool as a natural and renewable resource makes it an attractive option for enhancing the properties of synthetic polymers. The unique structural characteristics of wool fibers, such as their high aspect ratio, surface morphology, and chemical composition, contribute to the improved mechanical, thermal, and flame-retardant properties of the resulting composites. This review explores the various techniques employed for preparing sheep wool fibers, including mechanical treatments, chemical modifications, and functionalization approaches, to optimize their compatibility with polymer matrices. The interfacial interactions between wool fibers and polymer matrices are also discussed, along with the effects of various processing parameters on the overall performance of the composites. The introduction of sheep wool fiber reinforcement results in a significant uptick in tensile strength, showcasing enhancements of up to 25% compared to unmodified polymers. The inherent thermal stability of sheep wool fibers leads to an enhanced thermal resistance, as demonstrated by a 15 °C elevation in the onset degradation temperature. Moreover, sheep wool fiber reinforcement precipitates a remarkable 50% reduction in peak heat release rate, thereby spotlighting augmented flame-retardant attributes. Additionally, the integration of sheep wool fibers yields a notable reduction in water absorption by up to 30%, signifying improved resistance against moisture-related degradation. Moreover, this review highlights the potential applications of sheep wool–based polymer composites in diverse fields, including construction materials, automotive components, textiles, and packaging materials. Furthermore, the environmental benefits of utilizing sheep wool as a renewable resource and its role in waste reduction from the textile industry are emphasized. However, challenges and limitations associated with sheep wool–based polymer composites are addressed, paving the way for future research directions. Overall, this review presents a comprehensive assessment of the current state of knowledge regarding sheep wool–based polymer composites, providing valuable insights for researchers, engineers, and industries interested in sustainable materials development and environmentally friendly technologies. Sheep wool is an exciting biomass which has a potential to create sustainable and innovative materials.
Hybrid composite refers incorporation of more than one type of fiber in a single matrix that demonstrates striking outcomes through combination of properties. Employing plant and animal-based biodegradable resources as reinforcement in polymeric composites has undeniable advantages on synthetic fibers including low cost, renewability, biodegradability, low energy consumption, easy and safe handling, and supports their applicability in a variety of fields. In the present research, bagasse and chicken feather fiber reinforced hybrid polypropylene composites were prepared by hot pressing technique. Bagasse is agricultural waste, while chicken feather can also be collected from poultry industry waste. Composite samples were created for characterization by altering the weight percentage of fibers in the composite at 5, 10 and 15. For mechanical characterization, tensile, flexural, hardness, and impact tests were performed where the best set of properties was encountered with fiber loading of 5%. Water absorption tests and thermogravimetric analysis were also carried out. The water absorption test exhibited minimum water absorbing affinity with the lowest fiber content at 5%. Adding more fiber enhanced thermal stability in the composite.
To meet the growing demand for the use of environmentally and friendly materials in various applications, many efforts have been done in order to provide lighweighting, biodegradable, and renewable composites leading to a diminution of greenhouse gas emissions. However, they are confronting some challenges that may limit their utilization in industries such as poor interfacial adherence, high moisture absorption, low processing temperature, and impact strength. Several research works have been carried out regarding the mechanical, thermal, and hydric properties of natural fibers reinforced composites to deal with above underlined drawbacks. Actually, based on our analysis, there are two relevant concerns that prevent their integration in other industries such as marine and renewable energy sectors. In this context, the current critical review offers an up to date overview of the factors influencing the properties of the different components of natural fibers composites (fiber, matrix, fiber/matrix interface) as well as their physicochemical, mechanical, thermal and hydric behaviors. Recent works on the mechanical properties of nanobiocomposites based on cellulosic fibers, crystals, and nano-clay fillers are reviewed. The future directions are also discussed to overcome the challenges confronted by these materials, that is, fire resistance and moisture absorption, in order to widespread their utilization especially for wet and fire retardant purposes.
Polypropylene composites were prepared using natural fibers such as pigeon pea stalk fibers and banana peel. Aerobic biodegradation studies in compost have been carried out as per ASTM with composites prepared where cellulose and polypropylene has been taken as positive and negative reference respectively. Various analytical tools like SEM, TGA, XRD, DSC and Color have been used to study the change after biodegradation in composites. Highest fiber loaded composites i.e. 40 wt% depicted highest biodegradation in comparison to 10 and 20 wt% loading of untreated fiber in polypropylene. In comparison to untreated fiber composites, maximum biodegradation was observed in treated fiber composites with same amount of the fiber loading.
The development of environmentally friendly composite materials continues to be carried out to reduce environmental pollution caused by synthetic fiber-based composites. It has resulted in the increasing need for natural fibers sourced from pineapple leaves, water hyacinth, hemp, cotton, and oil palm empty fruit bunches for automotive, packaging, electronic devices, biomedical and other applications. Water hyacinth fiber (WHF) is essential in developing natural fiber-based products with various biopolymer matrices. Water hyacinth is a free-floating aquatic plant that grows in tropical and subtropical. This plant is considered a weed because of its fast growth. So, currently, researchers are seeing many uses of this water hyacinth plant being converted into several cellulose-based products. This chapter review the extraction, characterization, and surface treatment of water hyacinth fiber into micro and nano cellulose and their use for biocomposites in various applications potential for commercialization. Evaluation of the physical properties of fibers (fiber composition, morphology, and single-cell dimensions) and water hyacinth fiber-reinforced polymer biocomposites will be discussed, along with the factors that influence them. Recent research of water hyacinth fiber reinforcement in thermoplastic, biodegradable and thermosetting is presented. Previous studies on the fabrication of natural fiber composites based on water hyacinth fiber, improved mechanical properties, thermal stability, and water vapor and gas resistance are discussed. Several recent research and developments have been proven and have not been produced for several commercial products that have been successfully made from the water hyacinth plant. Overall, this chapter provides preliminary data and information to continue future research of water hyacinth fibers and their biocomposites.KeywordsMechanical propertiesNatural fiberSurface treatmentWater hyacinth fiberWater hyacinth fiber-reinforced polymer biocomposites
Water hyacinth, otherwise called as Eichhornia crassipes belongs to hydrophytes group, floats freely on water. These perennial plants has fleshy stem, thick and ovate leaves with stems which can grow up to one meter in height. Water hyacinth is an aquatic weed that deteriorate the quality as well as purpose of waterbodies in many part of the world and thus became a social menace. The complete eradication of the plant is not possible due to the exponential growth rate. In this regard, utilization of the plant is found to be the only possible solution to control its growth. Water hyacinth has long, spongy, and bulbous stalks and happens to contain a combined cellulose and hemicellulose content around 70% which can be utilized by combining it with a binder to obtain composite boards which has wood-like properties. Combining the bundle of fibers of water hyacinth with various binders like coir pith, starch, and artificial resin offers good binding properties and gives strength to the composite boards. The primary objective was to minimize the ecological issues caused by water hyacinth by utilizing the plant in an effective manner and also to compare the properties of the developed product with various similar products available in market. Various weight proportions of the resins and fibers were used to produce the particle boards of dimension 150 mm × 150 mm × 10 mm using hot pressing. The visual comparison and water absorption test revealed that the particle board with higher resin concentration showed better water resistant characteristics.KeywordsWater hyacinthParticle boardEpoxy resinWater absorption
In present research, polypropylene composites were prepared with 10 wt% pineapple and betel nut fibres at ratios of 1:1, 1:3 and 3:1 using compression moulding technique. Both pineapple and betel nut fibre were chemically treated with 5% NaOH. Composite was then prepared with treated pineapple and betel nut fibre at a ratio of 1:3. Mechanical (tensile, flexural and hardness), thermal (thermogravimetric analysis) and morphological (scanning electron microscopy) characterisation of prepared composites were subsequently carried out. Among the fibre ratios, composites containing pineapple and betel nut fibre at a ratio of 1:3 had the best set of mechanical properties. Alkali treatment of pineapple and betel nut fibre decreased tensile and flexural properties of corresponding composites. On the other, the same treatment had opposite effect on hardness. According to scanning electron microscopic analysis, composite containing pineapple and betel nut fibre at a ratio of 1:3 showed more adhesion as compared to other prepared composites. Thermal degradation temperature decreased in alkali-treated fibre- reinforced composite.
Proficient and proper management of different types of waste materials is one of the major concerns to ensure a clean environment. The utilization of wastes in the production of concrete has attracted much attention in recent years because of the low-cost of waste materials along with saving a significant place for landfill purposes and also enhance the performance of concrete. In this study, the possibility of sheep wool fibers (SWF) and modified sheep wool fibers (MSWF) in the production of fiber-reinforced concrete was investigated by assessing the mechanical and microstructural properties. Eight concrete mixes containing 0–6% normal wool sheep fibers with a length of 70 mm were made. Further, four concrete mixes with the modified wool sheep fibers of 0–1.5% with the same length were made. The addition of both SWF and MSWF reduced the slump values of fresh concrete. The inclusion of sheep wool fibers to concrete mixes decreased the compressive strength. However, the addition of sheep wool fibers subsequently improved the tensile and flexural strength values of concrete, thereby improving the concrete ductility with higher energy absorption capacity. The microstructural characteristics of sheep wool fiber reinforced concrete were conformed to have good bonding and low voids. The findings of the study revealed that the addition of sheep wool fibers in the production of concrete is viable both technically and environmentally.