Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NFRPCs) are considered an eco-friendly alternative to synthetic fiber-reinforced composite materials. These composites also possess several other advantages, such as superior mechanical properties, lower density, and affordability.
Recently, a group of researchers published a paper in the journal Polymers that demonstrated the feasibility of using natural fibers, specifically pineapple leaf fiber (PALF), for the fabrication of polymer composites.
Moreover, the use of natural fibers to prepare composite materials can enhance sustainability by decreasing energy consumption, owing to the low density of such fibers. The mechanical and physical properties of natural fiber woven composites are determined by the polymer type, fiber orientation, layering sequences and woven structure.
In the study, researchers evaluated the potential of woven PALF in reinforcing epoxy resin (ER) composite by fabricating a woven PALF-reinforced ER composite. Specifically, the effect of warp (0o) and weft (90o) fiber orientations and layering numbers on the PALF-reinforced ER composite mechanical properties were investigated. PALF-reinforced ER composites with four-layer (4L), three-layer (3L), and two-layer (2L) of woven PALF were synthesized to assess the effect of different layering numbers.
Source: azom.com