Natural Fibers, Bio- and Nanocomposites

The field of bio- and nano- polymer composite materials for advanced structural and medical applications is a fast emergent area and subject of scientific attention. Natural fibers have received great interest as fillers for polymer composites because of the environmental issues in combination with their low cost. Cellulose nanofibers reinforced polymer composites is a fast growing area of research because of their enhanced mechanical, thermal and biodegradation properties. Composites with polymer matrices and cellulose nanofibers are increasingly regarded as an alternative to conventional composites. The properties of nanocomposite materials depend not only on the properties of their individual constituents but also on their morphology and interfacial characteristics. This rapidly expanding field is generating many exciting new materials with novel properties. The special issue will be interesting for researchers working in this field as it will deals with cellulose fibers, nanofibers and covers the latest advances in bio- and nano- polymer composite materials

Cellulose-Based Bio- and Nanocomposites: A Review

Cellulose macro- and nanofibers have gained increasing attention due to the high strength and stiffness, biodegradability and renewability, and their production and application in development of composites. Application of cellulose nanofibers for the development of composites is a relatively new research area. Cellulose macro- and nanofibers can be used as reinforcement in composite materials because of enhanced mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation properties of composites. Cellulose fibers are hydrophilic in nature, so it becomes necessary to increase their surface roughness for the development of composites with enhanced properties. In the present paper, we have reviewed the surface modification of cellulose fibers by various methods. Processing methods, properties, and various applications of nanocellulose and cellulosic composites are also discussed in this paper

Panels Produced from Thermoplastic Composites Reinforced with Peach Palm Fibers for Use in the Civil Construction and Furniture Industry

In order to cooperate in minimizing the problems of the current and growing volume of waste, this work aim at the production of panels made from industrial waste -thermoplastic (polypropylene; polyethylene and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) reinforced with agro-industrial waste - peach palm waste (shells and sheaths). The properties of the panels like density, thickness swelling, water absorption and moisture content were evaluated using the ASTM D1037; EN 317; and ANSI A208.1 standards regarding particle boards. Good results were obtained with formulations of 100% plastic waste; 70% waste plastics and 30% peach palm waste; and 60% waste plastics and 40% peach palm waste

Nanocellulose from Curava Fibers and their Nanocomposites

Cellulose nanofibres are environmentally benign and have unique features compared to macro scales. Nowadays, many efforts have been made in developing potential composite products with improved properties. However, the manufacturing of nanocomposites with natural fibres has been a challenging task due to the difficulty encountered in order to aggregate the nanofibres. In this paper, curaua fibres were utilized for isolation of nanofibres. Polyvinylalcohol (PVA) was chosen as the matrix due to its excellent film forming, packaging capacity and its hydrophilic nature, which enhances the interfacial compatibility between the natural fibre and the matrix. The composite is prepared by solution casting technique.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Isolation of nanocellulose from pineapple leaf fibres by steam explosion

Steam explosion process is employed for the successful extraction of cellulose nanofibrils from pineapple leaf fibres for the first time. Steam coupled acid treatment on the pineapple leaf fibres is found to be effective in the depolymerization and defibrillation of the fibre to produce nanofibrils of these fibres. The chemical constituents of the different stages of pineapple fibres undergoing treatment were analyzed according to the ASTM standards. The crystallinity of the fibres is examined from the XRD analysis. Characterization of the fibres by SEM. AFM and TEM supports the evidence for the successful isolation of nanofibrils from pineapple leaf. The developed nanocellulose promises to be a very versatile material having the wide range of biomedical applications and biotechnological applications, such as tissue engineering, drug delivery, wound dressings and medical implants. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Use of a cashew nut shell liquid resin as a potential replacement for phenolic resins in the preparation of panels - a review

The Cashew Nut Shell Liquid (CNSL) can be considered as a versatile raw material with wide applications in the form of surface coatings, paints and varnishes, as well as the production of polymers. Within this context, the chemical constituents of CNSL (anarcadic acid, cardanol, 2-cardol and methylcardol) become promising in the development of new materials components. Once separated, CNSL can be used in the research and development of additives, surfactants, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, polymers, resins and others. Being a byproduct, CNSL used in the preparation of new materials is characterized as a truly technological innovation

Bionanocomposites from electrospun PVA/pineapple nanofibers/Stryphnodendron adstringens bark extract for medical applications

Tissue engineering has been defined as an interdisciplinary field that applies the principles of engineering and life sciences for the development of biological substitutes to restore, maintain or improve tissue function. This area is always looking for new classes of degradable biopolymers that are biocompatible and whose activities are controllable and specific, more likely to be used as cell scaffolds, or in vitro tissue reconstruction. In this paper, we developed a novel bionanocomposite with homogeneous porous distribution and prospective natural antimicrobial properties by electrospinning technique using Stryphodedron barbatimao extract (Barbatimão). SEM images showed equally distribution of nanofibres. DSC and TGA showed higher thermal properties and change crystallinity of the developed bionanocomposite mainly because these structural modification. © 2012 Elsevier B.V

Environmental ageing studies of chemically modified micro and nanofibril phenol formaldehyde composites

Cellulose micro and nano fibrils were extracted from banana macro fibres and chemically modified using sodium hydroxide, formic acid, 3-methacryloxy propyltrimethoxy silane. These untreated and chemically treated fibrils were incorporated into PF resin and the specimens were prepared. The composites were subjected to long-term water ageing, thermal ageing soil burial and outdoor weathering. The mechanical properties are reduced under all ageing conditions. The present study investigates the effects of different types of ageing on macro fibre, microfibril and nanofibril reinforced PF composites. The effect of chemical modifications of fibres on the degradability of the composites at different environments also has been analysed. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

Use of Primary Sludge from Pulp and Paper Mills for Nanocomposites

Cellulose nanocrystals have been evaluated as reinforcement material in polymeric matrices due to their potential to improve the mechanical, optical, and dielectric properties of these matrixes. This work describes how high pressure defibrillation and chemical purification affect the sludge fiber morphology from micro to nanoscale. Microscopy techniques and X-ray diffraction were used to study the structure and properties of the prepared nanofibers and composites. Microscopic studies showed that the used individualization processes lead to a unique morphology of interconnected web-like structure of sludge fibers. The nanofibers are bundles of cellulose fibers having widths (5 to 30 nm) and estimated lengths of several micrometers