[en] Polypropylene (PP)/high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/ethylene propylene diene terpolymer (EPDM) based ternary blends and their composites with graphene nanoplatelets (xGnP) were prepared. The effect of EPDM and both EPDM and xGnP on the thermo-mechanical properties of the PP/HDPE blends were systematically studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mechanical measurements, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of the PP/HDPE/EPDM ternary blends and PP/HDPE/EPDM/xGnP ternary composites were conducted. SEM micrographs reveal an excellent compatibility of EPDM with PP/HDPE blends. The presence of EPDM in the PP/HDPE (80/20) blends enhanced the impact strength and elongation at break at the expense of tensile strength and modulus. The morphology of the ternary composites reveals an interpenetrated complex morphology. The presence of xGnP in the ternary blends had greatly improved the tensile toughness of the composites. The storage modulus and loss modulus of the PP/HDPE blends was reduced by the addition of EPDM elastomer. On the other hand, the presence of xGnP improved the storage modulus and loss modulus of the ternary composites. The melting temperature and crystalline temperature of both the PP phase and HDPE phase remains stable with the addition of EPDM and xGnP, while the percentage crystallinity was increased. (paper)

[en] Ethylene–propylene–diene copolymer (EPDM) modified polypropylene (PP)/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) ternary blends and their composites with carbon nanofibers (CNF) were prepared. The PP/HDPE binary blends containing 80/20 concentration was used for the preparation of ternary blends and composites. The amount of EPDM in the ternary blend was 2, 4.8, 9.1, 13 and 16.6 wt%. The best mechanical properties were obtained for the ternary blends containing 13 wt% EPDM. These blends were further modified with CNF of varying concentrations from 0.043 to 1.7 wt%. The mechanical properties of the ternary composites especially with higher concentrations of CNF show a synergistic effect with good improvements in impact strength, tensile strength, tensile elongation, and tensile toughness. The DMA studies validate the homogeneity of the ternary composites. The DSC studies reveal better miscibility/compatibility of the PP/HDPE blends in the presence of EPDM and CNF. The thermal stability of the ternary composites was enhanced due to the better stability of EPDM and the uniform dispersion of the fillers in the polymer matrix. The contact angle values were improved with the addition of EPDM, however, for the ternary composites, only marginal variations in contact angle were observed. (paper)

[en] The present world scenario owes for the need of materials which posses more ecological and biodegradable characteristics as well as capable of substituting man-made materials which resulted in the rapid increasing use of natural fibers. In the present investigation, the physico-chemical, thermal, tensile and morphological properties of Prosopis juliflora fibers (PJFs) are presented. Alkali treatment of PJFs was carried out at 2%, 4%, 6% and 8% (w/v) concentrations for a period of 45 min. 6% (w/v) treated PJFs results showed optimal results. These optimally treated fibers showed higher cellulose (74.42 wt. %), lower hemicellulose (2.21 wt. %), lignin (9.11 wt. %), higher crystallinity index (56.64%), crystallite size (15.76 nm), tensile strength (650 ± 6.43 MPa) and better thermal stability. (paper)

[en] The present study deals with the characterization of fibers extracted from a weed plant known as Impomea pes-caprae. The fibers were collected, processed and chemically treated with benzoyl chloride solution. The raw and benzoyl chloride treated fibers were characterized for its physical, chemical, crystalline, thermal, and morphological characteristics using tests namely chemical analysis, XRD, FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. To prove its application suitability, raw and chemically treated Impomea pes-caprae fibers based epoxy composites were developed using hand lay-up process and analyzed for its mechanical characteristics as per American Society for Testing and Materials. The stress distribution in the tensile and flexural tested composites was analyzed analytically using ANSYS software, and the significant difference between the samples was studied using ‘One-way ANOVA’. The results showed that the benzoyl chloride treated Impomea pes-caprae fibers, and its composites showed improved results in all its performance characteristics. (paper)

[en] The present investigation deals with the study of untreated and alkali treated natural fibers extracted from the stem of Catharanthus roseus. The physical, chemical, crystallinity, mechanical, wettability, thermal, and surface characteristics were analyzed for untreated and alkali treated Catharanthus roseus fibers (CRFs). The results showed that chemical treatment removed excess amorphous contents such as hemicellulose, lignin and wax contents thereby there was an enhancement in tensile strength, crystalline index, and surface roughness. The char residue upon thermogravimetric analysis got increased from 25.2% to 39.6% for untreated and alkali treated CRFs respectively. The alkali treated CRF showed lesser contact angle which proved its improved wettability in the liquid phase. Thus the improvement in the characteristics of the alkali treated CRF can make it useful for developing lightweight polymer composites. (paper)

[en] Currently, innovations on eco-friendly, sustainability and energy-efficient technology are focused worldwide. This concept has diverted the attention of researchers to implement new natural products in many industries. The handiness and readiness of natural fibers are the main motivation for evolving new attention in sustainable development. Research gained momentum in developing novel natural fiber-reinforced materials in spite of its limitations, due to the ecological, environmental and health concerns raised by synthetic fibers. Huge amounts of agro-wastes with potential fiber contents are being discarded from many industries and are to be explored to meet the increasing demand for composite industries, which in turn helps to reduce deforestation as well as favors an effective waste management technique promoting healthier environment. The present study delivers a sound knowledge on availability of discarded fruit wastes and broad characterization of two industrial cast of areca and tamarind fruit fibers for its viability as a credible reinforcement in composites made of polymer matrix. The attained results authorize the potential of areca and tamarind fibers extracted from discarded fruit waste as a probable reinforcement in polymer composites for lightweight and domestic applications.

[en] Currently, bio-thermoplastic polymers are widely used as matrix reinforced with different kinds of natural fibers, because these bio-polymer are biodegradable, eco-friendly and nontoxic. Moreover, the natural fibers are one of the sustainable material for making composites for lightweight materials, which can deplete the use of man-made synthetic materials and reduce greenhouse effect. In this view, the use of waste bio-fiber as a reinforcement material in biobased composites for ecofriendly semi-structural applications. This research studied the extraction and characterization of waste fibers from water hyacinth plants and also fabrication of bioepoxy based ecofriendly composites from chemically treated water hyacinth fibers (WHFs). As far as we know, no work on this concept has been published so far. Water hyacinth is as an invasive and free-floating perennial aquatic plant known as Eichhornia crassipes. Firstly, raw and chemically treated water hyacinth fibers were characterized by various techniques such as chemical analysis, XRD, FTIR, TGA, DTG, SEM and AFM. The raw, NaOH and silane treated WHFs reinforced bioepoxy based composites are manufactured by casting method. Then, tensile, flexural, impact, hardness, thermal, dynamic, and surface morphology tests were carried out on composite specimens. This study confirmed that the WHFs can be used as a reinforcement material with bioepoxy polymer to develop fully biobased ecofriendly composites for production of lightweight structures.

[en] Environmental friendly nature of natural fiber has magnetized many as the prospective reinforcement in biocomposite. Furthermore, the natural fibers excel in the application of light weight engineering structures. The main aim of this study is to extract and characterize Moringa oleifera fruit fibers as green fiber for natural fiber based polymer composite. The fiber bundle samples were prepared as per the standard ASTM techniques and tests were performed. After the extraction of fibers through manual retting, the anatomy, density and tensile tests along with XRD, TGA, DSC and SEM analysis were studied for fiber bundles. The results acquired from the experimentation authenticate that M. oleifera fruit fibers can be deemed as a prospective green fiber for the reinforcement of biocomposite for several engineering commercial products.

[en] In this research, the Aristida adscensionis fibers (AAFs) were taken out from the plants and its fundamental properties anlayzed for the first time. The AAFs were characterized and compared with other natural fibers by the use of physico-chemical analysis and various characterization techniques such as FT-IR, XRD, NMR, TGA, SEM and AFM. Chemical analysis showed that A. adscensionis fibers have a high cellulose content of 70.78% whereas the contents of lignin and wax are equal to 8.91% and 2.26%, respectively. The FT-IR, XRD and NMR analysis confirmed that AAFs are rich in cellulose content with CI and CS equal to 58.9% and 11.5 nm, respectively. Pycnometer analysis allowed to estimate a density of 790 kg/m³. The TGA revealed that these fibers are thermally stable up to 250 °C while SEM and AFM analysis evidenced that the fiber surface was rough. The fiber diameter and tensile properties was analysed by Weibull distribution. The characterization results and Weibull distribution analysis for the A. adscensionis fibers are an agreement with other natural fibers reported in literature. So this new lignocellulosic material is suitable as reinforcing phase in composites for potential engineering semi-structural applications like roofing sheets, bricks, door panels, furniture panels, interior paneling, storage tanks, pipelines, etc.

[en] Nowadays, fibers extracted from natural resources have a wide range of promising applications, including the prospect to be used as reinforcing material in polymer composites. In this context, the purpose of this study has been to extract fibers from different parts of the olive tree (leaves, small and large branches) and characterize their physico-chemical, thermal, and morphological properties using advanced equipment. Olive leaf (OL) fiber showed asymmetrical size distribution, as compared to those extracted from small olive branches (OSS), and big olive branches (OBS). The OL fiber exhibited 64.1% crystallinity, which is lower than that of the OSS fiber—with 65.4% crystallinity. Thermal analysis revealed that the OBS and OSS fibers are more thermally stable, compared to the OL fibers. The obtained results concluded that olive tree fibers can be suitable for being used as reinforcement material to develop polymer composites for various lightweight applications.