Aging Effects On Natural Fiber Reinforced Polymer Composites

This book covers the topic of degradation phenomenon of natural fiber-based composites (NFC) under various aging conditions and proposes suitable solutions to improve the response of natural fiber-reinforced composite to aging conditions such as moisture, seawater, hygrothermal, and natural and accelerated weathering. The information provided by the book plays a vital role in the durability and shelf life of the composites as well as broadening the scope of outdoor application for natural fiber-based composites. The book will be appropriate for researchers and scientist who are interested in the application of natural fiber composites in various fields.

The usage of composites is a broad and growing area of scientific research, especially in developed and developing countries. These materials are used in a broad range of applications in both structural and civil engineering sectors. In many of these applications FRPs are exposed to one or more environmental influences, so they need to be designed to meet durability requirements to withstand even the harshest of environments. Aging and Durability of FRP Composites and Nanocomposites focuses on the latest developments in durability and long-term ageing studies of composite materials especially for those used in civil and structural engineering applications. The book will be a valuable reference resource for materials scientists and engineers who want to learn more about the long-term service life and durability behaviour of composites under different environmental conditions. Discusses composites and polymer nanocomposites Reviews different types of aging processes and degradation mechanisms in composites Covers different types of accelerated aging tests Presents theory, modeling, and simulation studies of aged composites and nanocomposites Looks at recent trends and future possibilities

This book provides a general overview of the importance of fibre-matrix interfacial bonding characteristics in natural fibre-based composites to obtain optimal material properties for a specific application. Composites materials are prepared by combining fibres and polymers to achieve superior materials properties than those of the individual components. Composite materials are used to produce lightweight components with increased stiffness and strength; their properties can also be tailored for any specific applications. The glass fibre reinforced composites dominate 95% of the thermoplastic and thermoset-based composites. However, the natural fibre reinforced composites can give competition to the glass fibres due to their advantages such as biodegradability, low density, low cost, and good mechanical properties. This book looks into biocomposites and its important aspect of optimization of materials’ performance by fine-tuning the fibre-matrix bonding characteristics. The chapters in the book look at different plant fibres such as kenaf, pineapple leaf, jute, date palm, luffa, cotton, hemp, wood, bamboo, flax, and straw and the different approaches to enhance the fibre-matrix interfacial bonding through physical and/or chemical treatment methods. It demonstrates that the nature of fibre-matrix bonding has a significant effect on the properties such as tensile, flexural, impact, inter-laminar shear strength, moisture absorption, thickness swelling, thermal, chemical, damping, creep, and fatigue. Its content appeals to academics, students, researcher, and scientist who are working in the field to produce biodegradable and recyclable materials in the composite industry.

This book, consisting of 21 articles, including three review papers, written by research groups of experts in the field, considers recent research on reinforced polymer composites. Most of them relate to the fiber-reinforced polymer composites, which are a real hot topic in the field. Depending on the reinforcing fiber nature, such composites are divided into synthetic and natural fiber-reinforced ones. Synthetic fibers, such as carbon, glass, or basalt, provide more stiffness, while natural fibers, such as jute, flax, bamboo, kenaf, and others, are inexpensive and biodegradable, making them environmentally friendly. To acquire the benefits of design flexibility and recycling possibilities, natural reinforcers can be hybridized with small amounts of synthetic fibers to make them more desirable for technical applications. Elaborated composites have great potential as structural materials in automotive, marine and aerospace application, as fire resistant concrete, in bridge systems, as mechanical gear pair, as biomedical materials for dentistry and orthopedic application and tissue engineering, as well as functional materials such as proton-exchange membranes, biodegradable superabsorbent resins and polymer electrolytes.

Fiber-reinforced polymer composites exhibit better damping characteristics than conventional metals due to the viscoelastic nature of the polymers. There has been a growing interest among research communities and industries in the use of natural fibers as reinforcements in structural and semi-structural applications, given their environmental advantages. Knowledge of the vibration and damping behavior of biocomposites is essential for engineers and scientists who work in the field of composite materials. Vibration and Damping Behavior of Biocomposites brings together the latest research developments in vibration and viscoelastic behavior of composites filled with different natural fibers. Features: Reviews the effect of various types of reinforcements on free vibration behavior Emphasizes aging effects, influence of compatibilizers, and hybrid fiber reinforcement Explores the influence of resin type on viscoelastic properties Covers the use of computational modeling to analyze dynamic behavior and viscoelastic properties Discusses viscoelastic damping characterization through dynamic mechanical analysis. This compilation will greatly benefit academics, researchers, advanced students, and practicing engineers in materials and mechanical engineering and related fields who work with biocomposites. Editors Dr. Senthil Muthu Kumar Thiagamani, Kalasalinagam Academy of Research and Education (KARE), India Dr. Md Enamul Hoque, Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Bangladesh Dr. Senthilkumar Krishnasamy, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok KMUTNB, Thailand Dr. Chandrasekar Muthukumar, Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science (HITS), India Dr. Suchart Siengchin, King Mongkut’s University of Technology North Bangkok KMUTNB, Thailand

Biocomposites for Industrial Applications: Construction, Biomedical, Transportation and Food Packaging reviews the properties and performance of these materials, with a focus on their intended applications. Sections cover their properties and performance, including processing conditions, structure and property relations. For biomedical applications, researchers need a broad understanding of conceptual design, physico-chemical properties, and cytotoxicity (orthopedic implants). As the usage of biocomposites has increased significantly over recent years, mainly due to the advantages these materials have when compared to synthetic composites, such as (i) renewability (ii) eco-friendly components, (iii) biodegradable aspects, and (iv) non-toxicity, this book provides a great update on the technology. These advantages will help to attract wider use in more lightweight-based applications such as (i) construction and building (ii) biomedical (iii) transportation (automotive, marine, and aerospace), and (iv) in food packaging. Covers recent applications in construction, transportation, food packaging and biomedical sectors Focuses on materials requirements, factors governing the properties of these materials and durability Discusses factors effecting processing conditions and recent advancements in design and fabrication Provides a detailed outline of experimental research in each chapter

Presents state-of-the-art processing techniques and readily applicable knowledge on processing of polymer composites The book presents the advancement in the field of reinforced polymer composites with emphasis on manufacturing techniques, including processing of different reinforced polymer composites, secondary processing of green composites, and post life cycle processing. It discusses the advantages and limitations of each processing method and the effect of processing parameters on the overall performance of the composites. Characterization and applications of reinforced polymer composites are also introduced. Reinforced Polymer Composites: Processing, Characterization and Post Life Cycle Assessment starts off by providing readers with a comprehensive overview of the field. It then introduces them to the fabrication of both short fiber/filler reinforced polymer composites and laminated reinforced polymer composites. Next, it takes them through the processing of polymer-based nanocomposites; the many advances in curing methods of reinforced polymer composites; and post life cycle processing, re-processing, and disposal mechanisms of reinforced polymer composites. Numerous other chapters cover: synthetic versus natural fiber reinforced plastics; characterization techniques of reinforced plastics; friction and wear analysis of reinforced plastics; secondary processing of reinforced plastics; and applications of reinforced plastics. -Presents the latest development in materials, processing, and characterization techniques, as well as applications of reinforced polymer composites -Guides users in choosing the best processing methods to produce polymer composites and successfully manufacture high quality products -Assists academics in sorting out basic research questions and helps those in industry manufacture products, such as marine, automotive, aerospace, and sport goods Reinforced Polymer Composites: Processing, Characterization and Post Life Cycle Assessment is an important book for materials scientists, polymer chemists, chemical engineers, process engineers, and anyone involved in the chemical or plastics technology industry.