The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review

Environmental concern has resulted in a renewed interest in bio-based materials. Among them, plant fibres are perceived as an environmentally friendly substitute to glass fibres for the reinforcement of composites, particularly in automotive engineering. Due to their wide availability, low cost, low...

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Main Authors: Amandine eCélino, Sylvain eFreour, Frederic eJacquemin, Pascal eCasari
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2014-01-01
Series:Frontiers in Chemistry
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fchem.2013.00043/full
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spelling doaj-1470b44af1f146d09f89c5fe5097c9662020-11-24T23:47:22ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462014-01-01110.3389/fchem.2013.0004371637The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a reviewAmandine eCélino0Sylvain eFreour1Frederic eJacquemin2Pascal eCasari3Université de NantesUniversité de NantesUniversité de NantesUniversité de NantesEnvironmental concern has resulted in a renewed interest in bio-based materials. Among them, plant fibres are perceived as an environmentally friendly substitute to glass fibres for the reinforcement of composites, particularly in automotive engineering. Due to their wide availability, low cost, low density, high-specific mechanical properties and eco-friendly image, they are increasingly being employed as reinforcements in polymer matrix composites. Indeed, their complex microstructure as a composite material makes plant fibre a really interesting and challenging subject to study. Research subjects about such fibres are abundant because there are always some issues to prevent their use at large scale (poor adhesion, variability, low thermal resistance, hydrophilic behavior). The choice of natural fibres rather than glass fibres as filler yields a change of the final properties of the composite. One of the most relevant differences between the two kinds of fibre is their response to humidity. Actually, glass fibres are considered as hydrophobic whereas plant fibres have a pronounced hydrophilic behavior. Composite materials are often submitted to variable climatic conditions during their lifetime, including unsteady hygroscopic conditions. However, in humid conditions, strong hydrophilic behaviour of such reinforcing fibres leads to high level of moisture absorption in wet environments. This results in the structural modification of the fibres and an evolution of their mechanical properties together with the composites in which they are fitted in. Thereby, the understanding of these moisture absorption mechanisms as well as the influence of water on the final properties of these fibres and their composites is of great interest to get a better control of such new biomaterials. This is the topic of this review paper.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fchem.2013.00043/fulldurabilityComposite materialsnatural fibreshydrophilic behaviorsageing effects
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Amandine eCélino
Sylvain eFreour
Frederic eJacquemin
Pascal eCasari
spellingShingle Amandine eCélino
Sylvain eFreour
Frederic eJacquemin
Pascal eCasari
The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
Frontiers in Chemistry
durability
Composite materials
natural fibres
hydrophilic behaviors
ageing effects
author_facet Amandine eCélino
Sylvain eFreour
Frederic eJacquemin
Pascal eCasari
author_sort Amandine eCélino
title The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
title_short The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
title_full The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
title_fullStr The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
title_full_unstemmed The hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
title_sort hygroscopic behavior of plant fibres: a review
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
series Frontiers in Chemistry
issn 2296-2646
publishDate 2014-01-01
description Environmental concern has resulted in a renewed interest in bio-based materials. Among them, plant fibres are perceived as an environmentally friendly substitute to glass fibres for the reinforcement of composites, particularly in automotive engineering. Due to their wide availability, low cost, low density, high-specific mechanical properties and eco-friendly image, they are increasingly being employed as reinforcements in polymer matrix composites. Indeed, their complex microstructure as a composite material makes plant fibre a really interesting and challenging subject to study. Research subjects about such fibres are abundant because there are always some issues to prevent their use at large scale (poor adhesion, variability, low thermal resistance, hydrophilic behavior). The choice of natural fibres rather than glass fibres as filler yields a change of the final properties of the composite. One of the most relevant differences between the two kinds of fibre is their response to humidity. Actually, glass fibres are considered as hydrophobic whereas plant fibres have a pronounced hydrophilic behavior. Composite materials are often submitted to variable climatic conditions during their lifetime, including unsteady hygroscopic conditions. However, in humid conditions, strong hydrophilic behaviour of such reinforcing fibres leads to high level of moisture absorption in wet environments. This results in the structural modification of the fibres and an evolution of their mechanical properties together with the composites in which they are fitted in. Thereby, the understanding of these moisture absorption mechanisms as well as the influence of water on the final properties of these fibres and their composites is of great interest to get a better control of such new biomaterials. This is the topic of this review paper.
topic durability
Composite materials
natural fibres
hydrophilic behaviors
ageing effects
url http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fchem.2013.00043/full
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