Lignocellulosic Fibers: Sustainable Biomaterials for Green Composites (SpringerBriefs in Materials)

The book is primarily focused on natural plant (lignocellulosic) fibers as sustainable reinforcement material for green composites. It begins with a brief introduction to common plant-based reinforcements, their extraction techniques, the structure of plant fibers, and describes novel fibers extracted from fruit, seeds, leaf, bast, and agricultural waste. The book then focuses on the application of these fibers as reinforcements for composite materials, covering reinforcement and composite fabrication techniques, as well as their performance evaluation. Overall, the book provides a unique and comprehensive look at lignocellulosic fibers for use in green composites, appealing to both researchers in the area of sustainable materials and industry professionals and entrepreneurs interested in their utilization in value-added composite products. Preface Contents About the Authors 1 Green Composite Solutions 1.1 Need for Green Composites 1.1.1 Advantages of Green Composites 1.2 Constituents of a Green Composite 1.2.1 Reinforcements 1.2.2 Matrices 1.3 Fabrication Techniques 1.3.1 Hand Layup 1.3.2 Compression Molding 1.3.3 Injection Molding 1.3.4 Resin Infusion/Vacuum Bagging 1.4 Biodegradation of Green Composites 1.5 Key Challenges 1.6 Applications References 2 Lignocellulosic Fiber Structure 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Chemical Composition of Lignocellulosic Fibers 2.2.1 Cellulose 2.2.2 Hemicellulose 2.2.3 Lignin 2.3 Structure of Lignocellulosic Fibers 2.4 Lignocellulosic Fibers from Secondary Plants References 3 Fruit, Seed and Leaf Fibers 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Fruit and Seed Fibers 3.2.1 Kapok 3.2.2 Brazil Nut 3.2.3 Coconut 3.2.4 Borassus Fruit 3.2.5 Tamarind Fruit Fibers 3.2.6 Empty Fruit Bunch 3.3 Leaf 3.3.1 Agave 3.3.2 New Zealand Flax 3.3.3 Pineapple 3.3.4 Piassava Fiber 3.3.5 Leafiran Fiber 3.3.6 Palm Leaf 3.3.7 Others 3.4 Composition and Properties of Fibers 3.5 Conclusions References 4 Bast and Grass Fibers 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Bast Fibers 4.2.1 Isora 4.2.2 Banana 4.2.3 Vakka 4.2.4 Date Palm 4.2.5 Thespesia Lampas 4.2.6 Okra Fibres 4.2.7 Hibiscus Sabdariffa (Roselle) 4.3 Grass Fibers 4.3.1 Bamboo 4.3.2 Bagasse 4.3.3 Other Grass Fibers 4.4 Composition and Properties of Fibers 4.5 Conclusions References 5 Wood and Agriculture Waste Fibers 5.1 Wood Fibers 5.2 Husk and Straw Fibers 5.2.1 Areca Fruit Husk 5.2.2 Rice Husk 5.2.3 Corn Husk 5.2.4 Corn Stalk/Straw 5.2.5 Wheat Straw 5.2.6 Soybean Straw 5.3 Bark of Plant 5.3.1 Acacia Planifrons 5.3.2 Cotton Stalk 5.3.3 Dichrostachys Cinerea 5.3.4 Prosopis Juliflora 5.4 Other Agrowaste Fibers References 6 Performance of Green Composites 6.1 Mechanical Performance 6.2 Moisture Absorption 6.3 Flammability and Thermal Degradation 6.4 Biodegradation 6.5 Conclusions References