Nowadays, the increasing environmental alarms and reduction of fossil-based resources have launched natural fibres (NFs) as reinforcement in polymers, and encouraged industries and researchers to use sustainable raw materials, but natural fibers feature some issues that must be overcome. First, a high level of water absorption guided the development of chemical treatments to avoid any degradation of composite properties. Then, the poor compatibility with polymers must be updated to work on the chemical functionalization of polymeric matrices. Instead, the surface functionalization of natural fibers is a frontier in chemistry. In this regard, to improve the accessibility and the applicability of natural fibers along with their thermal, physical, and mechanical properties, natural fiber composites seem to be very attractive. All these properties allow the exploitation of natural fiber-reinforced composites in various applications such as furniture, building and automotive.
In the recent past, it has been established that natural fiber composites have been used in a plethora of industrial applications due to the potential biodegradability and recyclability of the polymer matrices, their low-cost and accessibility. Nowadays natural fiber composites are used in a vast range of building and automotive applications but their disadvantages, such as progressive moisture absorption, poor fire resistance, poor microbial resistance, limited temperature stability and variable mechanical properties are still hindering a more pronounced industrial impact. Previous studies have shown that by performing chemical and physical treatments, the properties of natural fibers and resulting composites can be improved, but new surface modification based on novel chemical treatments able to add functionalities to the fibers based on green chemistry principles still need to be properly designed and developed.
The current Research Topic aims to cover promising, recent, and innovative research on natural fibers to overcome drawbacks, such as poor adhesion, incompatibility, high moisture absorption and shape irregularity, also the latest advances in types, sources, and processing of natural fibers, and the development of multi-purpose applications that broaden the potential of these derivatives. Topics covered in this issue may include but are not limited to:
• NFs chemical pre-treatments
• Selective extraction
• NFs surface chemical functionalization treatments
• Assessment of impact of surface functionalization treatments on mechanical, thermal and functional properties of fibers and natural fiber composites
• Characterization of natural fibers and their composites
• Environmental durability assessment of natural fiber composites
• Uses of NFs and their applications
• New processing methods and techniques
Keywords:
Waste-derived biomass fibers, Chemical treatment of natural fibers, Functionalization of natural fibers, Natural fiber composites, Natural fiber applications
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
Nowadays, the increasing environmental alarms and reduction of fossil-based resources have launched natural fibres (NFs) as reinforcement in polymers, and encouraged industries and researchers to use sustainable raw materials, but natural fibers feature some issues that must be overcome. First, a high level of water absorption guided the development of chemical treatments to avoid any degradation of composite properties. Then, the poor compatibility with polymers must be updated to work on the chemical functionalization of polymeric matrices. Instead, the surface functionalization of natural fibers is a frontier in chemistry. In this regard, to improve the accessibility and the applicability of natural fibers along with their thermal, physical, and mechanical properties, natural fiber composites seem to be very attractive. All these properties allow the exploitation of natural fiber-reinforced composites in various applications such as furniture, building and automotive.
In the recent past, it has been established that natural fiber composites have been used in a plethora of industrial applications due to the potential biodegradability and recyclability of the polymer matrices, their low-cost and accessibility. Nowadays natural fiber composites are used in a vast range of building and automotive applications but their disadvantages, such as progressive moisture absorption, poor fire resistance, poor microbial resistance, limited temperature stability and variable mechanical properties are still hindering a more pronounced industrial impact. Previous studies have shown that by performing chemical and physical treatments, the properties of natural fibers and resulting composites can be improved, but new surface modification based on novel chemical treatments able to add functionalities to the fibers based on green chemistry principles still need to be properly designed and developed.
The current Research Topic aims to cover promising, recent, and innovative research on natural fibers to overcome drawbacks, such as poor adhesion, incompatibility, high moisture absorption and shape irregularity, also the latest advances in types, sources, and processing of natural fibers, and the development of multi-purpose applications that broaden the potential of these derivatives. Topics covered in this issue may include but are not limited to:
• NFs chemical pre-treatments
• Selective extraction
• NFs surface chemical functionalization treatments
• Assessment of impact of surface functionalization treatments on mechanical, thermal and functional properties of fibers and natural fiber composites
• Characterization of natural fibers and their composites
• Environmental durability assessment of natural fiber composites
• Uses of NFs and their applications
• New processing methods and techniques
Keywords:
Waste-derived biomass fibers, Chemical treatment of natural fibers, Functionalization of natural fibers, Natural fiber composites, Natural fiber applications
Important Note:
All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.