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Sisal Fibers (sisal + fiber)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Polymers and Materials Science	91%

Distribution within Polymers and Materials Science

Polymer Science & Technology General	32%
General & Introductory Materials Science	14%

Selected Abstracts

Characteristics of Hollow TiO2 Fibers Via Replication of Sisal Fiber

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CERAMIC SOCIETY, Issue 4 2007
Guangqin Li
Here we report a facile method to fabricate hollow TiO2 fibers in micro-scale via faithfully replication of sisal fiber. The length of the as-synthesized fibers could reach several millimeters and consist of a bundle of hollow sub-fibers. The fibers have node, pits, and crevices on their surface, which faithfully sustain the characteristics of the template. The phase transformation and photocatalytic activity of the fibers were also studied. [source]

Creating Hierarchical Structures in Renewable Composites by Attaching Bacterial Cellulose onto Sisal Fibers,

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 16 2008
Julasak Juntaro
The growth of bacterial-cellulose nanofibrils on the surfaces of micrometer-scale natural fibers provides a route to a new class of hierarchical, renewable, degradable composites. The nanofibrils improve the interaction between the primary fibers and the matrix, leading to improved mechanical properties and water resistance. [source]

Unmodified and Modified Surface Sisal Fibers as Reinforcement of Phenolic and Lignophenolic Matrices Composites: Thermal Analyses of Fibers and Composites

MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 4 2006
Jane Maria Faulstich de Paiva
Abstract Summary: The study and development of polymeric composite materials, especially using lignocellulosic fibers, have received increasing attention. This is interesting from the environmental and economical viewpoints as lignocellulosic fibers are obtained from renewable resources. This work aims to contribute to reduce the dependency on materials from nonrenewable sources, by utilizing natural fibers (sisal) as reinforcing agents and lignin (a polyphenolic macromolecule obtained from lignocellulosic materials) to partially substitute phenol in a phenol-formaldehyde resin. Besides, it was intended to evaluate how modifications applied on sisal fibers influence their properties and those of the composites reinforced with them, mainly thermal properties. Sisal fibers were modified by either (i) mercerization (NaOH 10%), (ii) esterification (succinic anhydride), or (iii) ionized air treatment (discharge current of 5 mA). Composites were made by mould compression, of various sisal fibers in combination with either phenol-formaldehyde or lignin-phenol-formaldehyde resins. Sisal fibers and composites were characterized by thermogravimetry (TG) and DSC to establish their thermal stability. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate the morphology of unmodified and modified surface sisal fibers as well as the fractured composites surface. Dynamic mechanical thermoanalysis (DMTA) was used to examine the influence of temperature on the composite mechanical properties. The results obtained for sisal fiber-reinforced phenolic and lignophenolic composites showed that the use of lignin as a partial substitute of phenol in phenolic resins in applications different from the traditional ones, as for instance in other than adhesives is feasible. Micrograph of the impact fracture surface of phenolic composite reinforced with mercerized sisal fiber (500 X). [source]

Mechanical behavior of cold plasma,treated sisal and high-density polyethylene composites

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 3 2003
Adriana R. Martin
Sisal fibers and finely powdered high-density polyethylene were surface functionalized with dichlorosilane on a RF(radio frequency)-plasma reactor. Composites made from sisal and high-density polyethylene were compounded using a thermokinetic mixer. The discharged mass was cooled, granulated, and injected molded into composite specimens for testing. The mechanical behaviors (tensile, impact and thermal dynamical mechanical properties) of composites made from cold plasma-treated and untreated components are compared and discussed. The best mechanical performance was generally obtained for composites where only the inert thermoplastic matrix was plasma-functionalized. Plasma treatment of lignocellulosic fibers seems to induce decomposition processes of the surface layers structures exposed to the plasma that generally does not contribute to significant improvement on the mechanical behavior of the composite. [source]

Characteristics of Hollow TiO2 Fibers Via Replication of Sisal Fiber

Unmodified and Modified Surface Sisal Fibers as Reinforcement of Phenolic and Lignophenolic Matrices Composites: Thermal Analyses of Fibers and Composites

Creep behavior of biocomposites based on sisal fiber reinforced cellulose derivatives/starch blends

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 3 2004
Vera A. Alvarez
Biodegradable composites based on cellulose derivatives/starch blends reinforced with sisal short fibers were fabricated by injection molding. Results of short-term flexural creep tests are reported to investigate the time-dependence behavior of the composites. Fiber content and temperature effects are also considered, taking into account various methods and equations. At short times, a creep power law is employed. A master curve with the Arrhenius model is used to determine the creep resistance at longer times and different temperatures. Good fitting of the experimental results with the four-parameter model is reported, leading to a relationship between the observed creep behavior and the composite morphology. The addition of sisal fibers to the polymeric matrix promotes a significant improvement of the composite creep resistance. Polym. Compos. 25:280,288, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers. [source]

Structural properties and mechanical behavior of injection molded composites of polypropylene and sisal fiber

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 3 2002
X. L. Xie
Composites based on isotactic polypropylene (PP) and sisal fiber (SF) were prepared by melt mixing and injection molding. The melt mixing characteristics, thermal properties, morphology, crystalline structure, and mechanical behavior of the PP/SF composites were systematically investigated. The results show that the PP/SF composites can be melt mixed and injection molded under similar conditions as the PP homo-polymer. For the composites with low sisal fiber content, the fibers act as sites for the nucleation of PP spherulites, and accelerate the crystallization rate and enhance the degree of crystallinity of PP. On the other hand, when the sisal fiber content is high, the fibers hinder the molecular chain motion of PP, and retard the crystallization. The inclusion of sisal fiber induces the formation of ,-form PP crystals in the PP/SF composites and produces little change in the inter-planar spacing corresponding to the various diffraction peaks of PP. The apparent crystal size as indicated by the several diffraction peaks such as L(110),, L(040),, L(130), and L(300), of the , and ,-form crystals tend to increase in the PP/SF composites considerably. These results lead to the increase in the melting temperature of PP. Moreover, the stiffness of the PP/SF composites is improved by the addition of sisal fibers, but their tensile strength decreases because of the poor interfacial bonding. The PP/SF composites are toughened by the sisal fibers due to the formation of ,-form PP crystals and the pull-out of sisal fibers from the PP matrix, both factors retard crack growth. [source]

Self-Healing Materials: A Facile Strategy for Preparing Self-Healing Polymer Composites by Incorporation of Cationic Catalyst-Loaded Vegetable Fibers (Adv. Funct.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 14 2009
Mater.
Discontinuous sisal fibers carrying extremely active (C2H5)2O·BF3 are embedded in epoxy matrix together with epoxy monomer-loaded microcapsules to fabricate self-healing composite based on the healing mechanism of cationic chain polymerization. This approach, described by D. S. Xiao et al. on page 2289, skips the encapsulation of high activity chemicals, reducing the risk of their deactivation during handling. It provides a facile strategy for making extrinsic self-healing polymeric materials. [source]

A Facile Strategy for Preparing Self-Healing Polymer Composites by Incorporation of Cationic Catalyst-Loaded Vegetable Fibers

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 14 2009
Ding Shu Xiao
Abstract A two-component healing agent, consisting of epoxy-loaded microcapsules and an extremely active catalyst (boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, (C2H5)2O,·,BF3)), is incorporated into epoxy composites to provide the latter with rapid self-healing capability. To avoid deactivation of the catalyst during composite manufacturing, (C2H5)2O,·,BF3 is firstly absorbed by fibrous carriers (i.e., short sisal fibers), and then the fibers are coated with polystyrene and embedded in the epoxy matrix together with the encapsulated epoxy monomer. Because of gradual diffusion of the absorbed (C2H5)2O,·,BF3 from the sisal into the surrounding matrix, the catalyst is eventually distributed throughout the composites and acts as a latent hardener. Upon cracking of the composites, the epoxy monomer is released from the broken capsules, spreading over the cracked planes. As a result, polymerization, triggered by the dispersed (C2H5)2O,·,BF3, takes place and the damaged sites are rebonded. Since the epoxy,BF3 cure belongs to a cationic chain polymerization, the exact stoichiometric ratio of the reaction components required by other healing chemistries is no longer necessary. Only a small amount of (C2H5)2O,·,BF3 is sufficient to initiate very fast healing (e.g., a 76% recovery of impact strength is observed within 30,min at 20,°C). [source]

The Effect of Silane Coupling Agents on the Viscoelastic Properties of Rubber Biocomposites

MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS & ENGINEERING, Issue 9 2006
Maya Jacob
Abstract Summary: This paper deals with the dynamic mechanical study of sisal/oil palm hybrid fiber reinforced natural rubber composites (at frequency 1 Hz) with reference to the role of silane coupling agents. Composites were prepared using sisal and oil palm fibers subjected to chemical modifications with different types of silane coupling agents. The silanes used were Silane F8261 [1,1,2,2-perfluorooctyl triethoxy silane], Silane A1100 [, -aminopropyltriethoxy silane] and Silane A151 [vinyl triethoxy silane]. It was observed that for treated composites, storage modulus and loss modulus increased while the damping property was found to decrease. Maximum E' was exhibited by the composite prepared from fibers treated with silane F8261 and minimum by composites containing fibers treated with silane A151. This was attributed to the reduced moisture absorbing capacity of chemically modified fibers leading to improved wetting. This in turn produced a strong interfacial interface giving rise to a much stiffer composite with higher modulus. Surface characterization of treated and untreated sisal fibers by XPS showed the presence of numerous elements on the surface of the fiber. Scanning electron micrographs of tensile fracture surfaces of treated and untreated composites demonstrated better fiber,matrix bonding for the treated composites. Scheme of interaction of silanes with cellulosic fibers. [source]

Unmodified and Modified Surface Sisal Fibers as Reinforcement of Phenolic and Lignophenolic Matrices Composites: Thermal Analyses of Fibers and Composites

Studies on mechanical properties of sisal fiber/phenol formaldehyde resin in-situ composites

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 2 2009
Qiuhong Mu
Phenol formaldehyde resin (PF) reinforced with short sisal fibers (SF) were obtained by two methods, direct-mixing and polymerization filling. Impact and bending properties of resulting composites were compared. Under the same compression molding conditions, polymerization filled composites showed better mechanical properties than those of direct-mixed composites. The influences of fiber modifications on the mechanical properties of SF/PF in-situ (polymerization filled) composites have been investigated. Treated-SF-reinforced composites have better mechanical properties than those of untreated-SF-reinforced composites. The effects of SF on water absorption tendencies of SF/PF composites have also been studied. In addition, sisal/glass (SF/GF) hybrid PF composites of alkali-treated SF were prepared. Scanning electron microscopic studies were carried out to study the fiber-matrix adhesion. POLYM. COMPOS., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers [source]

Creep behavior of biocomposites based on sisal fiber reinforced cellulose derivatives/starch blends

Structural properties and mechanical behavior of injection molded composites of polypropylene and sisal fiber

The influence of chemical surface modification on the performance of sisal-polyester biocomposites

POLYMER COMPOSITES, Issue 2 2002
S. Misra
This article concerns the effectiveness of various types and degrees of surface modification of sisal fibers involving dewaxing, alkali treatment, bleaching cyanoethylation and viny1 grafting in enhancing the mechanical properties, such as tensile, flexural and impact strength, of sisal-polyester biocomposites. The mechanical properties are optimum at a fiber loading of 30 wt%. Among all modifications, cyanoethylation and alkali treatment result in improved properties of the biocomposites. Cyanoethylated sisal-polyester composite exhibited maximum tensile strength (84.29 MPa). The alkali treated sisal-polyester composite exhibited best flexural (153.94 MPa) and impac strength (197.88 J/m), which are, respectively, 21.8% and 20.9% higher than the corresponding mechanical properties of the untreated sisal-polyester composites. In the case of vinyl grafting, acrylonitrile (AN)-grafted sisal-polyester composites show better mechanical properties than methyl-methacrylate (MMA)-grafted sisal composites. Scanning electron microscopic studies were carried out to analyze the fiber-matrix interaction in various surface-modified sisal-polyester composites. [source]

Rheological characterization of HDPE/sisal fiber composites

POLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 10 2007
Smita Mohanty
The present paper summarizes an experimental study on the molten viscoelastic behavior of HDPE/sisal composites under steady and dynamic mode. Variations of the melt viscosity and die swell of the composites with an increase in shear rate, fiber loading, and coupling agent concentration have been investigated using capillary rheometer. The shear rate , at the wall was calculated using Rabinowitsch correction applied to the apparent shear rate values. It was observed that the melt viscosity of the composites increased with the addition of fibers and maleic anhydride-grafted PE (MAPE). Die swell of HDPE also decreased with the addition of sisal fibers and MAPE. Further, the dynamic viscoelastic behavior of the composites was measured employing parallel plate rheometer. Time,temperature superposition was applied to generate various viscoelastic master curves. Temperature sweeps were also carried out to study the flow activation energy determined from Arrhenius equation. The fiber,matrix morphology of the extrudates was also examined using scanning electron microscopy. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1634,1642, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers [source]

Enzyme degradability of benzylated sisal and its self-reinforced composites

POLYMERS FOR ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, Issue 10 2003
Xun Lu
Abstract To produce natural polymer based composite materials, sisal fibers were slightly benzylated and then molded into sheets. Because the modified skin portions of the fibers acquired certain thermoplasticity and the unmodified core parts remain constant, the resultant composites fall into the category of self-reinforced ones. The present article is devoted to the evaluation of the materials biodegradability with the help of cellulase. It was found that the inherent biodegradability of plant fibers is still associated with the benzylated sisal and the molded composites, as characterized by structural variation, weight loss and deterioration of mechanical performance of the materials. Reaction temperature and time, pH value of the enzyme solution, and dosage of the enzyme had significant influences on the decomposition behavior of the materials. In principle, the enzymolysis of sisal and its self-reinforced composites is a diffusion-controlled process. Due to the insusceptibility of lignin to cellulase and the hindrance of it to the cellulase solution, the degradation rates of the materials are gradually slowed down with an increase in time. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Valorization of an industrial organosolv,sugarcane bagasse lignin: Characterization and use as a matrix in biobased composites reinforced with sisal fibers

BIOTECHNOLOGY & BIOENGINEERING, Issue 4 2010
Elaine C. Ramires
Abstract In the present study, the main focus was the characterization and application of the by-product lignin isolated through an industrial organosolv acid hydrolysis process from sugarcane bagasse, aiming at the production of bioethanol. The sugarcane lignin was characterized and used to prepare phenolic-type resins. The analysis confirmed that the industrial sugarcane lignin is of HGS type, with a high proportion of the less substituted aromatic ring p -hydroxyphenyl units, which favors further reaction with formaldehyde. The lignin,formaldehyde resins were used to produce biobased composites reinforced with different proportions of randomly distributed sisal fibers. The presence of lignin moieties in both the fiber and matrix increases their mutual affinity, as confirmed by SEM images, which showed good adhesion at the biocomposite fiber/matrix interface. This in turn allowed good load transference from the matrix to the fiber, leading to biobased composites with good impact strength (near 500,J,m,1 for a 40,wt% sisal fiber-reinforced composite). The study demonstrates that sugarcane bagasse lignin obtained from a bioethanol plant can be used without excessive purification in the preparation of lignocellulosic fiber-reinforced biobased composites displaying high mechanical properties. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2010;107:612,621. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]