High Strength Natural Fibers for Improved Polymer Matrix Composites

摘要

A statistical evaluation based on the Weibull method was performed to correlate the mechanical properties and the diameter of different lignocellulosic fibers. The sisal, rami and curaua fibers were found to have a hyperbolic correlation between their ultimate strength and diameter. This permitted to select thinner high strength fibers, with over 1000 MPa, as reinforcement for the strongest polymer composites ever fabricated with these fibers. A structural analysis was conducted by electron microscopy to identify the strengthening mechanism for both, the high performance fiber and their improved polymer composites.