This book focuses on the key areas and issues related to natural fibers and their reinforced polymer composites. It begins with an introduction and classification of natural fibers and their different extraction methods, followed by characterization techniques. Further, this book gives solutions to improved adhesion between natural fibers and different polymer matrices via different chemical, physical, and biological treatment methods. Fabrication procedures and characterization techniques for development and testing of composites, including processing, development, and characterization, have been included as well. Applications of these composite materials for food packaging and structural and semi-structural applications are also explained.

FEATURES

• Describes the extraction process of natural fibers with comparisons
• Covers the fundamental concepts for the characterization of natural fiber composites
• Includes a comparative study of different polymer matrices
• Provides insight about various fabrication methods
• Discusses diverse applications of these novel materials and the scope for commercialization and entrepreneurship

This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in materials, polymers, composites and characterization, textile engineering, chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

Shishir Sinha, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, Adjunct faculty Centre for Disaster Mitigation and Management, IIT Roorkee. He is among the leading academician in India who are working on technologies of national importance such as waste polymer to value added products. Prof. Sinha has more than 20 years of academic and industrial research experience with 72 publications besides more than 75 in conference proceedings. Apart from this he has written 9 books and several book chapters. Successfully completed over 22 high impact projects and consultancies valued more than 148 million Indian Rupees. Prof. Sinha has developed two technologies and transferred them to different organizations. He has also organized many conferences on areas related to his specialization. He is member of various government and scientific bodies. Prof. Sinha is a Fellow of Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers and Institution of Engineers(India). He is also member of many expert committees constituted by government and non-government organizations. His research interests are in the areas related to Membrane Separation, Water Treatment, Polymer Synthesis and Modification, Ion Exchangers, Composites.

Dr. G.L.Devnani obtained his M.Tech. from IIT Kanpur and Ph.D. From IIT Roorkee. He is working as an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering department of Harcourt Butler Technological Institute (now university from 2016) since 2003. He has 17 years of teaching and research experience and taught various courses in chemical engineering. He has published/presented more than 30 research papers in peer reviewed journals and conferences of international repute. He is reviewer of many international journals published by Taylor Francis and Sage. He has also Prepared E-modules of the subject Industrial chemistry for MHRD's NME-ICT Project. He is the member of steering committee constituted by UP state government for implementation of New education policy NEP-2020 in technical education . Presently he is holding the post of Associate Dean of Continuing education and internal quality assurance in HBTU Kanpur.

This book focusses on the key areas and issues related to natural fibers and their reinforced polymer composites. It starts with introduction and classification natural fibers, and their different extraction methods followed by characterization techniques. Further, it gives out solutions to improve adhesion between natural fibers and different polymer matrices via different chemical, physical and biological treatment methods. Fabrication procedures and characterization techniques for development and testing of composites including processing, development, and characterization, has been included as well. Application of these composite materials like food packaging, structural and semi-structural applications is also explained. This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in Materials, Polymers, Composites and Characterization, textile engineering, and civil/mechanical engineering.

1.Introduction 1.1 Introduction to green chemistry and renewable bio based products 1.2 Composites and Reinforcement 1.3 Introduction to natural fibers 1.4 Classification of natural fibers 1.5 Extraction of natural fibers 1.6 Various extraction methodologies 1.7 History and present scenario of natural fiber based composites 1.8 Advantages and disadvantages of natural fiber composites 2.Extraction of natural fibers 2.1 Physical Extraction 2.2 Chemical Extraction 2.3 Physical and chemical Extraction 2.4 Effect of extraction technique on quality of natural fibers 2.5 New and uncommon natural fibers 3. Traditional and advance Characterization techniques for natural fibers 3.1 Properties and evaluation of natural fibers 3.2 Compositional analysis 3.3 Mechanical Characterization 3.4 Density and diameter measurement 3.5 FTIR analysis 3.6 XRD analysis 3.7 XPS analysis 3.8 AFM analysis 3.9 Thermogravimetric analysis 3.10 Recent advancements 4.Surface treatment of natural fibers (Chemical Treatments) 4.1 Factors affecting properties of natural fibers and their composites 4.2 Different chemical treatment methodologies 4.3 Effect on properties 5.Physical and Biological Treatment 5.1 Plasma treatment 5.2 Corona treatment 5.3 Ozone treatment 5.4 Steam explosion 5.5 Biological treatments 5.6 Effect on properties 6.Fabrication of polymer composites 6.1 Compression molding 6.2 Injection molding 6.3 Hot press/Cold press 6.4 Extrusion molding 6.5 Resin transfer molding (RTM) 6.6 Sheet molding compound (SMC) 6.7 Design of natural fiber composites for diverse applications and structural engineering 7.Traditional and advance Characterization techniques for Reinforced Polymer composites 7.1 Properties and evaluation of natural fiber composites 7.2 Mechanical Characterization 7.3 Dynamic mechanical Characterization 7.4 Water diffusion analysis 7.5 Thermogravimentic and DSC analysis 7.6 Contact angle and wettability analysis 7.7 Recent Developments 8. Thermoset polymer matrix based natural fiber composites 8.1 Natural fibers, Thermosets and types 8.2 Natural fiber based thermoset composites 8.3 Chemical treatments of natural fiber 8.4 Advantages and disadvantages of natural fiber 8.5 Thermoset composites 9. Thermo polymer matrix based natural fiber composites 9.1 Natural fibers 9.2 Types of fibers 9.3 Properties of plant fiber 9.4 Methods for reinforcement in composites 9.5 Thermoplastic polymer matrix composites 9.6 Fabrication techniques for thermoplastic composites 9.7 Mechanical properties of NFR thermoplastic composite 9.8 Implementation of Natural fiber thermoplastic in industries10.Biodegradable polymer based natural fiber composites 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Biodegradable polymers 10.3 Natural fiber biocomposite 10.4 Biodegradation of composite 10.5 Application of biodegradable composite 11.Applications of natural fibers reinforced composites (I) 11.1 Automobile applications 11.2 Semi-structural applications 12.Application of natural fibers reinforced composites (II) 12.1 Applications in food packaging 12.2 Various diverse applications 12.3 Future perspectives