Cashew fiber

Significant antioxidant activity has also been observed in the hexane extracts of different cashew products (Table 10.3). The antioxidant activity was determined in the hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase assay and expressed as inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) attack on salicylic acid (%). CNSL has the highest antioxidant activity, followed by cashew fiber, cashew apple, raw cashew nut,... 

Typical fillers wood flour, glass fiber, carbon fiber, mica, wollastonite, mineral wool, talc, magnesium hydroxide, graphite, molybdenum sulfide, carbon black, cashew shell particles, alumina, chromium oxide, brass and copper powder, iron particles, steel fiber, ceramic powder, rubber particles, aramid, wollastonite, cellulosic fiber, lignin... 

Interest in polymeric materials prepared from renewable natural resources, such as soybean oil, has grown over the past decade. The advantages of these polymeric materials are their low cost, availability, and possible biodegradability (Kaplan, 1998). Among agricultural resources (starch, cellulose, fibers, polylactic acid, cashew nut... 

In 1995, researchers conclnded that tree nuts, as one of the integral plant foods in the traditional Mediterranean diet, had been overlooked by the nntrition research community [2]. In 1997, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) acknowledged that nuts and seeds, which have been common in hnman diets since preagricultnral times, are nntrient dense and a good source of unsaturated fats, protein, dietary fiber, phytochemicals, and micronutrients [3]. Interestingly, the WCRF referred to Brazil nuts, macadamias, and cashews as seeds [3]. According to the WCRF, nuts needed to be identified separately in human studies to better evaluate their protective effects on human health [3]. 

In contrast to expensive synthetic fibers, the use of natural fibers is a very cheap means of reinforcement, especially in countries where these natural products are readily available. Natural fibers, when compared to synthetic fibers, have a lower density and a lower tensile modulus. However, a combination of a sisal fiber with a resole type phenolic resin based on cashew nut shell liquid, a naturally occurring monomer, produces a very cost effective composite with a thermal stability greater than 200°C. The cashew nut shell liquid is a mixture of phenol, 3-(8 -pentadecenyl)phenol, 3-(8 -pentadecenyl)-5-(hydroxy)phenol, 3-(8 -pentadecenyl)-5-(hydroxy) -6-methylphenol, and2-(8-pentadecenyl-6-(hydroxy)benzoicacid [195]. 

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