Fibres coconut

The essential part of the insulation system is the vapour barrier, which must be complete and continuous over the outer (warm) surface. Even materials such as coconut fibre, rice husks, sawdust and wood shavings are successfully used as insulants if the vapour barrier is good. 

Similarities between FASAL and ARBOFORM can be found. The fibre components of FASAL are wood particles, rice husks or coconut fibres. Natural starch, such as for example from maize, and partly proteins are used as binders. Resins or pigments from natural raw materials are used as additives. Processing is done by processing techniques used in the plastics industry, e.g. by extrusion. The application is comparable to the one of injection moulded ARBOFORM . ... 

The natural raw material such as sugar cane leave, bagasse, oil palm ash, palm fibre, coir fibre, coconut fibre and jute fibre are treated with NaOH, H2O2, H2SO4/HCI or HCIO4. 

Figure 13.6 Cumulative particle size of coconut fibre showing particle size measurement (author s experiment).

Effect of coconut fibre content on tensile strength of a NR composite (author s experiment). 

Tomezak F, Deme trio Sydenstricker TH, Satyanarayana KG et al (2007) Studies on lignocellulosie fibres of Brazil Part II morphology and properties of Brazilian coconut fibres. Compos Part A 38 1710-1721... 

Brahmakumar M, Pavithran C, Pillai RM (2005) Coconut fibre reinforced polyethylene composites effect of natural waxy surface layer of the fibre on fibre/matrix interfacial bonding and strength of composites. Compos Sci Technol 65 563-569... 

W. Wang, and G. Huang, Characterisation and utilization of natural coconut fibres composites. Mater. Des. 30,2741-2744 (2009). 

R. D. Toledo Filho, K. Scrivener, G. L. England, and K. Ghavami, Durability of alkali-sensitive sisal and coconut fibres in cement mortar composites, Cem. Concr. Compos. 22(2), 127-143 (2000). 

Toledo Filho et al. (2000) investigated the durability of sisal and coconut fibres to alkaline solutions. Sisal and coconut fibres maintained, respectively, 72.7% and 60.9% of their initial strength after 420 days of exposure to NaOH solution. The behaviour of those fibres was different when exposed to Ca(OH)2, as both types of fibre completely lost their initial strength after 300 days. The explanation for the higher attack by Ca(OH)2 can be related to the crystallization of lime in the fibre pores. Natural fibres also absorb water and this is another way to decrease the durability of FRC, as water absorption leads to volume changes and cracking (Ghavami, 2005 Tonoli et al., 2007). 

John, V., Cincotto, M., Sjotrom, C., Agopyan, V., Oliveira, C., 2005. Durability of slag mortar reinforced with coconut fibre. Cement Concrete Composites, 27(5), pp. 565-574. 

Recently, some papers were published showing the need for conducting LCA of nanoproducts. A group of Brazilian researchers studied the LCA of cellulose nanowhiskers. Vegetal fibres are an important source of cellulose for the extraction of nanowhiskers, which can be used to enhance the mechanical properties of different polymers. The study contributes to the environmental performance of cellulose nanowhisker production processes in the development stage. Environmental aspects and related impacts of two cellulose nanowhiskers product systems are evaluated nanowhiskers extracted from unripe coconut fibres (EUC system) and from white cotton fibres (EC system). The comparison between the two systems showed that nanowhiskers produced in the EC system required less energy and water, emitted fewer pollutants, and contributed less to climate change, human toxicity and eutrophication than those produced in the EUC system. 

Vegetable fibres are also used to replace asbestos fibres, which are expensive and dangerous to health. Coconut fibres were tested for that purpose and their strength and deformability, as well as thermal and acoustic properties, and were proved comparable with those of asbestos fibres (Paramasivam et al. 1984). Similar tests on specimens reinforced with flax fibres from New Zealand and Australia also showed their ability to replace asbestos in thin cement sheets (Courts 1983). 

Paramasivam, R, Nathan, G. K., Das Gupta, N. C. (1984) Coconut fibre reinforced corrugated slabs . International Journal of Cement Composites and Lightweight Concrete, 6(1) 151-8. 

Geffusol MV, da SUva PVG, Thomazini D. Polypropylene matrix composites reinforced with coconut fibres. Mater Res 2011 14 360-365. 

Fernandes EM, Conelo VM, Mano JF, Reis RL (2013b) Novel cork-polymer composites reinforced with short natural coconut fibres effect of fibre loading and coupling agent addition. Compos Sci Technol 78 56-62... 

Natural origin eeo fibre - Organic cotton, organic silk, Ahimsa silk, organic wool. Hemp, bamboo, Kenaf, jute, Sasawashi, Nettle, Sisal, Coconut fibre or Coir, [Banana] fibre. Ramie and Mesta/Roselle. Highly processed natural origin fibre - Rayon type Modal, Lyocell/ Tencel, Ingeo, Seacell. 

Coconut fibre or coir has many uses. It is used to make rope and yam, aquarium filters, car seat covers, flower pots, used as a soundproofing material, as mulch for plant growing, to provide heat insulation, to make bmshes, bristles, mattresses, door mats, matting, mgs, [hand knotted carpets]. 

Owolabi, O., Czvikovszky, T., and Kovacs, I. (1985) Coconut fibre reinforced thermosetting plastics, 30, 1827-1836. 

Orts, W.J., and Imam, S.H. (2009) Biodegradable composites based on starch/EVOH/glycerol blends and coconut fibres. J. Appl. Polym. Sd., Ill, 612-618. 

P. Paramasivam, O.K. Nathan and N.C. Das Gupta, Coconut fibre reinforced corrugated siabs , int J. Cem Comp. Ltwt. Concr. 6,1984,19 28. 

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