Extraction, Applications and Characterization of Plant Fibers
Richard Ntenga, Saïdjo SAÏDJO, Annie Wakata, Pagore Djoda, Martin Tango, Etienne Mfoumou
Abstract
During the second half of the twentieth century, industrial and scientific interests in plant fibers (PFs) have resulted in their resounding comeback as engineering materials. This chapter is concerned with the characterization of PF materials. Good knowledge of the properties of these materials is essential for safe design of the related structures. Bast fibers that are collected from the phloem surrounding the stem of certain dicotyledonous plants, for instance, are among the most used, owing to their higher tensile strength. However, for an optimum utilization of PFs, a relevant assessment of their physico-chemical and mechanical properties is very crucial. As it is now well established, PFs’ properties are largely influenced by their hierarchic composite microstructure and their viscoelastic behavior. This book chapter focuses on the presentation of various experimental approaches used to characterize the elastic and viscoelastic behaviors of plant fibers. Consideration of their blending in sheet form and relevant mechanical properties will also be of interest.