Accelerated Aging of Natural Fiber Composites (NFCs), Their Fabrication Methods, Industrial Applications, Challenges, and Future Directions: An Overview
Subrata Chandra Das, Chaman Srivastava, Sotirios Grammatikos
Abstract
The long-term durability of natural fiber composites (NFCs) remains a critical challenge, particularly in structural applications exposed to outdoor environments. Due to their chemical composition and hydrophilic nature, natural fibers are highly susceptible to moisture, heat, and ultraviolet (UV) rays. These environmental factors accelerate degradation, compromising the structural integrity of NFCs over time. Hence, ensuring their durability is essential for their use in high-performance industrial applications. Despite these challenges, NFCs have attracted growing interest in recent decades as potential alternatives to conventional composites or construction materials. This interest is driven by several technical advantages such as natural fibers are lightweight, widely available, environmental-friendly, and offer specific mechanical properties comparable to those of synthetic fibers (glass fibers). Common plant-based natural fibers used in composites include flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, sisal, abaca, ramie, coir, PALF (pineapple leaf fiber), bamboo, date palm, oil palm, etc. This review paper provides a brief overview of NFCs and their fabrication methods. It then explores the effect of accelerated aging on their mechanical performance under hygrothermal and weathering conditions. Additionally, the paper highlights various industrial applications of NFCs across multiple sectors, identifies key challenges, and offers suggestions and future directions for the development and industrial adoption of NFCs.