Abstract
The manufacturing industry uses a variety of materials, including pure
metals, alloys and composites. Due to the inability of pure metals to meet the demands
of modern products, a transition in materials from pure metals to composites is taking
place. Composite materials are invented to attain the desired properties, including
lightweight, high strength, creep resistance, high corrosion resistance, fatigue
resistance, high-temperature resistance and high wear resistance. Natural plant fibers,
such as flax, hemp, kenaf, jute, sisal, coir and cotton, are a reliable source for
producing composites because they have various advantages over synthetic fibers,
including cheaper cost, low specific gravity, biodegradability, lightweight, fewer health
hazards, availability, low-grade greenhouse emissions and high flexibility. Natural
fiber-reinforced polymer composites (NF-RPC) are commonly utilized in automotive
applications because they are lighter in weight, resulting in lower fuel consumption and
greenhouse gas emissions. The mechanical properties of NF-RPC, such as tensile
strength, Young’s modulus, flexural strength, hardness and many others, are affected
by several factors, for example, fiber aspect ratio, the weight percentage of fiber,
different orientations of fiber, usage of the fabrication process, chemical compositions
of fiber and different pre-treatments of fiber. Therefore, in this article, some specific
applications, mechanical properties, fabrication techniques of NF-RPC, and methods to
enhance the properties of natural fibers, have been discussed.