Various Industrial Applications of Hemp, Kinaf, Flax and ... - ijimt

International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 3, June 2011Various Industrial Applications of Hemp, Kinaf, Flax andRamie Natural FibresTara Sen and H. N. Jagannatha ReddyAbstract—The materials chosen for structural upgradationmust, in addition to functional efficiency and increasing orimproving the various properties of the structures, should fulfilsome criterion, for the cause of sustainability and a betterquality. For example, these materials should not pollute theenvironment and endanger bioreserves, should be such thatthey are self sustaining and promote self-reliance, should help inrecycling of polluting waste into usable materials, should makeuse of locally available materials, utilise local skills, manpowerand management systems, should benefit local economy bybeing income generating, should be accessible to the ordinarypeople and be low in monetary cost. Besides improving thestrength of the structure using FRPs as the raw material, it isalso necessary to make use of local materials in construction. Sofar the work on construction. So far the work on retrofitting ofstructures is confined to using of carbon, glass or aramid fibresetc, very little work is being imparted in improving structuresusing naturally available materials, or natural fibres. Theapplication of composites in structural facilities is mostlyconcentrated on increasing the strength of the structure withthe help of artificial fibres and does not address the issue ofsustainability of these raw materials used for strengtheningpurposes. In an expanding world population and with theincrease of the purchasing potentials, the need for raw materialsrequired for structural strengthening, that would satisfy thedemand on world market is rapidly growing. In times when wecannot expect the fibre reinforced polymer prices to come down,with the consumption growing day by day. Also waste disposalhas become one of the major problems in modern cities. Atpresent there are two major methods in practice to disposewastes. One is land filling and the other is burning. First onerequires more valuable land and second one pollutes theenvironment. So, alternate methods to dispose solid wasteshould be found. New materials that would be cheaper and atthe same time offer equal or better properties have to bedeveloped. We have enough natural resources and we mustkeep on researching on these natural resources. Development ofplant fibre composites has only begun. Among the variousnatural fibres such as, sisal fibres, bamboo fibres, coir fibresand jute fibres are of particular interest as these compositeshave high impact strength besides having moderate tensile andflexural properties compared to other lignocellulosic fibres.Among the various natural fibres, sisal fibre reinforcedcomposite, bamboo fibre reinforced composite, coir reinforcedcomposite and jute fibre reinforced composite are of particularinterest as these composites have high impact strength besideshaving moderate tensile and flexural properties compared toother lignocellulosic fibres. Hence encouragement should beManuscript received January 27, 2011; revised May 28, 2011.Tara Sen is Assistant Professor in the department of Civil Engineering, atNational Institute of Technology(NIT), Agartala, Barjala, District-WestTripura, State-Tripura, India(e-mail: tara.sen@rediffmail.com ). MobileNo :+919436541206 (Corresponding Author)H. N. Jagannatha Reddy is Professor in the department of CivilEngineering, at Bangalore Institute of Technology, K. R. Road, Bangalore,India(e-mail: girija.bitcse@gmail.com)given for the use of natural fibres such as sisal fibres, bamboofibres, coir fibres and jute fibres which are locally availablematerials, in the field of civil engineering. Also by consideringthe case of waste disposal, here an attempt is made to study thepossibilities of reusing the sisal fibres, bamboo fibres, coir fibresand jute fibres which not only has various applications but alsohelps to solve the problem of waste disposal atleast to a smallextent. Economic and other related factors in many developingcountries where natural fibres are abundant, demand thatscientists and engineers apply appropriate technology to utilizethese natural fibres as effectively and economically as possiblefor structural upgradation and also other purposes for housingand other needs and also for various other applications etc.Index Terms—Natural Fibres, Sustainable Development,Sisal fibres, Bamboo fibres, Coir fibres and Jute fibresI. INTRODUCTIONA judicious combination of two or more materials thatproduces a synergistic effect. A material system composed oftwo or more physically distinct phases whose combinationproduces aggregate properties that are different from those ofits constituents. Composites are hybrid materials made of apolymer resin reinforced by fibres, combining the highmechanical and physical performance of the fibres and theappearance, bonding and physical properties of polymers, theshort and discontinuous fibre composites are responsible forthe biggest share of successful applications, whethermeasured by number of parts or quantity of material used.A composite in this respect is a compound between a polymer(such as polyester or PP) and a fibrous material (such as glass,carbon or natural fibres). Composite products have goodmechanical properties per unit weight, are durable and theirtechnologies allow the manufacture of complex and largeshapes. For these applications the substitution of industrialfibres with natural fibres could be considered. Many naturalfibres traditionally employed in weaving, sacking and ropes;present various potentials to be used as reinforcementelements in composites. With development of improvedmaterials with increasing costs, now a days cost reductionduring manufacturing and operation are the main technologydrivers. Latest development is the use of composites toprotect man against fire and impact and a tendency to a moreenvironmental friendly design, leading to the reintroductionof natural fibres in the composite technology, natural fibres.They can be formed on site into complicated shapes and canalso be easily cut to length on site. These include wood fibres,jute, sisal, coconut, bamboo and banana leaves. Such fibrescould be added alone or in hybrid composites, in partialsubstitution for industrial fibres.Natural fibres such as hem, kinaf, flax and ramie can beused successfully in composite components in order to realisereduction of weight and cost. These fibres are renewable,192

International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 3, June 2011non-abrasive to process equipment, and can be incinerated atthe end of their life cycle for energy recovery as they possessa good deal of calorific value. They are also very safe duringhandling, processing and use. The distinctive properties ofnatural fibre reinforced polymers are improved tensile andbending strength, greater ductility and greater resistance tocracking and hence improved impact strength and toughness.By changing the direction of the fibres in the resin, thematerial properties can be tailored to the external loads. Tooptimize the construction multiple adjusted layers (laminae)can be used to form a laminate. By this joining, the poorcapabilities and drawbacks of the individual componentsdisappear. By this joining, the poor capabilities anddrawbacks of the individual components disappear. Forinstance, composites combine a high stiffness and strengthwith a low weight and their corrosion resistance is oftenexcellent. Composites have worked their way up amongstwood and metal due to their outstanding price performanceratio during a lifetime. A powerful approach in improvingthis ratio is to minimise the steps required from raw materialto end product.The use of residues from the processing of vegetable fibrein civil construction could contribute to the increase ofincome in the agricultural industry, together with theagricultural producers. Studies are continuing to establish thedurability of vegetable fibre reinforcement, which isnormally attacked by the alkaline surrounding of Portlandcement matrix. The improvement of composites reinforcedby vegetable rejects can still lead to a sustainabledevelopment in predominantly agricultural regions. Thestudies on sugar cane bagasse show the viability ofcomposites as a substitute of wood chip board. Jute, curaua,sisal, coconut and banana fibres are the most studied asreinforcement in cementitious composites. There are othervegetable fibres which present great potentials for thispurpose. Natural fibres are generally lignocellulosic in nature,consisting of helically wound cellulose micro fibrils in amatrix of lignin and hemicellulose. According to a Food andAgricultural Organization survey, Tanzania and Brazilproduce the largest amount of sisal. Henequen is grown inMexico. Abaca and hemp are grown in the Philippines. Thelargest producers of jute are India, China, and Bangladesh.Presently, the annual production of natural fibres in India isabout 6 million tons as compared to worldwide production ofabout 25 million tons. The mechanical properties of a naturalfibre-reinforced composite depend on many parameters, suchas fibre strength, modulus, fibre length and orientation, inaddition to the fibre-matrix interfacial bond strength. Astrong fibre-matrix interface bond is critical for highmechanical properties of composites. A good interfacial bondis required for effective stress transfer from the matrix to thefibre whereby maximum utilization of the fibre strength inthe composite is achieved. Modification to the fibre alsoimproves resistance to moisture induced degradation of theinterface and the composite properties. In addition, factorslike processing conditions/techniques have significantinfluence on the mechanical properties of fibre reinforcedcomposites.II. DIFFERENT TYPES OF NATURAL FIBREA. HempHemp is a member of the Cannabaceae family and is aplant which produces bast fibres. Bast fibres are soft woodyfibres obtained from the stems of dicotyledonous plants.Hemp originated in Central Asia and was grown for its fibressince 2800 BC. It was cultivated in the Mediterraneancountries during the middle Ages. Hemp (also known asCannabis) was one of the first plants to be cultivated by thehuman race and was previously considered to be one of themost important agricultural crops. The Celts consideredhemp to be a mystical plant and Queen Elizabeth I decreedthat all farmers were obliged to grow hemp on their farms.Until the 1800s, Cannabis was used to produce rope, cloth,food, lighting oil and medicine and was one of the maincultivated plants throughout the western world. Guttenberg’sfirst Bible was published upon hemp paper and currentlyhemp fibres are used to manufacture bank notes. Hemp is anextremely useful plant, as it provides fibres, oil and hardwood.Its fibres are very strong with a tensile strength of 550 – 900MPa and were valued hugely before the development ofplastic fibres from petrochemicals. From the 1930s,Cannabis sativa disappeared from the world markets. Withthe increase of petrochemical fibres, the importance ofnatural fibres declined and as a result Cannabis became a lessimportant crop. The banning of the plant in the US coincidedwith the release of the first plastic fibres from DupontPharmaceuticals. At the time of the US banning of Cannabissativa, a Dupont senator was a direct advisor to the presidentand advocated the ban, on grounds of drug misuse. In 1937, aUS tax made growing hemp (the drug-free form of Cannabissativa) prohibitively expensive preventing any further growthof the plant in America. Ranalli states that ‘The prohibition ofCannabis drugs has led to the prohibition of Cannabiscultivation in general, and the historically important uses ofCannabis have been largely forgotten…’ The plant itself canbe grown without artificial fertilisers and weeds don’t stand achance because hemp covers the entire ground within 4weeks. The production is very labour intensive, especially theseparation of the fibres from the bast. After mowing, thestems are bundled and dried. The seeds are removed bythreshing and the stems are dew or water retted, dried andhackled to remove the fibres. Breaking softens the fibres andthe top and bottom (bad) parts are removed. A Hemp yarn isstrong and has of all natural fibres the highest resistanceagainst water, but it shouldn’t be creased excessively to avoidbreakage. As hemp is a plan not require pesticides andrequires little fertilising. A hemp crop can be grown inIreland in roughly 100 days. One hectare of hemp produces3.5 tons of hurds. The current decortications process ofsepahemp into its separate parts of long fibres and woodyhurds results in the hurds as a by-product. The only directenergy required for processing is inspection of the material,packaging and transportation. Hurds are now available from alarge hemp producer in England (Hemcore), and there areseveral suppliers throughout Ireland. This material hasnegative impact on the environment in terms of CO 2production. The fibre is used for the production of rope,fishing nets, paper, sacks, fire hoses and textile. Fibre stemsdrying on the field separating the fibres from the stem.193

International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 3, June 2011Throughout the world, hemp is cultivated commercially forits strong, valuable fibres and oil. These hurds are a naturalby-product after the plant has been used for other purposes.The hemp was used for two main roles. Firstly, hemp hurdswere mixed with a hydraulic lime binder as an aggregate;secondly, fibres were added as a tensile reinforcement in alime/hemp hurd mix. This investigation was designed toexamine the strength of a typical lime/hemp hurd mix and todetermine if hemp fibres can strengthen it. Hemp howeverhas certain distinct advantages. It is stronger than sisal andramie, and it is much cheaper to grow and process than flax.Hemp also grows with a much higher yield per acre than flax.Properties of this fibre are as follows :Density [kg/m3] 1480Tensile strength [N/mm2] 550-900Stiffness [kN/mm2] 70Moist absorption [%] 8Available countries:-Yugoslavia, china, Nigeria, Guyana, Siera Leone, India1) Advantagesa) Its fibres are very strong with a tensile strength of 550 –900 MPab) A Hemp yarn is strong and has of all natural fibres thehighest resistance against water.c) Hemp is a plant which does not require pesticides andrequires little fertilizing.d) Its growth is faster than any other any other naturalfibre.e) Hemp requires less moisture to grow than kenaf.f) Hemp’s fibre-bundles are stronger and tougher thanthose of kenaf, generally comparable to varieties of flax,and most other known fibre species.g) Hemp is generally pest resistant, drought resistant, andlight frost resistant.h) With proper leaf removal, hemp has low net nutrientrequirements and requires minimal cultivation.i) Hemp provides greater fibre yields in areas generallynorth of the 40th latitude than most other fibre crops,generally surpassing flax by 10%.2) Disadvantagesa) The production is very labour intensive, especially theseparation of the fibres from the bast.b) It shouldn’t be creased excessively to avoid breakage.c) Restrictions of its growth and cultivation in NorthAmerica, especially in the United States.d) Lower fibre yields than kenaf and other tropical speciesin the warmer portions of the United States and moresoutherly regions.e) Lower bast fibre portions relative to kenaf and flax.3) Applicationsa) Hemp is used to produce rope, cloth, food, lighting oiland medicine.b) Currently hemp fibres are used to manufacture banknotes.c) These are valued hugely before the development ofplastic fibres from petrochemicals.d) Hemp hurds can be mixed with hydraulic lime binder asan aggregatee) Hemp fibres were added as a tensile reinforcement in alime/hemp hurd mix.B. KenafKenaf [Etymology: Persian] Hibiscus cannabinus, is aplant in the Malvaceae family. Hibiscus cannabinus is in thegenus Hibiscus and is probably native to southern Asia,though its exact natural origin is unknown. The name alsoapplies to the fibre obtained from this plant. Kenaf is one ofthe allied fibres of jute and shows similar characteristics.Other names include Bimli, Ambary, Ambari Hemp, DeccanHemp, and Bimlipatum Jute. It is labelled as Gongoora inIndian, Korean, American food and groceries chains in theUnited States. Gongoora is from Telugu. It is a high-yieldingtropical plant traditionally grown for the long, strong bastfibres that develop in the bark layer of the stem. Cultivationspread internationally in the early to mid-twentieth century,but interest waned, particularly in developed counties, as rawmaterials for cordage and related products shifted frombiological to petrochemical sources. Concerns over risingcosts, unstable supply, and negative environmental impact offossil fuels are promoting renewed interest in traditional fibrecrops. Kenaf is a multipurpose crop with various harvestablecomponents: leaves and tender shoots are suitable for forage;the woody core has attributes for forest-product substitutes,absorbents, and structural materials; and seeds have an oiland protein composition similar to cotton seed. The bastfibres, however, remain the primary economic incentive togrow kenaf. Beyond cordage, bast fibres are expanding intonew markets of mouldable, nonwoven fabrics, and reinforcedcomposite materials in automotive, aerospace, packaging andother industrial applications. This trend is in part due to thefibre’s physical properties of light weight, competitive tensilestrength and stiffness, and vibration damping properties, andalso due to the fibre being a renewable and biodegradableresource. Nonwoven materials made of kenaf or other naturalfibres blended with polyester or polypropylenes are efficientsound absorbers and can meet industry specifications offlammability, and odour and mildew resistance. It is anannual or biennial herbaceous plant (rarely a short-livedperennial) growing to 1.5-3.5 m tall with a woody base. Thestems are 1–2 cm diameter, often but not always branched.The leaves are 10–15 cm long, variable in shape, with leavesnear the base of the stems being deeply lobed with 3-7 lobes,while leaves near the top of the stem are shallowly lobed orunlobed lanceolate. The flowers are 8–15 cm diameter, white,yellow, or purple; when white or yellow, the centre is stilldark purple. The fruit is a capsule 2 cm diameter, containingseveral seeds. Kenaf was grown under two differentconditions, at an average temperature of 22 °C (condition A)and at an average temperature of 30 °C (condition B). Thegeographical locations of conditions A and B are MiyagiPrefecture and Ehime Prefecture in Japan, respectively. The194