Wood pulp fibers are a unique reinforcing material as they are non-hazardous, renewable, and readily available at relatively low cost compared to other commercially available fibers. Today, pulp fiber-cement composites can be found in products such as extruded non-pressure pipes and non-structural building materials, mainly thin-sheet products. Although natural fibers have been used historically to reinforce various building materials, little scientific effort has been devoted to the examination of natural fibers to reinforce engineering materials until recently. The need for this type of fundamental research has been emphasized by widespread awareness of moisture-related failures of some engineered materials; these failures have led to the filing of national- and state-level class action lawsuits against several manufacturers. Thus, if pulp fiber-cement composites are to be used for exterior structural applications, the effects of cyclical wet/dry (rain/heat) exposure on performance must be known. Pulp fiber-cement composites have been tested in flexure to examine the progression of strength and toughness degradation. Based on scanning electron microscopy (SEM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), a three-part model describing the mechanisms of progressive degradation has been proposed: (1) initial fiber-cement/fiber interlayer debonding, (2) reprecipitation of crystalline and amorphous ettringite within the void space at the former fiber-cement interface, and (3) fiber embrittlement due to reprecipitation of calcium hydroxide filling the spaces within the fiber cell wall structure. Finally, as a means to mitigate kraft pulp fiber-cement composite degradation, the effects of partial portland cement replacement with various supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has been investigated for their effect on mitigating kraft pulp fiber-cement composite mechanical property degradation (i.e., strength and toughness losses) during wet/dry cycling. SCMs have been found to be effective in mitigating composite degradation through several processes, including a reduction in the calcium hydroxide content, stabilization of monosulfate by maintaining pore solution pH, and a decrease in ettringite reprecipitation accomplished by increased binding of aluminum in calcium aluminate phases and calcium in the calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) phase.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Mechanical Engineering)-Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, Durban University of Technology, 2007 xvi, 123 leaves / Interlaminar cracking or delamination is an inherent disadvantage of composite materials. In this study the fracture properties of nano and fibre-reinforced polypropylene and epoxy composite structures are examined. These structures were subjected to various tests including Single Edge Notched Bend (SENB) and Mixed Mode Bending (MMB) tests. Polypropylene nanocomposites infused with 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 weight % nanoclays showed correspondingly increasing fracture properties. The 5 weight % specimen exhibited 161 % improvement in critical stress intensity factor (KIC) over virgin polypropylene. XRD and TEM studies show an increase in the intercalated morphology and the presence of agglomerated clay sites with an increase in clay loading. The improvement in KIC values may be attributed to the change in structure. Tests on the fibre-reinforced polypropylene composites reveal that the woven fibre structure carries 100 % greater load and exhibits 275 % lower crack propagation rate than the chopped fibre specimen. Under MMB conditions, the woven fibre structure exhibited a delamination propagation rate of 1.5 mm/min which suggests delamination growth propagates slower under Mode I dominant conditions. The woven fibre / epoxy structure shows 147 % greater tensile modulus, 63 % greater critical stress intensity factor (KIC), and 184 % lower crack propagation rate than the chopped fibre-reinforced epoxy composite. MMB tests reveal that the load carrying capability of the specimens increased as the mode-mix ratio decreased, corresponding to an increase in the Mode II component. Delamination was through fibre–matrix interface with no penetration of fibre layers. A failure envelope was developed and tested and may be used to determine the critical applied load for any mode-mix ratio. The 5 weight % nanocomposite specimen exhibited a greater load carrying capability and attained a critical stress intensity factor that was 10 % less than that of the fibre-reinforced polypropylene structure, which had three times the reinforcement weight. Further, the nanocomposite exhibited superior strain energy release rates to a material with ten times the reinforcement weight. The hybrid structure exhibited 27 % increase in tensile modulus over the conventional fibre-reinforced structure. Under MMB conditions, no significant increase in load carrying capability or strain energy release rate over the conventional composite was observed. However, the hybrid structure was able to resist delamination initiation for a longer period, and it also exhibited lower delamination propagation rates.

It has been known that the nucleation and growth of cracks and defects dominate the fatigue damage process in brittle or quasi-brittle materials, such as woven fabric composites and concrete. The behaviors of these materials under multiaxial tensile or compression fatigue loading conditions are quite complex, necessitating a unified approach based on principles of mechanics and thermodynamics that offers good predictive capabilities while maintaining simplicity for robust engineering calculations. A unified approach has been proposed in this dissertation to simulate the change of mechanical properties of the woven fabric composite and steel fiber reinforced concrete under uniaxial and biaxial fatigue loading. The boundary surface theory is used to describe the effect of biaxial fatigue loading. A fourth-order response tensor is used to reflect the high directionality of the damage development, and a second-order response tensor is used to describe the evolution of inelastic deformation due to damage. A direction function is used to capture the strength anisotropic property of the woven fabric composite. The comparisons between model prediction results and experimental data show the good prediction capability of models proposed in this dissertation.

Bioabsorbable orthopedic fixation devices are conceptually more attractive than metallic devices in repairing damaged tissues or in fastening implants. Our study focuses on investigating bioabsorbable composites for potential use as materials for orthopedic appliances. The study focuses on Poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA), Polyglycolic acid (PGA), Poly-e-caprolactone (PCL), matrices with Carbon fibers (AS4), Nylon fibers and PLLA fibers. Fiber coating effects have also been investigated, with compliant polymers (1%, 50% and 100% of matrix properties) and with hydroxyapatite (HA). Unidirectional, continuous fiber plies, and multi-directional, random and quasi-random short-fiber composites were considered in our study. NDSANDS a concentric cylinder model computer software, was used to evaluate the stiffness and strength of the bioabsorbable composites with unidirectional fiber orientation. To achieve a better physical understanding, the NDSANDS predictions were also compared with those given by a simple, mechanics of materials approach. The theory for multidirectional short fiber composites, recently developed by Giurgiutiu and Reifsnider was employed with three fiber-orientation distribution functions and three failure mechanisms. Stiffness and strength of bioabsorbable composites were predicted over a range of fiber volume fraction. It was found that AS4/PLLA with 16% fiber volume fraction can have properties close to the bone when used in short fiber composite. Similar results are obtained using AS4/PLLA with hydroxyapatite coating. PLLA/PGA and PLLA/PLLA also demonstrated properties close to those of the bone in the range of 25% and 64%. / Master of Science

Compósitos verdes são caracterizados por possuir matriz polimérica e reforço derivado de fontes naturais. Polímeros derivados do petróleo não são biodegradáveis e possuem solventes orgânicos na sua composição. Solventes orgânicos são tóxicos e poluentes. A poliuretana derivada do óleo de mamona é derivada de fonte renovável, biodegradável e não possui solventes orgânicos em sua composição. A casca de pinhão é um resíduo do pinhão, semente do pinheiro de Paraná. O objetivo desse trabalho é desenvolver e caracterizar o compósito de casca de pinhão com PU derivada do óleo de mamona. A fibra foi caracterizada quimicamente, por FTIR, TGA e MEV. A PU foi caracterizada por ensaio de resistência à flexão, FTIR e TGA e os compósitos, por testes de densidade, absorção de água, inchamento em espessura, resistência à flexão de três pontos, FTIR e TGA. A superfície da fratura foi avaliada por MEV e a homogeneidade dos compósitos por perfil de densidade e raios-X. O compósito de 35%PU apresentou resistência à flexão de 51,55 MPa, densidade de 1018 kg/m³, absorção de água em 24 horas de 7,95% e inchamento em espessura em 24 horas de 5,36%. O material apresenta propriedades mecânicas apropriadas para uso em mobiliário e artesanato. / Polymeric composites reinforced with natural fibers are denominated green composites. Polymers comes from petroleum source, a non-biodegradable material and has volatile organic compounds, VOC, in its composition. Organic solvent are toxics and pollute the environment. The Polyurethane derived from castor oil is polymer produced from renewable sources, biodegradable material and there are no VOC in its composition. Araucária pine nut shell is a residue from its Araucaria pine seed. The aim of this work is to develop and characterize composites of pine nut shell with polyurethane derived from castor oil. The fiber was chemically characterized, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). PU was characterized by flexural strength, FTIR and TGA and composites was characterizes by density test, water absorption and swelling in thickness, flexural strength, FTIR, TGA. SEM evaluated the fracture surface and X-ray and vertical density profile verified the composites homogeneity. 35%PU composites presented flexural strength of 51,55 MPa, density of 1018 kg/m³, 7,95% of 24h water absorption and 5,36% of 24h swelling in thickness of. The material exhibits properties suitable for use in furniture and handicrafts.