Novel ranking framework for retrospective simultaneous assessment of fire and mechanical performances of natural fiber-reinforced polymeric composites: Literature update from the previous decade

The development of natural fiber (NF)-reinforced polymeric composites (NFRCs) has made great progress in the last decade due to the low cost, wide availability, and environmental friendliness of NFs. They can compete with synthetic fiber (SF) reinforcements regarding some relevant functional properties for engineering applications, such as fireproofing. However, they usually require additional fire protection treatments or additives to meet the stringent criteria of the industry, frequently at the expense of downgrading the mechanical properties. In this paper, we review the main aspects of fire retardancy of NFs, polymers and composites and establish a novel conceptual framework for comprehensive and simultaneous evaluation of the fire performance and mechanical properties of NFRCs, which was retrospectively applied to some literature published during 2010-2019. Our sequential approach essentially confirmed some well-established fundamental aspects of the mechanical and fire behaviors of NFRCs and, more generally, establishes a new paradigm for their quantitative analysis.

Automated summary

The development of natural fiber-reinforced polymeric composites (NFRCs) has made significant progress in the past decade due to their low cost, wide availability, and environmental friendliness. However, additional fire protection treatments or additives are often required for NFRCs to meet industry standards, which can result in a degradation of their mechanical properties. This paper reviews the aspects of fire retardancy in NFs, polymers, and composites, and introduces a new framework for comprehensively evaluating the fire performance and mechanical properties of NFRCs.