Surface modification of natural fibers: a review

In recent years there have been several attempts to replace synthetic fibers with natural fibers in fiber reinforced composites, due to increasing environmental awareness and depletion of oil resources. The fact that natural fibers are available cheaply and in abundance, being biodegradable and low density, has motivated many researchers throughout the world to explore their application potential in various industrial sectors. However, natural fibres also have some limitations such as high moisture absorption and subsequent swelling and degradation, poor chemical and fire resistance, high dispersion of mechanical properties, poor interfacial interactions with polymeric or cementitious matrices, etc. Therefore, there is a huge concern to modify the surface of natural fibers through various techniques, in order to overcome their inherent drawbacks and to successfully utilize these materials in various applications. This paper presents a review of existing research studies focused on the surface treatment of natural fibers and the use of nanocelulose, a natural nanofiber, for their application in composite materials. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.