Are nettle fibers produced on metal-contaminated lands suitable for composite applications?

This work assesses the potential of nettle (Urtica dioica L.) fibers produced on contaminated lands for composite applications. The nettles studied in this work grew spontaneously and in a prevalent manner in poplar short rotation coppice planted for the phytomanagement of a land contaminated by traces of metals. Results show that the contaminant contents in nettle bast fibers are low: only traces were measured. It makes it possible to consider this biomass for material use. The measured matter yield is lower than those obtained with traditional fiber crops cultivated in Europe on agricultural lands but the tensile properties of the bast fibers are equal to or better than those of hemp and flax, making spontaneous nettle an interesting supplement to traditional European fiber crops for composite applications. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.