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Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future
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Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future

A special issue of Fibers (ISSN 2079-6439).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 24117

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Catalin R. Picu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY 12180, USA
Interests: mechanical behavior of fibers and fiber network materials; nonwovens; polymeric networks; mechanics of molecular crystals
Prof. Dr. Lucian Lucia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departments of Forest Biomaterials, Chemistry, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Interests: green chemistry; smart biopolymeric materials; self-healing phenomena; drug delivery approaches; tissue engineering scaffolds; hydrogels
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The year 2023 marks the 10th year of the journal Fibers, and we invite you to join us in celebrating its anniversary. To this end, the journal will publish an anniversary Special Issue, “Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future”. We invite you to submit an original article reflecting your latest work related to fiber research. We also welcome reviews of past and current research, and future perspectives. Editors, authors, and reviewers who have made contributions to Fibers are particularly invited to contribute. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to: fiber and fiber-based materials’ properties, the design of fibrous materials, biocompatibility, toxicology and environmental safety, and the processing of fibers and any aspect of fibrous materials.

Fibers released its inaugural issue in 2013, with the founding Editor-in-Chief Prof. Dr. Stephen C. Bondy. Fibers was indexed in the Emerging Sources Citation Index, Web of Science (Clarivate Analytics) and Scopus, Elsevier in 2015 and 2017, respectively, and received its first CiteScore of 2.5 in 2018. In the same year, we welcomed our new Editor-in-Chief, Prof. Dr. Martin J. D. Clift. By the end of 2022, Fibers published more than 600 high-quality original articles, which is reflected in its current CiteScore rising to 6.5 (Q1 in Civil and Structural Engineering). The journal has more than 100 Editorial Board Members and over 1300 reviewers.

Prof. Dr. Catalin R. Picu
Prof. Dr. Lucian Lucia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fibers is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2000 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • polymer fibers
  • carbon fibers
  • nanofibers
  • optical fibers
  • glass fibers
  • nanotubes
  • plant fibers
  • cellulose
  • animal fibers
  • mineral fibers
  • synthetic fibers
  • textile fibers
  • fibers reinforcement
  • fibers preparation, origins, processing
  • fibers treatment, modification
  • fibers structure, properties, toxicology
  • fibers application
  • other topics and technologies related to fibers

Published Papers (16 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 19373 KiB  
Article
Performance of Flax/Epoxy Composites Made from Fabrics of Different Structures
by Abdolmajid Alipour and Krishnan Jayaraman
Fibers 2024, 12(4), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12040034 - 07 Apr 2024
Viewed by 579
Abstract
Flax fibers have been shown to have comparable mechanical properties to some conventional synthetic fibers. Flax fabrics with different textile structures show differences in resistance against mechanical loads mainly rooted in fabric orientation and the resultant resin impregnation. Thus, in this study, flax [...] Read more.
Flax fibers have been shown to have comparable mechanical properties to some conventional synthetic fibers. Flax fabrics with different textile structures show differences in resistance against mechanical loads mainly rooted in fabric orientation and the resultant resin impregnation. Thus, in this study, flax fabrics with three different textile structures, fine twill weave, coarse twill weave and unidirectional, were used as reinforcements in an epoxy matrix. The surfaces of the fabrics were chemically treated using an alkaline treatment, and the alterations in fabric crystallinity index (CrI) were determined using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Experimental results confirmed that textile structures and CrI had significant effects on the mechanical properties of composites. Although an increment in CrI, resulting from chemical treatment, always enhanced tensile and flexural properties, it adversely affected damage development once composites were exposed to impact load. In terms of textile structures, unidirectional fabric outperformed woven fabrics in tensile and flexural properties while in impact properties, the latter had a better performance inducing less damage development. Finally, the mechanism of damage development in different composites was discussed in detail using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images. It is envisaged that the results of this study will provide an insight that will lead to the proper choice of the optimal kind of flax fabric for different applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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20 pages, 19429 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Lignin/PAN Fibers from Sawdust
by Meruyert Nazhipkyzy, Anar B. Maltay, Bakhytzhan Lesbayev and Dana D. Assylkhanova
Fibers 2024, 12(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030027 - 13 Mar 2024
Viewed by 948
Abstract
Carbon nanofibers based on lignin from wood waste have a promising potential for the ability to produce electrodes that can modernize existing energy storage technology. The most important detail is that the low cost, as well as the availability of the initial products [...] Read more.
Carbon nanofibers based on lignin from wood waste have a promising potential for the ability to produce electrodes that can modernize existing energy storage technology. The most important detail is that the low cost, as well as the availability of the initial products for the production of lignin, will reduce the cost of energy storage devices and contribute to improving the environment. In this study, pine sawdust and elm sawdust were used as raw materials for the production of lignin, which accumulate in large quantities in metal workshops in Almaty. Lignin extraction was carried out using an organosolvent method, which is environmentally friendly, low-cost, uses minimal amounts of strong acids and metal catalysts, does not pollute water, and does not emit sulfur dioxide (SO2). A comprehensive study of the characteristics of the obtained lignins from wood waste was carried out. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) revealed that the obtained lignin contains aromatic, phenolic, hydroxyl, methyl, and methoxyl groups. The results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy showed the presence of a high number of syringyl (S) links compared to guaiacyl (G), which contribute to increased efficiency in the thermal processing of lignin. Also, this study investigated the use of the obtained lignins to produce continuous fibers by electrospinning. The effect of lignin mass on the viscosity of the lignin/polyacrylonitrile (PAN) solution and the effect of the carbonization temperature on the physico-chemical characteristics of the lignin/PAN solution were investigated. The following research methods were used for this purpose: Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electron scanning microscopy, energy dispersion analysis, IR, NMR, and optical microscopy. The conditions for the production of lignin-containing carbon fibers at temperatures of 800, 900, and the carbonation heating rate, is an important parameter in the production of carbon fibers as it strongly affects the characteristics of the resulting carbon fibers. The heating rate affects were studied, and it was found that, at a heating rate of 5 °C/min and a carbonation temperature of 800 °C, porous carbon nanofibers with a diameter of 47 nm are formed in a nitrogen medium for 60 min. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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15 pages, 18908 KiB  
Article
Silica Scaling Inhibition in Water Treatment Process Using Fibrous Al2O3-Nylon 6 Adsorbents
by Ngan Thi Thu Phan, Minehiko Sato and Takaomi Kobayashi
Fibers 2024, 12(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12010011 - 15 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1252
Abstract
This study describes a novel approach using fibrous Al2O3-Nylon 6 composites to induce inhibition behavior in silica scaling systems. The composite fibers were fabricated with a wet-spinning process using the coagulation of a methanolic Nylon-CaCl2 solution with Al [...] Read more.
This study describes a novel approach using fibrous Al2O3-Nylon 6 composites to induce inhibition behavior in silica scaling systems. The composite fibers were fabricated with a wet-spinning process using the coagulation of a methanolic Nylon-CaCl2 solution with Al2O3 powder after immersing the thread-like solution in water. The mesoporous nylon fibers composed of Al2O3 powders ranging from 10 to 30 wt% loading demonstrated superior adsorption capabilities to silica in water, behaving with the Freundlich model and exhibiting effective multilayer adsorption onto the Al2O3 sites embedded in the fiber. Furthermore, the composite fibers inhibited silica scaling, even at high concentrations, due to a substantially efficient reduction in soluble silica when the composite fiber was present in the system. The utilization of 15 g of composite fibers resulted in a rapid drop to approximately 30 mg/L within the initial 10 h, which is a considerable improvement compared to the 300 mg/L observed in the fiber-free control sample. Notably, the presence of an elevated fiber content exceeding 7.5 g demonstrated the complete inhibition of silica precipitation. An analysis of the pore volume using nitrogen adsorption experiments before and after silica adsorption showed that silica adsorption resulted in a significant decrease in mesoporous properties at the alumina sites. This indicated an efficient adsorption of silica onto the alumina site, effectively removing silica from the system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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19 pages, 8938 KiB  
Article
Methodological Aspects and Mesh Convergence in Numerical Analysis of Athermal Fiber Network Material Deformation
by Nishan Parvez, Syed Nabeel Amjad, Mithun K. Dey and Catalin R. Picu
Fibers 2024, 12(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12010009 - 12 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1369
Abstract
A balance between model complexity, accuracy, and computational cost is a central concern in numerical simulations. In particular, for stochastic fiber networks, the non-affine deformation of fibers, related non-linear geometric features due to large global deformation, and size effects can significantly affect the [...] Read more.
A balance between model complexity, accuracy, and computational cost is a central concern in numerical simulations. In particular, for stochastic fiber networks, the non-affine deformation of fibers, related non-linear geometric features due to large global deformation, and size effects can significantly affect the accuracy of the computer experiment outputs and increase the computational cost. In this work, we systematically investigate methodological aspects of fiber network simulations with a focus on the output accuracy and computational cost in models with cellular (Voronoi) and fibrous (Mikado) network architecture. We study both p and h-refinement of the discretizations in finite element solution procedure, with uniform and length-based adaptive h-refinement strategies. The analysis is conducted for linear elastic and viscoelastic constitutive behavior of the fibers, as well as for networks with initially straight and crimped fibers. With relative error as the determining criterion, we provide recommendations for mesh refinement, comment on the necessity of multiple realizations, and give an overview of associated computational cost that will serve as guidance toward minimizing the computational cost while maintaining a desired level of solution accuracy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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23 pages, 12635 KiB  
Article
Barley Straw Fiber Extraction in the Context of a Circular Economy
by Zorana Kovačević, Sara Strgačić and Sandra Bischof
Fibers 2023, 11(12), 108; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11120108 - 08 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1811
Abstract
The potential for sustainable lignocellulosic agro-waste is immense, owing to the fact that it represents the most abundant organic compound on Earth. It is a valuable and desirable source for material production across numerous industries due to its abundance, renewability, and biodegradability. This [...] Read more.
The potential for sustainable lignocellulosic agro-waste is immense, owing to the fact that it represents the most abundant organic compound on Earth. It is a valuable and desirable source for material production across numerous industries due to its abundance, renewability, and biodegradability. This paper explores the world of barley fibers, which are extracted from the straw of two different cultivars (old Rex or new Barun) and have tremendous potential for use, primarily for technical textiles. The quantity of the extracted fibers depends both on the type of barley used and on climate conditions that influence the plants’ growth, resulting in fiber yields ranging from 14.82% to 19.59%. The chemical composition of isolated fibers revealed an optimal content of cellulose and lignin in barley fibers isolated from the Rex variety. Those results were confirmed with FTIR analysis, which revealed a lower intensity of peaks associated with hemicellulose and lignin and, therefore, indicated their better removal after the chemical maceration process. In terms of fiber density, the quality of the fibers was comparable to that of cotton fibers, but they differed significantly in moisture regain (10.37–11.01%), which was higher. Furthermore, sufficient fiber tenacity (20.31–23.08 cN/tex) was obtained in a case of old-variety Rex, indicating the possibility of spinning those fibers into yarns, followed by their extended usage for apparel. Additionally, our paper reveals the possibility of fulfilling the requirements of the zero waste principle due to the fact that a high percentage of solid waste left after the fiber extraction (26.3–32.3%) was afterwards successfully used for the production of biofuels, enabling the closing of the loop in a circular economy. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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12 pages, 2826 KiB  
Article
Comparative Studies of Changes in Cotton Fabrics and Fibers under the Influence of Disinfection, Sterilization, and DNA Degradation Agents
by Daria Śmigiel-Kamińska, Jolanta Wąs-Gubała and Jolanta Kumirska
Fibers 2023, 11(12), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11120100 - 22 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1234
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to detect changes in the structure and chemical composition of undyed and dyed cotton fabrics under the influence of six popular agents for disinfection, sterilization, and DNA degradation with different chemical compositions. The original and exposed fabrics [...] Read more.
The purpose of this study was to detect changes in the structure and chemical composition of undyed and dyed cotton fabrics under the influence of six popular agents for disinfection, sterilization, and DNA degradation with different chemical compositions. The original and exposed fabrics and their constituent fibers were subjected to comparative analysis using various optical microscopy methods, infrared spectroscopy, and UV–Vis microspectrophotometry in order to differentiate the exanimated material due to the agents applied. Differences in color, from a slight change to complete discoloration, and in the structure of the tested fabrics, which became more rigid, brittle, or, for example, compact, were noticed. With the use of ATR FTIR, it was possible to identify the presence in the exposed fabrics of residues of these agents that contained quaternary ammonium salts. Bright-field microscopy made it possible to show, above all, changes or lack thereof in the fluorescence properties of single exposed fibers in relation to control ones. With the use of UV–Vis microspectrophotometry, changes in colored fibers following the action of a specific agent on the examined fabrics were monitored. A case study was presented as an application aspect of the research, in which the use of concrete disinfectants was recognized based on changes observed in cotton clothing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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14 pages, 7979 KiB  
Article
Next-Generation Cellulosic Filaments from Hemp Pulp via Dry-Jet Wet Spinning Using HighPerCell® Technology
by Antje Ota, Marc Philip Vocht, Ronald Beyer, Anne Reboux, Charles Reboux and Frank Hermanutz
Fibers 2023, 11(11), 90; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11110090 - 26 Oct 2023
Viewed by 1708
Abstract
Fiber demand of cellulosic fibers is rapidly increasing; however, these fibers are mainly based on the use of wood pulp (WP), which often have long transport times and, consequently, a high CO2 footprint. So, alternative pulps based on non-wood, annual fast-growing plants [...] Read more.
Fiber demand of cellulosic fibers is rapidly increasing; however, these fibers are mainly based on the use of wood pulp (WP), which often have long transport times and, consequently, a high CO2 footprint. So, alternative pulps based on non-wood, annual fast-growing plants are an option to cover the demand for raw materials and resources. Herein, we report on the use of a novel developed hemp pulp (HP) for man-made cellulosic fiber filament spinning. Commercial WP was used as a reference material. While HP could be used and directly spun as received without any further pretreatment, an additional step to adjust the degree of polymerization (DP) was needed to use the wood pulp. Continuous filaments were spun using a novel dry-jet wet spinning (HighPerCell® process) technique, which is based on the use of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium octanoate ([C2C1im][Oc]) as a solvent. Via this approach, several thousand meters (12,000 m–15,000 m) of continuous multifilament filaments were spun. The HP pulps showed excellent spinning performance. The novel approach allows the preparation of cellulosic fibers for either technical—with high tensile strength—or textile—possessing a low fibrillation tendency—applications. Textile hemp-based filaments were used for first weaving trials, resulting in a flawless fabric. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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31 pages, 4674 KiB  
Article
The Production of Ultra-Thin Polyethylene-Based Carbon Fibers out of an “Islands-in-the-Sea” (INS) Precursor
by Flávio A. Marter Diniz, Tim Röding, Mohamed Bouhrara and Thomas Gries
Fibers 2023, 11(9), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11090075 - 08 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1349
Abstract
Carbon fibers (CF) and their composites (CC) are one of the world’s most promising and avant-garde high-performance materials, as they combine excellent mechanical characteristics with high weight reduction potential. Polyethylene (PE) is the perfect alternative precursor for CF as it combines widespread availability, [...] Read more.
Carbon fibers (CF) and their composites (CC) are one of the world’s most promising and avant-garde high-performance materials, as they combine excellent mechanical characteristics with high weight reduction potential. Polyethylene (PE) is the perfect alternative precursor for CF as it combines widespread availability, low cost, high carbon content, and, most importantly, precursor fibers that can be produced via melt-spinning. PE-based CF production involves a challenging and time-consuming diffusion-limited chemical stabilization step. The work presented in this article tackles the challenge of reducing the chemical stabilization process time by converting a bicomponent island-in-the-sea fiber, consisting of PA6 as sea matrix and HDPE as island material, into an ultra-thin PE-precursor fiber. The produced precursor fiber is then successfully converted into an ultra-thin PE-based CF through sulfonation and subsequent carbonization in a continuous set-up. The resulting CF has a smooth surface with no observable surface defects and a filament diameter of around 3 µm. The successful conversion to ultra-thin CF is shown in both batch and continuous processes. Additionally, a reduction in sulfonation reaction time from 4 h to 3 h is achieved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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20 pages, 5272 KiB  
Article
Controllable Water-Triggered Degradation of PCL Solution-Blown Nanofibrous Webs Made Possible by Lipase Enzyme Entrapment
by Fnu Asaduzzaman and Sonja Salmon
Fibers 2023, 11(6), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11060049 - 01 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1722
Abstract
Polymers in nanofibrous forms offer new opportunities for achieving triggered polymer degradation, which is important for functional and environmental reasons. The polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous nonwoven polymer webs developed in this work by solution blow spinning with entrapped enzymes were completely, rapidly and controllably [...] Read more.
Polymers in nanofibrous forms offer new opportunities for achieving triggered polymer degradation, which is important for functional and environmental reasons. The polycaprolactone (PCL) nanofibrous nonwoven polymer webs developed in this work by solution blow spinning with entrapped enzymes were completely, rapidly and controllably degraded when triggered by exposure to water. Lipase (CALB) from Candida antarctica was successfully entrapped in the PCL webs via an enzyme-compatible water-in-oil emulsion in the PCL–chloroform spinning solution with added surfactant. Protein (enzyme) in the nanofibrous webs was detected by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), while time of flight-secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS) and laser confocal microscopy indicated that enzymes were immobilized within solid fibers as well as within microbead structures distributed throughout the webs. Degradation studies of CALB-enzyme functionalized solution-blown nonwoven (EFSBN)-PCL webs at 40 °C or ambient temperature showed that EFSBN-PCL webs degraded rapidly when exposed to aqueous pH 8 buffer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of partially degraded webs showed that thinner fibers disappeared first, thus, controlling fiber dimensions could control degradation rates. Rapid degradation was attributed to the combination of nanofibrous web structure and the distribution of enzymes throughout the webs. CALB immobilized in the solid dry webs exhibited long storage stability at room temperature or when refrigerated, with around 60% catalytic activity being retained after 120 days compared to the initial activity. Dry storage stability at ambient conditions and rapid degradation upon exposure to water demonstrated that EFSBN-PCL could be used as fibers or binders in degradable textile or paper products, as components in packaging, for tissue engineering and for controlled-release drug or controlled-release industrial and consumer product applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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10 pages, 3218 KiB  
Article
On the Pressure and Rate of Infiltration Made by a Carbon Fiber Yarn with an Aluminum Melt during Ultrasonic Treatment
by Sergei Galyshev, Bulat Atanov and Valery Orlov
Fibers 2023, 11(5), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11050041 - 06 May 2023
Viewed by 1189
Abstract
The effect of the infiltration time of a carbon fiber yarn in the range of 6 to 13.6 s on the infiltrated volume under the cavitation of an aluminum melt has been studied. When the infiltration time was more than 10 s, the [...] Read more.
The effect of the infiltration time of a carbon fiber yarn in the range of 6 to 13.6 s on the infiltrated volume under the cavitation of an aluminum melt has been studied. When the infiltration time was more than 10 s, the carbon fiber was completely infiltrated with the matrix melt, and a decrease in the infiltration time led to a monotonous decrease in the fraction of the infiltrated volume. Based on the experimental data, the infiltration rate and the pressure necessary to infiltrate a carbon fiber yarn with an aluminum melt were estimated. The infiltration rate was 20.9 cm3/s and was independent of the infiltration depth. The calculated pressure necessary for the complete infiltration of a carbon fiber yarn at this rate was about 270 Pa. A comparison of the pressure values calculated according to Darcy’s and Forchheimer’s laws showed that the difference between them did not exceed 0.01%. This indicates that a simpler Darcy’s law could be used to estimate pressure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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19 pages, 3801 KiB  
Article
Shear Strength Prediction of Steel-Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Beams Using the M5P Model
by Nadia Moneem Al-Abdaly, Mahdi J. Hussein, Hamza Imran, Sadiq N. Henedy, Luís Filipe Almeida Bernardo and Zainab Al-Khafaji
Fibers 2023, 11(5), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11050037 - 27 Apr 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1593
Abstract
This article presents a mathematical model developed using the M5P tree to predict the shear strength of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) for slender beams using soft computing techniques. This method is becoming increasingly popular for addressing complex technical problems. Other approaches, such as semi-empirical [...] Read more.
This article presents a mathematical model developed using the M5P tree to predict the shear strength of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC) for slender beams using soft computing techniques. This method is becoming increasingly popular for addressing complex technical problems. Other approaches, such as semi-empirical equations, can show known inaccuracies, and some soft computing methods may not produce predictive equations. The model was trained and tested using 332 samples from an experimental database found in the previous literature, and it takes into account independent variables such as the effective depth d, beam width bw, longitudinal reinforcement ratio ρ, concrete compressive strength fc, shear span to effective depth ratio a/d, and steel fiber factor Fsf. The predictive performance of the proposed M5P-based model was also compared with the one of existing models proposed in the previous literature. The evaluation revealed that the M5P-based model provided a more consistent and accurate prediction of the actual strength compared to the existing models, achieving an R2 value of 0.969 and an RMSE value of 37.307 for the testing dataset. It was found to be a reliable and also straightforward model. The proposed model is likely to be highly helpful in assessing the shear capacity of SFRC beams during the pre-planning and pre-design stages and could also be useful to help for future revisions of design standards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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15 pages, 3449 KiB  
Article
Adsorption Studies of Ammonia, Protein, and Phytic Acid Using Chitosan Fiber Coated with Oxidized Cellulose Nanofiber
by Duangkamol Dechojarassri, Kensuke Nishida, Ryousuke Ozakiya, Tetsuya Furuike and Hiroshi Tamura
Fibers 2023, 11(4), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11040032 - 30 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1377
Abstract
Herein, chitosan (CS) fibers coated with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CS/TOCN fibers) were successfully prepared using a wet spinning technique; CS was dissolved in acetic acid to obtain a CS doping solution. The tensile strength and ammonia adsorption percentages increased with increasing TOCN concentration. [...] Read more.
Herein, chitosan (CS) fibers coated with TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (CS/TOCN fibers) were successfully prepared using a wet spinning technique; CS was dissolved in acetic acid to obtain a CS doping solution. The tensile strength and ammonia adsorption percentages increased with increasing TOCN concentration. The maximum ammonia adsorption percentage (41.39%, 8.3 mg/g) was obtained when 2% NaOH and 0.01% TOCN were used as the coagulation solution. Additionally, the adsorption of model proteins, including lysozyme (Lz), cytochrome C (Cyt C), and bovine serum albumin (BSA), were studied. In water, the CS/TOCN fibers with negative charges adsorbed more Lz with positive charges than CS fibers containing positive charges. Contrastingly, CS fibers adsorbed more Cyt C and BSA containing negative charges in phosphate-buffered saline solutions than CS/TOCN fibers. Furthermore, the adsorption percentage of phytic acid using the CS/TOCN fibers reached 64.18% (288 mg/g) within 60 min. Thus, TOCNs improved the tensile properties of CS fibers and preferred positively charged materials contaminated in water, such as ammonia, Lz, and phytic acid. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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16 pages, 7014 KiB  
Article
Damage Investigation on the Carbon Tows during Rewinding and Braiding Processes
by Justine Calba, Damien Soulat, Xavier Legrand and Sébastien Renauld
Fibers 2023, 11(3), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11030030 - 22 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1544
Abstract
During the manufacturing process, the fibrous materials used in composite reinforcements are subjected to many sources of damage that must be managed if the best possible quality is to be reached for the final product. More specifically, carbon fibers are subjected, during reinforcement [...] Read more.
During the manufacturing process, the fibrous materials used in composite reinforcements are subjected to many sources of damage that must be managed if the best possible quality is to be reached for the final product. More specifically, carbon fibers are subjected, during reinforcement manufacturing, to friction with mechanical components and with other tows and to excessive tensile loads due to specific configurations required by textile devices, which results in degradation that affects their mechanical properties and those of final products. While many studies have focused on carbon tow damage during the weaving process, roving quality control during the post-braiding steps, such as the rewinding or braiding processes, is less studied in the literature. In this study, an experimental approach was developed to quantify the damage inflicted on 12 K carbon tows during the rewinding and braiding processes using image analysis software. Based on these images, a damage criterion is defined to quantify the influence of the parameters associated with rewinding and braiding processes on degradation of carbon tows. During the rewinding stage, the influence of the process parameters on the degradation by friction of the tows was significant, but the properties (linear density and tenacity) of these carbon tows were little-modified. On the other hand, the great influence of the tension applied on tows on the inflicted damage was experimentally demonstrated, during both the rewinding and braiding steps, which may have resulted in a loss of tenacity of up to 27%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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40 pages, 13357 KiB  
Review
A Review on False-Twist Texturing
by Mathias Ortega, Alexander Saynisch, Bahar-Merve Yurtseven and Thomas Gries
Fibers 2024, 12(4), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12040036 - 07 Apr 2024
Viewed by 589
Abstract
The annual demand for fibres continues to rise worldwide. Consequently, more and more fibres must be produced to meet this demand, most of which are melt-spun polymeric man-made fibres. Smooth filaments made of polymers are mainly used for technical applications in industry. For [...] Read more.
The annual demand for fibres continues to rise worldwide. Consequently, more and more fibres must be produced to meet this demand, most of which are melt-spun polymeric man-made fibres. Smooth filaments made of polymers are mainly used for technical applications in industry. For use in clothing or home textiles, for example, a texturing process is used to give the filaments a crimp and thus a feel like that of natural fibres. In this state, they can be processed together with natural fibres and used in textiles. Partially oriented yarns (POY) are of great importance in texturing. The yarns are mainly crimped with the help of the so-called false-twist texturing process (FTTP). Since POY accounts for about 60% of the melt-spun filament yarn produced worldwide, the FTTP is the most important texturing process in the textile industry. In this paper, the main components of false-twist texturing (FTT) machines are explained, along with the state of the art and research for each component and its influence on the process. Relevant patents are discussed, as well as process optimisation techniques, innovative polymers, and yarn types recently used in FTT, followed by a conclusion and an outlook for the process. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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26 pages, 2239 KiB  
Review
Retting of Bast Fiber Crops Like Hemp and Flax—A Review for Classification of Procedures
by Morris Angulu and Hans-Jörg Gusovius
Fibers 2024, 12(3), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib12030028 - 15 Mar 2024
Viewed by 952
Abstract
The interest and thus the number of publications on the supply chains of bast fiber plants has steadily increased in recent years. A number of specific technical terms related to methods and their use for individual areas of the supply chain are often [...] Read more.
The interest and thus the number of publications on the supply chains of bast fiber plants has steadily increased in recent years. A number of specific technical terms related to methods and their use for individual areas of the supply chain are often interpreted and used in very different ways. Therefore, the aim of this publication is to increase the clarity of the description of the operations and to improve the understanding of the sequence and the purpose of the process steps. This is based on a selected review of the relevant literature as well as on suggestions for their classification Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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22 pages, 5728 KiB  
Review
Targeted Pre-Treatment of Hemp Fibers and the Effect on Mechanical Properties of Polymer Composites
by K. Palanikumar, Elango Natarajan, Kalaimani Markandan, Chun Kit Ang and Gérald Franz
Fibers 2023, 11(5), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/fib11050043 - 09 May 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3527
Abstract
Research on plant-fiber-reinforced composites has gained significant research interest since it generates composites with exceptional mechanical properties; however, the potential of hemp fibers can only be fully exploited if the fibers are well separated from the bundle to achieve cellulose-rich fibers. This is [...] Read more.
Research on plant-fiber-reinforced composites has gained significant research interest since it generates composites with exceptional mechanical properties; however, the potential of hemp fibers can only be fully exploited if the fibers are well separated from the bundle to achieve cellulose-rich fibers. This is because well-separated bast fibers that are long and exhibit higher fiber aspect ratio enhance the mechanical properties of the composite by influencing property translations upon loading. A key feature for successful implementation of natural fibers is to selectively remove non-cellulosic components of hemp fiber to yield cellulose-rich fibers with minimal defects. Targeted pre-treatment techniques have been commonly used to address the aforementioned concerns by optimizing properties on the fiber’s surface. This in turn improves interfacial bonding between the fibers and the hydrophobic polymer, enhances the robustness of hemp fibers by improving their thermal stability and increases resistance to microbial degradation. In this study, we comprehensively review the targeted pre-treatment techniques of hemp fiber and the effect of hemp fiber as a reinforcement on the mechanical properties of polymeric composites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Fibers 10th Anniversary: Past, Present, and Future)
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