CRC Press Natural Fiber Composites (Composite Materials)

Safely Design, Test, and Construct Products Made of Natural Fiber Composites Natural fibers and their composites carry distinct advantages over industrial fibers. Some advantages―including renewability and availability of raw materials, and lower energy consumption―could help safeguard environmental resources and eventually replace synthetic composites and conventional materials. Natural Fiber Composites explores the growing use of natural fibers in composites and covers material properties, treatment and processing, modeling, applications, design, and other vital information on this subject. Improve the Strength of Manufactured Composites, and Determine the Best Processing Technique Incorporating independent pieces written by a team of international contributors, this book enables readers to analyze and design structural components using state-of-the-art information and methods. It provides an overview of natural fiber composites, details the superior specific mechanical properties of these materials, and presents development techniques and design case studies that can improve performance and enhance the process. Natural Fiber Composites evaluates the value of natural fibers in composite materials, and offers introductory knowledge on natural fiber composites backed by internationally recognized experts in the field. Review   "…the book covers a wide range of topics, including materials, processing, testing and characterization, and design. The chapter authors are internationally recognized for their respective areas of research in the field of natural fiber composites. It is a very welcome addition to the relatively short list of books on natural fiber composites."―P. K. Mallick, University of Michigan-Dearborn "… a well written, up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the natural fibre composites area…"―Professor Kim Pickering, The University of Waikato, New Zealand About the Author Raul D.S.G. Campilho was born in 1979. In 2003, he graduated with a college degree in mechanical engineering at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), Portugal. He completed his M.Sc. degree in 2006 and his Ph.D. degree in 2009, both of which at Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto. Campilho currently serves as an assistant professor at ISEP, where he teaches mechanical engineering. He is an active researcher in numerical modeling, finite element methods, cohesive zone models for fracture behavior, natural and artificial composite materials, and adhesive joint design.