Polymeric Composites with Different Constituents - Introduction to Polymeric Composites with Rice Hulls - page 80

Most long-fibre thermoplastic end products are produced for the automobile industry.
Some of the moulded parts include body panels, sound shields, front-end assemblies,
structural body parts, truck panels and housings, as well as doors, tailgates and fender
sections. Development is also taking place in other sectors, such as in electrical and
building industries.
6.6 Polymeric Composites with other Fibres
Although wood is one of the many bio-fibres being considered for the replacement of
mineral fillers and glass fibres in thermoplastic composites, the American company
RheTech has recently introduced two other fibres, agave and coconut, into its wide
range of products. Coconut fibres can be obtained by grinding coconut shells. Coconut
fibres have a high strain-to-failure of ≈30% and major automotive companies such
as Ford are investigating the possibilities of using them for automotive plastics.
Applications envisaged are various types of trim, storage bins and centre console
substrates.
Agave fibres come in many varieties (including sisal) and have been used for a wide
range of applications not necessarily connected with plastics. The wood content in
WPC must demonstrate cost-effectiveness in competition with several other natural
fibres and fillers. Wood has a distinct advantage in allowing a composite to retain
many of its characteristics, such as appearance and the traditionally liked 'woody
feel' in resonance with nature. Dimensional stability in wet conditions can often be
a weakness of plant-based fibres. The mechanical properties and flammability of the
composite also have to be considered.