Jute Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites in Structural Applications: A Review

Abstract

Jute fibre is commonly used as a natural fibre in composites for various industrial applications, including automobiles and buildings. It is used as a non-structural material to reduce weight and production costs. Jute fibre has inherent structural properties that can be modified to create structural components. However, to achieve this, the mechanical and physical properties of the fibre structure must be altered. Numerous studies have demonstrated that chemically treating jute fibre enhances mechanical and adhesive composite properties. Due to its short length, jute fibre presents a discontinuity challenge. Continuous fibres are essential for fabricating high-performance composite materials because they allow fibres to be aligned in the matrix according to their optimal load-bearing capacity. For this reason, short jute fibres must be spun into continuous strands to align fibre yarns in the matrix during the manufacturing of high-performance composites. However, twisting yarn has a detrimental impact on fibre alignment in the matrix, significantly affecting composite properties. Researchers have shown that reducing yarn twists improves the wettability of matrix fibres. Therefore, more research is needed to understand the relationship between yarn twist, yarn linear density, and composite performance to appreciate how to align fibre yarns in the matrix to produce high-performance composites.