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APPLICATION OF NATURAL FIBRES IN MODERN TECHNOLOGY
Innovation is happening today at accelerated rates, in various spheres. Faster and more efficient products are the
demand of the hour. Environmental issues are simultaneously becoming a primary concern, as innovators realize
the importance of Sustainable Development. This growing awareness has lead to a demand of natural goods
or goods obtained from natural products. A direct consequence of this has been the widening use of natural fibres
and textiles in various industries,where they were not used earlier, making natural fibres truly versatile. Natural
fibres have thus found their applications in multiple industries, be it medicinal uses or automotive applications.
The status quo defines the use of natural fibres to be limited to clothing, upholstery, packing material and
conventional medical use.Through this report, I will aim to investigate the improved and sustainable manifold
applications of natural fibres in different fields.
TECHNICAL TEXTILES
The widest and large scale application of textiles today is in technical textiles. Technical textiles involves the use
of fibres for applications other than clothing and furnishing. They have been used for a long time, however have
gained popularity in recent times due to the economic and strategic advantages that these possess. They are
broadly classified into Medical Textiles, GeoTextiles, Industrial Textiles, Protection Textiles, Construction Textiles
and Domestic Textiles. These incorporate the use of both Natural and Synthetic Fibres. Select applications of
natural fibres in technical textiles have been discussed below.(1)
Natural Fibre Key Segments
Cotton Buildtech, Clothtech, Meditech, Hometech, Indutech
Jute Buildtech, Geotech,Agrotech, Sportech
Silk Meditech, Clotech, Hometech
Coir Geotech, Hometech
(Source:http://technotex.gov.in/raw.pdf)
BIOMEDICAL APPLICATIONS (2)
Humans have always turned towards nature for medical applications. The essential properties for a fibre to be used
for medical purposes is that they should be non toxic, non-allergenic, non-carcinogenic and should be sterilized
without imparting change in physical or chemical characteristics. Alginate Fibres,( obtained from seaweeds) have
found use in medical textiles,where on contact with the wound, they convert to a gel like form, thus keeping the
wound moist and letting it breather,enabling faster healing. Catgut is a type of cord made from the natural fibre
obtained from the intestine of animals. It is increasingly being used as to make sutures (A medical device used to
hold tissue together after injury).The catgut material is bio-adsorbed and it will cause fewer reactions in the
tissue. To avoid this degradation the material can be coated with a protective polymer sheet. The suture is
hydrolyzed or degraded through enzymatic action, after healing has taken place.Antimicrobial wound dressings
are also being developed, by treating pure cotton with Anecia's Polyhexamethylene Biguandine agent. Silk is
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being increasingly treated with silver nano particles, which greatly increases its antimicrobial activity. Wool has
also been treated with anatase titanium dioxide, which destroys microorganisms on exposure to sunlight. All
these agents resist bacterial growth and also bacteria penetration. This can serves as a alternate to the plain wound
dressings which were being used earlier, and antimicrobial cotton is now being used commonly as a result.
TISSUE ENGINEERING USING NATURAL FIBRES(4)(14)
Tissue engineering refers to the development of substitutes which replace, repair or enhance biological functions
of diseased and damaged human body parts, by manipulating cells via their extracellular microenvironment. It
involves the use of a 3 Dimensional extracellular structure, commonly known as a scaffold, which is fabricated in
the shape of the tissue which needs to be restored. The scaffold serves as a structure to enable the multiplication of
cells.The primary properties of the scaffold that it should promote cell adhesion and proliferation. Also, it must
degrade at the same rate as the rate of growth of new tissue, in order to integrate the host and developing tisue.
Silk, due to its biocompatibility, mechanical properties, easy modifiability and slow degradation rates is also
finding diverse applications in medical textiles. Degummed silk, is popularly used in tissue engineering as fibroin
has demonstrated cell attachment and proliferation tendencies.
The silk must necessarily be degummed as the immunogenic
sericin coating must be removed. Essentially, it is the fibroin
which provides an environment conducive for the multiplication
of cells.Hence the scaffolds, which are required for tissue Collagen Tissue Scaffold
engineering and for graft formation, can be constructed out of silk. These are used for grafting cartilage, bone,
ligament and tendons. Recent studies have proven silk to be an excellent scaffold for artificial blood vessels as
well, due to its suitable mechanical properties.Animal derived Type I Collagen along with Gelatin ( denatured
Type I collagen) is another natural material which is popularly used as a biomaterial and is widely used in tissue
engineering and cosmetic surgery. These are electrospun in order to give rise to 3D scaffolds of nano to micron
scale. Animal derived collagen, especially from pigs is used as a scaffold to reestablish the collagen in the skin
and has been commercialized. However, there are chances of allergic reactions and pathogen transfer, hence it is
not as popular as silk.GEOTEXTILES(8)(1)
Another field where natural textiles are surging ahead is geotextiles. Geotextiles
are fabrics,woven, non woven and knitted,which are used to provide a range of
functions such as support, drainage and separation at ground or below ground
level. They are used for applications including the construction of buildings,
Woven, Non Woven,Knitted and
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Non-Woven Fabrics
bridges, dams, roads, railways and paths as well as embankments and sub-sea coastal engineering projects. As
jute is permeable, it is ideal as a geotextile. Different non woven techniques, such as stitch bonding, hydro
entanglement, thermal bonding and needle punching were employed in order to manufacture jute as an ideal
geotextile. Its high tensile strength made it an suitable choice. Natural fibres such as abaca, sisal, hemp and
coir are also increasingly being uses and are particularly useful in creating embankments over soft ground, where
water easily fills the pores between the soil. These are able to provide the extra lateral forces that prevent the
embankment from splitting. They also help in the process of filtration, where vertical side trenches are lined with
geotextiles and filled with coarse gravel. They can also be laid on the surface of soil to aid in prevention of
erosion, reduce run off, retain soil particles and protect unvegetated soil from the wind. For water conservation,
the geotextile is used with reinforced soil constructions.In conjunction with bamboo strips, geotextiles are used for
the bases of roads.Hemp is increasingly being used as an insulator for houses, as a substitute for glass wool and
rock wool. It has the added advantage of regulating interior humidity as well. however it is not likely to gain
popularity due to its high cost.
FIBRE COMPOSITES(3)(8)
Composites are materials made of a polymer resin reinforced by natural fibres, therefore effectively combining
the high mechanical and physical properties of fibres and the appearance and bonding of polymers.There is an
increasing trend involving the shift towards green composites, those derived from nature.
Making of such composites uses two materials:
Fibres
Resin Material
These composites are well suited as wood substitutes in the housing and construction industry, as a result of their
mechanical properties. Replacement of glass fibre as a composite by natural fibres in cement and polymer is
becoming common due to their high stiffness and are economically better. Also, these can be easily moulded into
sheets, boards, grafting and frames.Sisal shows tensile strength similar to that of jute and flax.Sisal, coir, jute,
flax are being used for reinforcement of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials such as unsaturated
polyesters, cement, natural rubber, phenol formaldehyde.Jute-Polyester and Jute-Glass Composites are
more cost efficient on a modulus to cost and a modulus to weight basis. Jute and coir based composites are
increasingly being used as substitutes for plywood and fibre boards. Sisal fibre based composites are used for
panel and roofing sheets. Jute with glass as composite brings about large increase in mechanical properties of the
composite. Coir is used along withjute and rubber wood, to form ply wood, which is highly resistant to
rotting due to a high lignin content. Natural Fibres and Resin Material are pressed to make laminates, which
compared to the corrugated iron roofings, have improved thermal and sound insulating properties and do not rust.
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AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS USING NATURAL COMPOSITES(16)
Another field where application of fibre composites is gaining
popularity is in the automotive industry. Flax is being used
increasingly used as reinforcement for polypropylenes, most
commonly used in the interior of car panels. The composite is
made from a mixture of 50% polypropylene fibre and 50% flax
Manufacturing of flax to be used in car panels
fibre. The ratio can also be 70-30 or 60-40. In the event of a car crash, this is a safer alternate to glass fibres as no
sharp edged fracture appears in the event of a crash. The panel does not break in such an event. Also, the weight of
the product is reduced by nearly 20% while simultaneously yielding cost benefits. Hemp is also being used as a
reinforcement for organic plastics, also applied in the automotive industry. The biggest advantage it has in
comparison to glass fibres is that the resulting plastic is easier to mould, less abrasive and recyclable.
AGROTEXTILES(9)(11)
Agriculture is the occupation which employs maximum number
of people worldwide. Agrotextiles were introduced to
supplement the demand for high quality and high yield crops, a
pressing need in todays population scenario. These primarily
involve the use of synthetic fibres due to their high strength and
Jute based Mulch Mats, used commonly in agricultural processes
durability. However, their are certain applications in which natural fibres take the lead due to the advantage that
the are bio degradable after a certain amount of time. Also, certain characteristics such as high moisture
retention and wet strength are effectively exploited. Jute is used to improving agricultural production and
reduce unwanted weed growth. Its uses have been established in soil conservation, to provide shade over nursery,
weed management and agro mulching and nursery seed bed cover. Jute Mulch Mats to suppress weed growth are
made. As coir is moisture retentive and naturally resistant to rot, mould and moisture, it has found use in
agrotextiles. Woven meshes, known as Erosion Control Blankets are made out of coir, to control soil erosion and
condition the soil. They act as dams and prevent the seeds from being washed away by wind and water. Non
woven coir is used to make mulching mats, cultivation mats for plants(high water retention ability),basket
liners(as they are porous, help roots to grow faster) and growth sticks (provide support to growing plants).Mulch
blankets allow water to flow across, thereby suppressing weeds and simultaneously retaining moisture. Wool is
also used in agrotextiles due to its good insulation properties under moist conditions, hence prevent seedling
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damage from frost in winters. They also are used as mulch mats, where the fibres degrade after a one to five year
period, acting as a fertilizer and improving soil fertility. They also allow water to enter unlike plastic that was used
earlier. Fibres such as sisal and hemp are also used for tying, twines of two to three threads are used for crop
wrapping.
AIR FILTRATION(7)
Cotton has also been developed to be used as an efficient air filter in recent times, especially for vehicles and
racing cars, in order to combat air pollution. Deep pleats in cotton increase the surface area to draw more air and
this is able to efficiently trap dust, dirt and moisture particles. LOSMA, which manufactures air andindustrial
coolant filtration systems, has also patented a filtration technique under the GREEN tag, wherein the filter is
100% composed of vegetable fibres. The cultivation of the GREEN does not require the use of pesticides and
other chemicals either. It is based on the techniques of tridimensional heavy filtration and is effective for
aersol,oilmist and vapours coming from coolant systems. The natural fibres contain anti pollutant properties
within themselves making it a 100% sustainable system. LOSMA uses these filters in their products.
FINISHING PROCESSES GIVEN TO TEXTILE FABRICS(15)(5)(1)(10)
Making fabric flame retardant, water repellent, anti microbial,UV blocking etc through chemical treatments is
also finding diverse uses. Processes such as Proban9 and Pyrovatex10 are durable finishes applied to cotton to
make it fire retardant. These are used as protective wear in metal,electrical and chemical industries and
furnishing of hospitals, homes and institutions. Zirpro treatment, involving Zirconium complexes has been
developed for flame retardancy of Wool, and has been coupled with flurocarbons to make it flame, water, oil and
acid repellent. Silk is made Flame Retardant by UV Rays are capable of degrading fabric quality and these are
being treated with organic UV Ray absorbers including derivatives of o-
hydroxy benzophenones,o-hydroxy phenyl hydrazines, especially applied for
Wool and Silk.Taking inspiration
from nature is what the field ofBiomimetics is about. It is being applied in
versatile manners in fabrics, where taking inspiration from Lotus leaves,
Cotton is being made water repellent. The leaves have a waxy surface, with
Wool treated with Silica, becoming
SuperHydrophilic(Source:http://www.sciencedaily.com )
micron size papillae, that are covered in hair. This reduces contact area between surface and water molecules.
Nano-Tex has developed such cotton which moves moisture away from the skin and isolates it on the outer
surface. Wool, essentially hydrophobic in nature, is made hydrophillic by treating it with Silica nanoparticles,
http://www.sciencedaily.com/http://www.sciencedaily.com/http://www.sciencedaily.com/ -
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which have extremely small diameter. These silica particles are able to absorb the excess water and make wool
superhydrophilic. Such treatments of natural fabrics find applications in upholstery, smarter clothing and various
industries.
THE FUTURE OF NATURAL FIBRES
The diverse applications of natural fibres as demonstrated in the above report clearly shows us that fibre usage is
not limited to clothing and upholstery. Even in the clothing and upholstery industry, newer and more advanced
technologies are helping improving the quality of life. Without compromising on the quality that we get from
synthetic fibres, natural fibres are being used. As research in this field grows, due to their sustainable and
economically viable advantages, natural fibres are being given more and more importance and giving tough
competition to synthetic fibres, which too have a diverse variety. When synthetic fibres were not around, people
used natural fibres. Now, that cycle is starting again, with increasing usage of fibres found naturally. We can
expect only more diverse and versatile uses as industries realise the obvious benefits that these pose. Clearly, they
are the fibres of the future.
REFERENCES:
1.Handbook of Technical Textiles: Edited by A R Horrocks and S C Anand
2.R. Senthil Kumar: Natural Textiles
3.Ashok Rajpurohit; Bhagwat Tiwari; Sachin Kagwade: Textile Fibre Composites and its applications4.V Kearn; A C MacIntosh: A Crawfor; P V Hatton:Silk based biomaterials for Tissue Engineering
5.Huntsmen Handbook for Technicians- Flame Retardants
6.D.Gopalakrishnan: Recent Developments in Medical Textiles7.www.losma.com/air-filters/green-filter.html
8.Sudripta Roy; Md. Siddiqui Rahman: Prospects of Technical Textiles with emphasis on Jute Geotextiles
9.D.Gopalakrishnan: Agro Textiles- A Rising Wave10.D.Saravanan: UV Protection Textile Materials
11.Indian Textile Journal: Application of Natural Fibres in Agro Textiles
12.Indian Textile Journal: Water repellent finish for cotton
13.Biomimetics: http://www.textiletoday.com.bd/index.php?pid=magazine&id=3014.Balendu Shekhar Jha;Chantal E.Ayres; Jame R.Bowman; Todd A. Telemeco : Electrospun Collagen, A Tissue
Engineering Scaffold15.http://www.nano-tex.com/index.html16.Alpha Galileo Foundation:High Tech Flax and Hemp-From car panels to light weight concrete
17.New Trends in Biotextiles- Ruman D. Sumansinghe
http://www.losma.com/air-filters/green-filter.htmlhttp://www.losma.com/air-filters/green-filter.htmlhttp://www.textiletoday.com.bd/index.php?pid=magazine&id=30http://www.nano-tex.com/index.htmlhttp://www.losma.com/air-filters/green-filter.htmlhttp://www.textiletoday.com.bd/index.php?pid=magazine&id=30http://www.nano-tex.com/index.html -
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