The Properties of Feather Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites: A Review

Abstract

Composites reinforced with feather fibers have attracted the attention of scientists due of their low cost, the absence of health risk, availability, biodegradability, renewable character, and low density. These advantages permit their use in various fields such as construction sector and automotive industry that necessitate high-performance lightweight materials, reduced cost of manufacturing, recycling, and minimal environmental impact. This paper is a review of the properties and discusses the environmental benefits of feather fibers reinforced polymer composites. The barbs fibers are known by their compatibilities with all types of polymer due to their hydrophobic nature which permit to create strong covalent bonds in the fiber/matrix interface. The structural aspects and the properties of the keratinous fibers, the mechanical properties of polymers, the effect of the reinforcement rate on the fiber/matrix interface, and the properties of the biocomposites are discussed in this review article.

Keywords

• keratinous fibers
• interface
• biocomposites
• biodegradability
• hydrophobic nature.