Natural fiber composites (NFC) have emerged as promising sustainable alternatives to conventional synthetic materials due to the increasing environmental concerns and unsustainable reliance on depleting petroleum resources. NFCs offer various advantages, such as reduced costs, low density, biodegradability, and good specific mechanical properties. However, their impact resistance remains a crucial factor that greatly influences their suitability for sectors like automotive, construction, and aerospace, where impact loading is prevalent. This review comprehensively analyzes the impact resistance of NFCs, aiming to elucidate the factors governing their behavior under varying impact loading conditions. The study delves into the influence of key parameters such as fiber type, matrix properties, and fiber-matrix adhesion on the impact response of NFCs. Different impact loading methods, including low-velocity impact and high-velocity impact, are examined, highlighting their distinct effects on NFC failure mechanisms. Furthermore, the review investigates the effectiveness of various methods employed to enhance the impact strength of NFCs. Finally, it identifies current challenges and limitations associated with impact-resistant NFCs and outlines potential future research directions to overcome these obstacles and unlock the full potential of these sustainable materials.

In this work, a PDMS spinning technique is developed and enables the continuous production of a filament with a circular cross-section (~500 μm diameter). The production of continuous silicone polymer filaments can be useful in the textile field to provide new properties in applications such as weaving, knitting or composite reinforcement. The method involves injecting the pre-polymer and curing agent mixture into a heated oil bath (202–215 °C) to simultaneously shape and cure the PDMS. The morphological and mechanical properties of the filament are studied regarding the production parameters (formulation, needle diameter, bath temperature, conveyor belt speed). The most homogeneous filament is produced at the highest temperature (215°C) and conveyor belt speed (13.6 m∙min^–1). When subjected to cyclic mechanical stress, the PDMS filament produced exhibits stable mechanical behavior, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

This is an editorial article. It has no abstract.

Natural rubber (NR) composites filled with silica and crosslinked with phenolic resin were prepared in this study. The influence of a small sepiolite addition (1–5 part(s) per hundred parts of rubber, phr) on the properties of NR composites was studied. It was found that sepiolite reduced silica aggregate size, allowing improved dispersion in the NR matrix. Sepiolite facilitates silica dispersion by locating at the silica surfaces and acting as a barrier that prevents agglomeration of silica filler. The swelling resistance, crosslink density, tensile strength, and strain-induced crystallization were all strengthened by incorporating sepiolite because of the improved silica dispersion. The greatest tensile strength was achieved at a 2 phr sepiolite addition level. The improvement was about 18% over the reference composite due to the greatest filler-rubber interactions and the finest filler dispersion. The results clearly indicate that sepiolite clay can be applied as a dispersing agent in silica-containing rubber composites.

The widespread use of cellulose nanofiber (CNF)-based aerogels is hindered by their limited flame retardancy and mechanical properties. This study addresses these challenges by developing cellulose nanofiber/sodium alginate/fly ash (CNF/SA/FA) aerogel through a one-pot method, utilizing industrial waste fly ash (FA) as a reinforcing material. Various characterization and analytical techniques were employed to evaluate the properties of the CNF/SA/FA aerogel. The findings have revealed that resulting aerogel exhibited excellent thermal insulation performance, with a thermal conductivity of 0.485 W/(m·K), along with an impressive compressive strength of 88.4 kPa and favorable shape processability. Vertical combustion tests demonstrated a V-0 rating, indicating superior flame retardancy, and the aerogel achieved a remarkable 79.16% residual carbon, confirming their effective heat shielding capabilities. Notably, the incorporation of FA significantly enhanced both the thermal and mechanical properties of the composite aerogel, presenting a sustainable and effective solution to optimizing the properties of aerogel for thermal insulation.