Africa's natural fibres used in polymer composites: A systematic review
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Abstract
Description
Environmental concerns and the depletion of petroleum resources have spurred
research into natural fibres as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fibres as the
reinforcement phase in polymer composites. Given that the local availability of
materials is a crucial component in the sustainability framework, there is a need
to map out the fibres used to develop natural fibre composites across geographical
regions to optimize local resource utilization. Through a systematic review of publications
sourced from Scopus and Web of Science databases, this study examines
the contributions made by Africa to develop green polymer composites. The bibliometric
data from both databases were systematically merged, and bibliometric
analysis was carried out to identify trends and relevant relationships and provide
a more general insight into Africa's progress in the natural fibre polymer composite
field. A meta-analysis was then conducted to identify the natural fibres exclusively
sourced from Africa that have been used to develop polymer composites.
The study also discussed natural fibre classifications with respect to fibre type and
form. Sisal, palm varieties (particularly date palm), alfa, jute and members of the
Musaceae family (i.e., banana, plantain and enset) were found to be the most used
African-sourced fibres. This study is a step to creating a more extensive global natural
fibre database that seeks to provide more precise knowledge, enhance
research efficiency, and ensure the utilization of local materials in creating more
sustainable composites.
Keywords
TA Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General)