Open Access
REVIEW
Kokoette Effiong1, Jing Hu1, Caicai Xu1, Tao Tang1, Haomin Huang2, Jiangning Zeng1,3, Xi Xiao1,3,4,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 461-483, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09111
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Recent Developments on Biobased Materials and Composites)
Abstract The use of agricultural straw for algal bloom control has been studied
for more than 30 years. In this article, we have reviewed the promising potentials
of using agricultural straw as source of anti-algal agents, including the effectiveness of each major straw type so far used in this regard, and the investigated algal
species. Various pre-treatment methods have also been widely reviewed. Signifi-
cant progress has been made in natural product chemistry and molecular biology
with regards to agricultural straw, especially in relation to the extraction of antialgal allelochemicals, degradation processes of agricultural straws and the
mechanisms through which these… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Haiyang Zhou1,2, Xiaoyu Wang3, Xiaolong Hao1,2, Qingwen Wang1,2,*, Rongxian Ou1,2,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 485-498, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.010263
Abstract The mechanical properties of wood flour/high-density polyethylene
composites (WPC) were improved by adding a small amount of nano-SiO2 to
obtain a network-structured WPC with a continuous honeycomb-like nano-SiO2
network. The wood flour was modified with a fire retardant (a mixture of sodium
octabonate and amidine urea phosphate) to improve its fire retardancy. The flexural properties, creep resistance, thermal expansion, and fire retardancy of the
WPC were compared to a control (WPCCTRL) without nano-SiO2 or fire retardant.
The flexural strength and modulus of the WPC containing only 0.55 wt.% nano-SiO2 were 6.6% and 9.1% higher than the control, respectively, while the… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Günter Wuzella1, Arunjunai Raj Mahendran1, Andreas Kandelbauer2,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 499-512, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09615
Abstract Here, we report the mechanical and water sorption properties of a green
composite based on Typha latifolia fibres. The composite was prepared either
completely binder-less or bonded with 10% (w/w) of a bio-based resin which
was a mixture of an epoxidized linseed oil and a tall-oil based polyamide. The
flexural modulus of elasticity, the flexural strength and the water absorption of
hot pressed Typha panels were measured and the influence of pressing time and
panel density on these properties was investigated. The cure kinetics of the biobased resin was analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in combination with the iso-conversional… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Xingguo Feng1,2,3, Yiji Zhang1, Xiangyu Lu1,*, Yiwen Xu1, Leyuan Zhang1, Chao Zhu1, Tong Wu1, Yashi Yang4, Xuhui Zhao5
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 513-534, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09549
Abstract Durability and ecological effects of the stainless steel reinforced coral
waste concrete were compared with those of the carbon steel reinforced ordinary
concrete. The results showed that the corrosion current densities of the stainless
steel in the coral waste concrete were less than one-tenth of those of the carbon steel
in the same grade ordinary concrete. The stainless steel in the seawater coral waste
concrete maintained passivation even after more than two years of immersion in
3.5% NaCl solution, while the carbon steel counterparts in the ordinary concrete
were seriously corroded under the same condition. Simultaneously, the corrosion
current density… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Fei Song1,2, Puyou Jia1,*, Caiying Bo1, Xiaoli Ren1, Lihong Hu1, Yonghong Zhou1,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 535-547, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09304
Abstract In this study, we prepared a series of tung oil phenolic foams (TPF) by a
one-pot method. The FT-IR and 1
H NMR spectra confirm the successful FriedelCrafts grafting of phenol to the long-chain alkyl group in tung oil. Modified TPFs
exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, including compressive and flexural
strengths of up to 0.278 ± 0.036 MPa and 0.450 ± 0.017 MPa, respectively, which
represent increases of 68.75% and 86.72% over those of pure phenolic foam (PF).
SEM spectra reveal the TPF microstructure to have uniform hexagonal cell morphology, narrower cell size distribution, and smaller mean cell size, suggesting
enhanced… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
M. A. Shaharuzaman1,2,3, S. M. Sapuan1,4,*, M. R. Mansor2,3, M. Y. M. Zuhri1,4
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 549-563, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08769
Abstract This paper presents the conceptual design stage in the product development process of a natural fiber composites of the side-door impact beam, which
starts from idea generation to the selection of the best design concept. This paper
also demonstrates the use of the integrated Theory of Inventive Problem Solving
(Function-Oriented Search) (TRIZ (FOS)) and Biomimetics method, as well as
the VIseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) method.
The aim of this study was to generate design concepts that were inspired by nature
and to select the best design concept for the composite side-door impact beam.
Subsequently, eight design concepts were… More >
Open Access
ARTICLE
Xueliang Wang1, Qiangang Xu1, Xiuxin Wang1, Junhui Guo2, Wancheng Cao1, Chun Xiao3,*
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.5, pp. 565-577, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09020
(This article belongs to this Special Issue: Bio-composite Materials and Structures)
Abstract An accelerated decay test and a natural decay test were conducted synchronically to explore the strength degradation of decaying wood members under
long-term exposure to natural environment. A natural decay test was carried out to
measure the bending strength, compressive strength parallel to grain and modulus
of elasticity of the wood members, with 6 groups of specimens decayed in natural
environment for 3 to 18 months respectively. To compare with corresponding
decay test, in which 6 other groups of specimens were measured under accelerated
conditions. The experimental data collected were evaluated by Pearson productmoment for the correlation. The results indicate… More >