Long fibre-reinforced thermoplastic or long fibre thermoplastic (LFT) composites possess superior specific modulus and strength, excellent impact resistance, and other advantages such as ease of processability, recyclability, and excellent corrosion resistance. These advantages make LFT composites one of the most advanced lightweight engineering materials and enable their increasing use in various applications. This review paper summarises the research and development work that has been conducted on LFT composites since their initial development. Different aspects of LFTs, such as process development, fibre orientation distribution (FOD), fibre length distribution (FLD), and their effects on the mechanical properties of LFT composites are described. The characterisation of the FOD and FLD in the LFT composites using advanced imaging technology such as high-resolution 3D micro-CT scanning technique is summarised. Research and development of LFT hybridisation and LFT additives are also discussed. Finally, conclusions are made and the future outlook of LFT composites is given.

Purpose: To perform qualitative analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of fracture surfaces for ceramic and polymeric dental materials broken via standardized flexural and crunch‐the‐crown (CTC) tests.Materials and Methods: Zirconia, glass–ceramic, and polymeric (Trilor; TRI, Juvora; JUV, Pekkton; PEK) materials were loaded using crowns for CTC tests, discs (zirconia and glass–ceramics) for piston‐on‐3 ball tests, bars (polymer) for 3‐point bend tests, and bars (zirconia, glass–ceramics) for 4‐point bend tests. SEM was used to characterize the fracture surfaces and identify fracture surface features (e.g., origin, mist, hackle, and the direction of crack propagation [DCP]). Electron dispersive spectroscopy was used to identify the local chemistry.Results: Fracture surface features were found to be less visually apparent for glass–ceramics than zirconia. For zirconia bars, fractures originated roughly midway between the corner and center for processing defects related to sintering. Fractures originated at the bottom corners of glass–ceramic bars (void or surface flaw) and PEK bars (surface flaw). TRI bar failures exposed glassy fibers. Fracture features were generally less discernable for discs compared to bars for zirconia and glass–ceramics. Ceramic crowns fractured into 2 to 3 pieces, with fractures originating at the occlusal surface and clear evidence for the DCP. Failures of TRI and JUV specimens (bars and crowns) were less catastrophic than for the ceramics, with exposed fibers (TRI) and surface cracks (JUV). PEK crown and bar fractures presented dimple (ductile) features formed due to microvoid coalescence followed by brittle crack propagation.Conclusions: The critical flaws responsible for failure initiation were a function of material composition and test configuration. Fractographic analysis can reveal problems associated with the manufacturing of materials, their handling, grinding and finishing/polishing procedures, the structural design and choice of material, and the quality of the final laboratory‐delivered restoration.

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites have been increasingly used in automotive and other fields because of their good mechanical properties, low density, excellent damping properties and biodegradability. The objective of this work is to develop and characterize a high-performance lightweight kenaf fiber composite that is processed using unconventional processing methods, wet laid process followed with compression molding process. Kenaf fiber mats produced by wet laid process are stacked with high-density polyethylene films and compression molded into plates from which testing samples are prepared. The effects of fiber length, fiber content, and area density on the tensile properties are investigated. The composite samples with the best tensile properties are also evaluated in its flexural, compression, impact, and fire resistance performance. The processing–structure–property relations of the developed kenaf fiber high-density polyethylene composite are systematically studied, which can be broadly applied to other natural fiber composites.

High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) blends of varying composition have been evaluated in an effort to establish a mixing rule for melt flow index (MFI). In addition, a previously established relationship between MFI and for linear polymers was also evaluated for these blends. It was found that a parabolic relationship existed between the composition (by weight fraction) and MFI and that the MFI and relationship held for this set of polymeric materials. Additionally, all properties and relationships were evaluated over five extrusion cycles, which showed minimal to no deviations over the five cycles.