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Dr. Tran Le Quan Ngoc
Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore

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0 hybrid composites
0 Composites Manufacturing
0 Natural fiber composites
0 Thermoplastic composites
0 Lightweight sandwich structures

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Journal article
Published: 10 July 2019 in Fibers
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Natural fibers, such as bamboo, flax, hemp, and coir, are usually different in terms of microstructure and chemical composition. The mechanical properties of natural fibers strongly depend on the organization of cell walls and the cellulose micro-fibril angle in the dominant cell wall layers. Bamboo, flax, and hemp are known for high strength and stiffness, while coir has high elongation to failure. Based on the unique properties of the fibers, fiber hybridization is expected to combine the advantages of different natural fibers for composite applications. In this paper, a study on bamboo/coir fiber hybrid composites was carried out to investigate the hybrid effect of tough coir fibers and brittle bamboo fibers in the composites. The tensile behavior of unidirectional composites of bamboo fibers, coir fibers, and hybrid bamboo/coir fibers with a thermoplastic matrix was studied. The correlation between the tensile properties of the fibers and of the hybrid composites was analyzed to understand the hybrid effects. In addition, the failure mode and fracture morphology of the hybrid composites were examined. The results suggested that, with a low bamboo fiber fraction, a positive hybrid effect with an increase of composite strain to failure was obtained, which can be attributed to the high strain to failure of the coir fibers; the bamboo fibers provided high stiffness and strength to the composites.

ACS Style

Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Carlos Fuentes; Ignace Verpoest; Aart Willem Van Vuure; Tran; Van Vuure. Tensile Behavior of Unidirectional Bamboo/Coir Fiber Hybrid Composites. Fibers 2019, 7, 62 .

AMA Style

Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Carlos Fuentes, Ignace Verpoest, Aart Willem Van Vuure, Tran, Van Vuure. Tensile Behavior of Unidirectional Bamboo/Coir Fiber Hybrid Composites. Fibers. 2019; 7 (7):62.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Carlos Fuentes; Ignace Verpoest; Aart Willem Van Vuure; Tran; Van Vuure. 2019. "Tensile Behavior of Unidirectional Bamboo/Coir Fiber Hybrid Composites." Fibers 7, no. 7: 62.

Article
Published: 09 March 2018 in Polymer Composites
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The characteristics of waste oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber (OPEFB) including fiber morphology and mechanical properties were investigated for use as reinforcement in polymer composites. The mechanical properties of the OPEFB fiber were determined by the single fiber tensile test which was carried out at different span lengths (20, 40, and 60 mm) to obtain the reliable strength and stiffness of the fiber. The extrapolated E-modulus at infinite fiber length was found to be around 4.36 GPa. The fiber strength was in the range of 150–190 MPa. The unidirectional (UD) composite of OPEFB fibers in various polymer matrices, namely polypropylene, poly(lactic acid), and epoxy, were prepared and characterized. Three-point bending test (3PBT) was performed on the UD composites in both fiber transverse and longitudinal directions to determine fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion and composite flexural properties, respectively. Besides, It was found that the efficiency factors achieved for OPEFB in poly(lactic acid) and epoxy were 0.72 and 0.87, respectively, which were significantly higher than that of OPEFB in polypropylene. This result was consistent with the interfacial strength measured by transverse 3PBT. The study provides fundamental understanding for design and application of OPEFB in polymer composites. POLYM. COMPOS., 2018. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers

ACS Style

Teo Siew Cheng; Du Ngoc Uy Lan; Steven Phillips; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. Characteristics of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and mechanical properties of its unidirectional composites. Polymer Composites 2018, 40, 1158 -1164.

AMA Style

Teo Siew Cheng, Du Ngoc Uy Lan, Steven Phillips, Le Quan Ngoc Tran. Characteristics of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and mechanical properties of its unidirectional composites. Polymer Composites. 2018; 40 (3):1158-1164.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Teo Siew Cheng; Du Ngoc Uy Lan; Steven Phillips; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. 2018. "Characteristics of oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber and mechanical properties of its unidirectional composites." Polymer Composites 40, no. 3: 1158-1164.

Research article
Published: 07 March 2018 in Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites
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The influence of carbon ply blocking on tensile stiffness in interlaminar flax–carbon epoxy hybrids is studied through various lamination schemes of similar nominal fiber volume fractions. Finite element mesoscale analysis accounting for distortions induced during compaction in the thinner carbon plies as a result of crimp mismatch was conducted. These distortions are shown to undermine hybrid stiffness, the extent of which is less pronounced when plies are blocked due to fewer hybrid interfaces, denoting that higher stiffness is achievable with blocked carbon plies. Backed by experimental evidences, it is suggested that detailed analysis on hybrid stiffness should treat hybrid interface as an independent variable a priori, and that modeling tools for carbon–flax fiber reinforced composites should consider not only the nonlinearity of flax response but also the waviness of both fabrics.

ACS Style

U Kureemun; A Haris; Ws Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Hp Lee. Influence of ply blocking on tensile stiffness in woven flax–carbon hybrids. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites 2018, 37, 583 -591.

AMA Style

U Kureemun, A Haris, Ws Teo, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Hp Lee. Influence of ply blocking on tensile stiffness in woven flax–carbon hybrids. Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites. 2018; 37 (9):583-591.

Chicago/Turabian Style

U Kureemun; A Haris; Ws Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Hp Lee. 2018. "Influence of ply blocking on tensile stiffness in woven flax–carbon hybrids." Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites 37, no. 9: 583-591.

Original articles
Published: 16 February 2018 in Journal of Natural Fibers
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Driven by the need for sustainable eco-friendly materials, natural fibers are increasingly being used as composites reinforcements due to their low cost and their potential in meeting strength and stiffness requirements for nonstructural and semistructural applications. Fewer works, however, have been reported on the acoustic and vibration characteristics of natural fibers. In this article, the sound transmission and absorption performance of flax fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites in various configurations are assessed experimentally. Natural frequency and damping coefficient of the composites are investigated by modal analysis with an impact hammer. Results from the vibrational analysis showed that thin FF/PP composite panels have resonant frequency ranging between 300 and 1000 Hz which is consistent with the acoustic profile extracted from the sound transmission loss (STL) test. Results of STL tests revealed that higher stiffness of FF/PP composite may lead to higher STL at 100–400 Hz. Resonant frequencies of the composite range from 400 to 900 Hz and STL is show to obey the mass law with nonlinearity in the range of 900–1600 Hz. These results give a better insight into the performance of FF/PP composites in vibroacoustic environments.

ACS Style

Kede Huang; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Wern Sze Teo; Heow Pueh Lee. Vibroacoustic behavior and noise control of flax fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites. Journal of Natural Fibers 2018, 16, 729 -743.

AMA Style

Kede Huang, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Umeyr Kureemun, Wern Sze Teo, Heow Pueh Lee. Vibroacoustic behavior and noise control of flax fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites. Journal of Natural Fibers. 2018; 16 (5):729-743.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kede Huang; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Wern Sze Teo; Heow Pueh Lee. 2018. "Vibroacoustic behavior and noise control of flax fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites." Journal of Natural Fibers 16, no. 5: 729-743.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2018 in Composites Part B: Engineering
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ACS Style

Umeyr Kureemun; Mohammad Ravandi; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; W.S. Teo; T.E. Tay; H.P. Lee. Effects of hybridization and hybrid fibre dispersion on the mechanical properties of woven flax-carbon epoxy at low carbon fibre volume fractions. Composites Part B: Engineering 2018, 134, 28 -38.

AMA Style

Umeyr Kureemun, Mohammad Ravandi, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, W.S. Teo, T.E. Tay, H.P. Lee. Effects of hybridization and hybrid fibre dispersion on the mechanical properties of woven flax-carbon epoxy at low carbon fibre volume fractions. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2018; 134 ():28-38.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Umeyr Kureemun; Mohammad Ravandi; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; W.S. Teo; T.E. Tay; H.P. Lee. 2018. "Effects of hybridization and hybrid fibre dispersion on the mechanical properties of woven flax-carbon epoxy at low carbon fibre volume fractions." Composites Part B: Engineering 134, no. : 28-38.

Journal article
Published: 31 October 2017 in Applied Sciences
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Natural fibres have been extensively studied due to their potential in a wide range of applications. This study aims to demonstrate the viability of composite earmuffs for low-frequency noise reduction in continuous and transient noise environments. Pink noise and aircraft take-off exterior noise were considered for the former and the latter, respectively. The assembly components of the composite earmuffs were kept identical to a commercial earmuff, which served as a reference for results comparison. Based on the profile of the ear cups from the commercial earmuff, composite ear cups were fabricated from coir fibre and coir/carbon fibre fabrics reinforced with polypropylene. In contrast to the commercial earmuff, the composite earmuffs showed improvements in insertion loss at specific frequencies in the respective noise environments. In pink noise, up to 12 dB improvement in insertion loss was achieved. In aircraft take-off exterior noise, up to 8.6 dB improvement in insertion loss was achieved at 160–544 Hz particularly by the coir fibre-reinforced polypropylene earmuff. Consequently, the proposed earmuffs may find applications in areas where noise exposure is predominantly low-frequency—in some vehicle cabins, at airports, and at construction sites, for example.

ACS Style

Linus Yinn Leng Ang; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Steve Phillips; Yong Khiang Koh; Heow Pueh Lee. Low-Frequency Noise Reduction by Earmuffs with Coir and Coir/Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polypropylene Ear Cups. Applied Sciences 2017, 7, 1121 .

AMA Style

Linus Yinn Leng Ang, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Steve Phillips, Yong Khiang Koh, Heow Pueh Lee. Low-Frequency Noise Reduction by Earmuffs with Coir and Coir/Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polypropylene Ear Cups. Applied Sciences. 2017; 7 (11):1121.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Linus Yinn Leng Ang; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Steve Phillips; Yong Khiang Koh; Heow Pueh Lee. 2017. "Low-Frequency Noise Reduction by Earmuffs with Coir and Coir/Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polypropylene Ear Cups." Applied Sciences 7, no. 11: 1121.

Erratum
Published: 14 September 2017 in Journal of Materials Science
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The article Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis, written by Yucheng Zhong, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Umeyr Kureemun, and Heow Pueh Lee, was originally published Online First without open access.

ACS Style

Yucheng Zhong; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Heow Pueh Lee. Erratum to: Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis. Journal of Materials Science 2017, 52, 14011 -14011.

AMA Style

Yucheng Zhong, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Umeyr Kureemun, Heow Pueh Lee. Erratum to: Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis. Journal of Materials Science. 2017; 52 (24):14011-14011.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yucheng Zhong; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Heow Pueh Lee. 2017. "Erratum to: Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis." Journal of Materials Science 52, no. 24: 14011-14011.

Journal article
Published: 07 May 2017 in International Journal of Applied Mechanics
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Natural fibers are extracted from natural resources such as stems of plants. In contrast to synthetic fibers (e.g., carbon fibers), natural fibers are from renewable resources and are eco-friendlier. Plant fibers are important members of natural fibers. Review papers discussing the microstructures, performances and applications of natural plant fiber composites are available in the literature. However, there are relatively fewer review reports focusing on the modeling of the mechanical properties of plant fiber composites. The microstructures and mechanical behavior of plant fiber composites are briefly introduced by highlighting their characteristics that need to be considered prior to modeling. Numerical works that have already been carried out are discussed and summarized. Unlike synthetic fibers, natural plant fiber composites have not received sufficient attention in terms of numerical simulations. Existing technical challenges in this subject are summarized to provide potential opportunities for future research.

ACS Style

Yucheng Zhong; Umeyr Kureemun; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Heow Pueh Lee. Natural Plant Fiber Composites-Constituent Properties and Challenges in Numerical Modeling and Simulations. International Journal of Applied Mechanics 2017, 9, 1750045 .

AMA Style

Yucheng Zhong, Umeyr Kureemun, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Heow Pueh Lee. Natural Plant Fiber Composites-Constituent Properties and Challenges in Numerical Modeling and Simulations. International Journal of Applied Mechanics. 2017; 9 (4):1750045.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yucheng Zhong; Umeyr Kureemun; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Heow Pueh Lee. 2017. "Natural Plant Fiber Composites-Constituent Properties and Challenges in Numerical Modeling and Simulations." International Journal of Applied Mechanics 9, no. 4: 1750045.

Journal article
Published: 01 May 2017 in Composites Part B: Engineering
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ACS Style

Mohammad Ravandi; W.S. Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M.S. Yong; T.E. Tay. Low velocity impact performance of stitched flax/epoxy composite laminates. Composites Part B: Engineering 2017, 117, 89 -100.

AMA Style

Mohammad Ravandi, W.S. Teo, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, M.S. Yong, T.E. Tay. Low velocity impact performance of stitched flax/epoxy composite laminates. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2017; 117 ():89-100.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mohammad Ravandi; W.S. Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M.S. Yong; T.E. Tay. 2017. "Low velocity impact performance of stitched flax/epoxy composite laminates." Composites Part B: Engineering 117, no. : 89-100.

Journal article
Published: 04 January 2017 in Journal of Materials Science
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ACS Style

Yucheng Zhong; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Heow Pueh Lee. Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis. Journal of Materials Science 2017, 52, 4957 -4967.

AMA Style

Yucheng Zhong, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Umeyr Kureemun, Heow Pueh Lee. Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis. Journal of Materials Science. 2017; 52 (9):4957-4967.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yucheng Zhong; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Umeyr Kureemun; Heow Pueh Lee. 2017. "Prediction of the mechanical behavior of flax polypropylene composites based on multi-scale finite element analysis." Journal of Materials Science 52, no. 9: 4957-4967.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2016 in Materials & Design
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The effects of through-the-thickness stitching using natural fibres on the interlaminar fracture toughness and tensile properties of flax fibre/epoxy composite laminates were experimentally studied. Flax yarn and cotton thread were used to stitch preforms of woven fabric and unidirectional flax fibre laminates in various stitch densities. Tensile and Double Cantilever Beam (DCB) tests were conducted to characterise the in-plane tensile properties and the mode I interlaminar fracture toughness, respectively. The effects of the in-plane fibre architecture on the delamination resistance of the composite laminates were also investigated. The results showed that the reduction in tensile properties of the composites due to imperfections caused by stitching was almost identical for both stitch materials. The DCB test results revealed that cotton thread stitch does not necessarily improve the interlaminar fracture toughness of the composite, however stitching with flax yarn can improve it by at least 10% at the lowest stitch fibre areal fraction.

ACS Style

M. Ravandi; W.S. Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M.S. Yong; Tong-Earn Tay. The effects of through-the-thickness stitching on the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of flax/epoxy composite laminates. Materials & Design 2016, 109, 659 -669.

AMA Style

M. Ravandi, W.S. Teo, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, M.S. Yong, Tong-Earn Tay. The effects of through-the-thickness stitching on the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of flax/epoxy composite laminates. Materials & Design. 2016; 109 ():659-669.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Ravandi; W.S. Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M.S. Yong; Tong-Earn Tay. 2016. "The effects of through-the-thickness stitching on the Mode I interlaminar fracture toughness of flax/epoxy composite laminates." Materials & Design 109, no. : 659-669.

Journal article
Published: 01 October 2016 in Composites Part B: Engineering
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Natural fibre based composites are garnering attention owing to their optimal trade-off between mechanical properties and environmental sustainability properties. It has been proposed that they could potentially replace synthetic and mineral fibre composites due to their minimized impact on human health and the natural environment. Though several studies have been dedicated to understanding certain mechanical properties like strength and fatigue life, fewer reported studies have focused on their response to impact or shock loads. In the present work, we have performed shock tests using a shock tube on flax/epoxy and flax/polypropylene unidirectional and cross-ply laminated composites. The objectives are, to compare the blast-resistance of polypropylene against epoxy in their use as matrix in flax–reinforced composites, and, secondly to assess the performance of cross-ply over unidirectional fiber orientation. The present results showed that the cross-ply samples retained their structural integrity at peak pressures that were sufficient to break unidirectional samples, indicating that cross-ply samples are superior candidates for applications where shock loading needs to be factored in. Furthermore, we also qualitatively assessed the failure modes predominant in each of the studied orientations

ACS Style

Kede Huang; Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan; Umeyr Kureemun; Wern Sze Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Heow Pueh Lee. Shock wave impact behavior of flax fiber reinforced polymer composites. Composites Part B: Engineering 2016, 102, 78 -85.

AMA Style

Kede Huang, Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan, Umeyr Kureemun, Wern Sze Teo, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, Heow Pueh Lee. Shock wave impact behavior of flax fiber reinforced polymer composites. Composites Part B: Engineering. 2016; 102 ():78-85.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Kede Huang; Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan; Umeyr Kureemun; Wern Sze Teo; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; Heow Pueh Lee. 2016. "Shock wave impact behavior of flax fiber reinforced polymer composites." Composites Part B: Engineering 102, no. : 78-85.

Original articles
Published: 23 September 2016 in Journal of Natural Fibers
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Natural fiber based composites are becoming attractive candidates for use in various applications owing to their mechanical and sound absorption properties. It has been proposed that they could potentially replace glass fiber composites owing to their minimized impact on human health and the environment. Though studies have been dedicated to understanding their mechanical properties, few focus on quantifying their sound attenuation behavior. We investigated the sound absorption properties of flax/epoxy composites and found them to be superior to those of glass/epoxy composites. A noteworthy result was that the noise reduction coefficient increased from an average value of 0.095–0.11 for unidirectional flax/epoxy composite and to 0.10 for cross-ply flax/epoxy system. Results suggest that flax/epoxy composites could be less expensive, viable and ecologically superior substitutes for glass-fiber based composites, particularly in applications where sound absorption is important.

ACS Style

Heow Pueh Lee; Benson Mun Pun Ng; Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. An Investigation of the Sound Absorption Properties of Flax/Epoxy Composites Compared with Glass/Epoxy Composites. Journal of Natural Fibers 2016, 14, 71 -77.

AMA Style

Heow Pueh Lee, Benson Mun Pun Ng, Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan, Le Quan Ngoc Tran. An Investigation of the Sound Absorption Properties of Flax/Epoxy Composites Compared with Glass/Epoxy Composites. Journal of Natural Fibers. 2016; 14 (1):71-77.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Heow Pueh Lee; Benson Mun Pun Ng; Abhishek Vishwanath Rammohan; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. 2016. "An Investigation of the Sound Absorption Properties of Flax/Epoxy Composites Compared with Glass/Epoxy Composites." Journal of Natural Fibers 14, no. 1: 71-77.

Journal article
Published: 28 June 2016 in Journal of Polymer Science
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Empty fruit bunch fiber (EFB), an abundant biomass waste from the palm oil industry, is used to reinforce palm oil–based polyurethane foam (POPU), and the mechanical properties of the composite foams are also assessed. The fiber–foam interfacial adhesion is also investigated by SEM images and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The results show that the composite foam reinforced by 15–30% EFB volume fractions could be enhanced by up to 10 times in flexural strength and twice in compressive strength compared to neat POPU. The composite foams with 20% and 30% volume fraction of EFB are exploited as a core in a sandwich construction with unidirectional flax fiber–reinforced epoxy composites (as face sheets). Sandwiches using EFB/POPU composite foam cores exhibited better toughness and achieved higher flexural energy at break compared to that using a commercial poly(ethylene terephthalate (PET) foam core. Furthermore, the failure mechanisms occurred under a combination of flexural and shear deformation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 43977.

ACS Style

Siew Cheng Teo; Du Ngoc Uy Lan; Pei Leng Teh; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. Mechanical behavior of palm oil-based composite foam and its sandwich structure with a flax-epoxy composite. Journal of Polymer Science 2016, 133, 1 .

AMA Style

Siew Cheng Teo, Du Ngoc Uy Lan, Pei Leng Teh, Le Quan Ngoc Tran. Mechanical behavior of palm oil-based composite foam and its sandwich structure with a flax-epoxy composite. Journal of Polymer Science. 2016; 133 (45):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Siew Cheng Teo; Du Ngoc Uy Lan; Pei Leng Teh; Le Quan Ngoc Tran. 2016. "Mechanical behavior of palm oil-based composite foam and its sandwich structure with a flax-epoxy composite." Journal of Polymer Science 133, no. 45: 1.

Journal article
Published: 23 April 2015 in International Journal of Modern Physics B
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The interface between natural fibers and thermoplastic matrices is studied, in which fiber-matrix wetting analysis and interfacial adhesion are investigated to obtain a systematic understanding of the interface. In wetting analysis, the surface energies of the fibers and the matrices are estimated using their contact angles in test liquids. Work of adhesion is calculated for each composite system. For the interface tests, transverse three point bending tests (3PBT) on unidirectional (UD) composites are performed to measure interfacial strength. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization on the fibers is also carried out to obtain more information about the surface chemistry of the fibers. UD composites are examined to explore the correlation between the fiber-matrix interface and the final properties of the composites. The results suggest that the higher interfacial adhesion of the treated fiber composites compared to untreated fiber composites can be attributed to higher fiber-matrix physico–chemical interaction corresponding with the work of adhesion.

ACS Style

L. Q. N. Tran; X. W. Yuan; Debes Bhattacharyya; C. Fuentes; A. W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. Fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion in natural fiber composites. International Journal of Modern Physics B 2015, 29, 1 .

AMA Style

L. Q. N. Tran, X. W. Yuan, Debes Bhattacharyya, C. Fuentes, A. W. Van Vuure, I. Verpoest. Fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion in natural fiber composites. International Journal of Modern Physics B. 2015; 29 (10n11):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

L. Q. N. Tran; X. W. Yuan; Debes Bhattacharyya; C. Fuentes; A. W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. 2015. "Fiber-matrix interfacial adhesion in natural fiber composites." International Journal of Modern Physics B 29, no. 10n11: 1.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2015 in Industrial Crops and Products
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TNatural coir fibres are studied for use as reinforcement in composite materials. In order to efficiently usethe fibres and understand the composite properties, the microstructure and the mechanical propertiesof coir fibres are investigated in this study. X-ray microtomography in SEM (SEM-CT) and SEM imageanalysis are used to examine the fibre internal structure including the organisation of elementary fibres,microfibril angles and fibre porosity. Mechanical properties of coir fibres are determined by performingfibre tensile tests, in which an integrated optical strain mapping system is used to define fibre strain forproducing more reliable values of E-modulus and strain at failure. The results show that technical coirfibres comprise plenty of elementary fibres and a lacuna at the centre. The elementary fibre is built up bytwo main cell walls which consist of bundles of microfibrils with a large misorientation with respect tothe elementary fibre axis. Coir fibres appear to have a high porosity of 22 to 30%. The high microfibrillarangle in the coir fibres leads to the low stiffness in fibre direction and to high elongation to failure thanksto reorientation of the microfibrils under tensile loading.status: publishe

ACS Style

L.Q.N. Tran; T. Nguyen Minh; C.A. Fuentes; T. Truong Chi; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. Investigation of microstructure and tensile properties of porous natural coir fibre for use in composite materials. Industrial Crops and Products 2015, 65, 437 -445.

AMA Style

L.Q.N. Tran, T. Nguyen Minh, C.A. Fuentes, T. Truong Chi, A.W. Van Vuure, I. Verpoest. Investigation of microstructure and tensile properties of porous natural coir fibre for use in composite materials. Industrial Crops and Products. 2015; 65 ():437-445.

Chicago/Turabian Style

L.Q.N. Tran; T. Nguyen Minh; C.A. Fuentes; T. Truong Chi; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. 2015. "Investigation of microstructure and tensile properties of porous natural coir fibre for use in composite materials." Industrial Crops and Products 65, no. : 437-445.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2015 in Composites Science and Technology
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Physical adhesion was experimentally determined by measuring contact angles with different liquids on bamboo and glass fibers, using the Wilhelmy technique, and by applying the acid-base theory for calculating the surface energy components and the theoretical work of adhesion. The mechanical strength of the interfaces was assessed by single fibre pull-out tests. In order to consider the real mechanisms of interfacial failure of natural fiber composites, the fibre matrix interfacial bond strength was characterized by the critical local value of interfacial shear stress, τ_d, and the radial normal stress at the interface, σult, at the moment of crack initiation. Both interfacial parameters are used for correlating thermodynamic work of adhesion and practical adhesion. Pull-out tests (taking into account friction), XPS, and profilometry techniques were used to study the influence of rough natural fibre surfaces on the interface between the fibre and a thermoplastic matrix, by comparing the mechanical behaviour at the interface of a smooth optical glass fibre with that of rough natural fibres. The results suggest that the physical and chemical compatibility between the bamboo fibre and the matrix does not improve substantially the composite performance if compared with glass composites. The relatively low off-axis strength of the bamboo fibres is suggested as the main reason for the low stress transfer capability at the fibre-matrix interphase. Furthermore, the pull-out process may be friction-dominated in bamboo fibre systems.status: publishe

ACS Style

C.A. Fuentes; G. Brughmans; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; C. Dupont-Gillain; I. Verpoest; A.W. Van Vuure. Mechanical behaviour and practical adhesion at a bamboo composite interface: Physical adhesion and mechanical interlocking. Composites Science and Technology 2015, 109, 40 -47.

AMA Style

C.A. Fuentes, G. Brughmans, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, C. Dupont-Gillain, I. Verpoest, A.W. Van Vuure. Mechanical behaviour and practical adhesion at a bamboo composite interface: Physical adhesion and mechanical interlocking. Composites Science and Technology. 2015; 109 ():40-47.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C.A. Fuentes; G. Brughmans; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; C. Dupont-Gillain; I. Verpoest; A.W. Van Vuure. 2015. "Mechanical behaviour and practical adhesion at a bamboo composite interface: Physical adhesion and mechanical interlocking." Composites Science and Technology 109, no. : 40-47.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2014 in Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
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Sorption of fluids during typical wetting experiments on natural fibers produces a zero receding contact angle situation, leading to an incomplete analysis of their wetting behavior. An acoustic vibration method was used to measure “equilibrium” contact angles on natural bamboo fibers. The correctness of the technique is verified by performing the experiment with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers and films, and comparing these results with the average of the cosine functions of the advancing and receding angles for a given system. Surface energies and components of the surface energies of bamboo and PET fibers were estimated using the “equilibrium” contact angle data of various test liquids by using the acid–base approach. The results are in general agreement with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the fiber's surface. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the complex phenomena occurring during wetting of natural fibers and suggest that the contact angle obtained by forcing relaxation through acoustic vibration is a reliable method for study the wetting behavior of natural fibers.status: publishe

ACS Style

C.A. Fuentes; K. Beckers; H. Pfeiffer; L.Q.N. Tran; C. Dupont-Gillain; I. Verpoest; A.W. Van Vuure. Equilibrium contact angle measurements of natural fibers by an acoustic vibration technique. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2014, 455, 164 -173.

AMA Style

C.A. Fuentes, K. Beckers, H. Pfeiffer, L.Q.N. Tran, C. Dupont-Gillain, I. Verpoest, A.W. Van Vuure. Equilibrium contact angle measurements of natural fibers by an acoustic vibration technique. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. 2014; 455 ():164-173.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C.A. Fuentes; K. Beckers; H. Pfeiffer; L.Q.N. Tran; C. Dupont-Gillain; I. Verpoest; A.W. Van Vuure. 2014. "Equilibrium contact angle measurements of natural fibers by an acoustic vibration technique." Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 455, no. : 164-173.

Journal article
Published: 13 March 2013 in Composites Science and Technology
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An integrated physical–chemical–micromechanical approach is implemented to investigate the fibre–matrix interfacial compatibility and adhesion of natural coir fibre composites. Wetting measurements of the fibres and the matrices are carried out to obtain their static equilibrium contact angles in various liquids, and these are used to estimate the surface energies comprising of different components. The work of adhesion is calculated for each composite system, accordingly. Also, fibre surface chemistry is examined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to have more information about functional groups at the fibre surface, which assists in a deeper understanding of the interactions at the composite interfaces. Single fibre pull-out tests and transverse three point bending tests are performed on UD composites to measure interfacial shear strength and interfacial tensile strength respectively. The results suggest that the higher interfacial adhesion of coir fibres with polyvinylidene fluoride compared with polypropylene can be attributed to higher fibre–matrix physico-chemical interaction corresponding with the work of adhesion. Whilst the improvement of interfacial adhesion for coir fibres with maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene compared with polypropylene can probably be attributed to a chemical adhesion mechanism. In agreement with the interface evaluations, the flexural strength in longitudinal direction of the composites is largely correlated with their interfacial adhesion.

ACS Style

L.Q.N. Tran; C.A. Fuentes; C. Dupont-Gillain; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. Understanding the interfacial compatibility and adhesion of natural coir fibre thermoplastic composites. Composites Science and Technology 2013, 80, 23 -30.

AMA Style

L.Q.N. Tran, C.A. Fuentes, C. Dupont-Gillain, A.W. Van Vuure, I. Verpoest. Understanding the interfacial compatibility and adhesion of natural coir fibre thermoplastic composites. Composites Science and Technology. 2013; 80 ():23-30.

Chicago/Turabian Style

L.Q.N. Tran; C.A. Fuentes; C. Dupont-Gillain; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. 2013. "Understanding the interfacial compatibility and adhesion of natural coir fibre thermoplastic composites." Composites Science and Technology 80, no. : 23-30.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2013 in Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
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ACS Style

C.A. Fuentes; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M. Van Hellemont; V. Janssens; C. Dupont-Gillain; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. Effect of physical adhesion on mechanical behaviour of bamboo fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 2013, 418, 7 -15.

AMA Style

C.A. Fuentes, Le Quan Ngoc Tran, M. Van Hellemont, V. Janssens, C. Dupont-Gillain, A.W. Van Vuure, I. Verpoest. Effect of physical adhesion on mechanical behaviour of bamboo fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. 2013; 418 ():7-15.

Chicago/Turabian Style

C.A. Fuentes; Le Quan Ngoc Tran; M. Van Hellemont; V. Janssens; C. Dupont-Gillain; A.W. Van Vuure; I. Verpoest. 2013. "Effect of physical adhesion on mechanical behaviour of bamboo fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites." Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 418, no. : 7-15.