Mechanical Performances of Natural Textiles for Eco-Friendly Composite Materials: A Comparative Assessment

Highlights: What are the main findings? The mechanical properties of ten different natural textiles were compared after an all-natural protective treatment referred to as “hornification” process. Hornification-induced changes in the fiber morphology were found by using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). What are the implications of the main findings? After 1 to 5 hornification cycles, some fibers like banana, henequen, coir and sisal increased their strength. The results of this study represent a promising starting point for future evaluations regarding the integration of natural fibers in innovative and fully sustainable composite materials. In the last decades, composite materials made of synthetic fibers embedded in organic or inorganic matrices have been successfully used for strengthening reinforced-concrete and masonry buildings. The scientific community is currently discussing the low sustainability of these materials and their environmental impact due to the production process, the life cycle, and the generation of potentially harmful waste. In this context, the use of natural textiles represents a promising solution, alternative to conventional synthetic fibers, aimed at designing an innovative composite material obtained from renewable resources with no energy consumption and greatly reducing the impact of building activities on the environment. In this paper, an experimental assessment of ten different natural textiles is presented in order to compare their mechanical properties for possible use in innovative, eco-friendly composite materials. Mechanical tensile tests were performed on the ten different textiles before and after an all-natural protective treatment referred to as the “hornification” process. Treatment-induced changes in the fiber morphology were also analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), which provided high-resolution images of the surface and cross-sectional area of the fibers. Considering that the current demand for sustainable building materials capable of ensuring a greener future for the construction industry is on the rise, the promising results obtained in this study could be useful to the academic community and building industry.