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Sustainable hybrid composites, made of two different natural plant fiber types, are increasingly being attracted by composite researchers, for their cost effectiveness and ability to control mechanical performances through varying weight ratios of different fibers. In contrast, their lower mechanical properties are reported in the literature, because of strength variations of different fiber types and an improper fiber‐matrix stress distribution. Therefore, it is aimed to develop sustainable hybrid composites from two dry fiber preforms—woven fabric and short fiber preform—originated from same fiber type (jute). A highly packed short fiber preform is used as the core layer, while woven fabrics (plain/twill–rib/twill–diamond) are used in the skin layers for producing sandwiched hybrid jute composites. Mechanical tests and scanning electron microscopy images show that hybridized plain fabric/short fiber preform composites have better mechanical properties (≈58 MPa tensile strength/≈117 MPa flexural strength/≈112.12 kJm−2 impact strength with an ≈487.4% improvement) compared to other fabric structures hybrid/nonhybrid composites. This enhancement is related to the interlocking of short fibers with long plain fabric leading to a strong fiber‐matrix interfacial bonding. Thus, this developed hybrid composites, can be applied in many semi‐structural applications, wherein composites' low cost and mechanical performances are primary concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose, a naturally abundant biopolymer, holds great potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers. However, the limited understanding and awareness surrounding cellulose utilization, particularly from agricultural origins, have impeded the complete harnessing of this highly biodegradable resource. This study aimed to extract and characterize cellulose from jute and banana fibers. The extracted cellulose exhibits a light yellow to white color, and microscopic analysis of the fibers showed micro‐fibrils. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) characterization indicated that the extracted cellulose from biomass primarily consists of cellulose II structures, except for the treated banana fiber (M:L = 1:8), which contains both cellulose I and II. Moreover, increasing the M:L ratio of alkali treatment enhanced the percentage of cellulose‐II, as observed from the XRD data. The findings of this study carry significant implications for the efficient production of cellulose fibers, with diverse applications spanning from high‐volume products like regenerated fibers, automotive parts, packaging, absorbent products (diapers), textiles, and precast concrete, drug delivery mediums, electronics, additive manufacturing, bone and tissue scaffolding, and so on. This research opens the door to harnessing the potential of cellulose derived from jute and banana fibers in various industries. Highlights: Extraction cellulose using the kraft process.Isolated cellulose shows a micron‐sized structure.Optimal extraction achieved with M:L ratio of 1:4.Applications of isolated cellulose: regenerated fibers, packaging, absorbent products (diapers), textiles, and so on. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers have compared natural jute fiber to synthetic fibers due to their distinct physical and mechanical properties, which have been recognized for decades. Jute fibers are a very versatile type of vegetable fibers widely used in structural composites and it has also shown potential in various applications such as nanoparticles, building interior, and automotive components. However, designing jute composite parts is a challenging task due to plant origin, growth conditions, age, stem location, extraction method, and non‐uniform fiber cross section. The current review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on jute fiber and its composites of water and moisture absorption behavior on their performance. The most relevant findings regarding jute fiber water and moisture absorption characteristics have been summarized and analyzed in this review paper. In addition, this article presents an overview of the main characteristics of jute fibers, several parameters influencing the characteristics of jute fibers, jute fiber reinforcement composites, impact of relative humidity, swelling properties on jute fiber composite materials, and potential future research areas are also highlighted. Highlights: Higher growing interest of researchers for jute fiberFactors affecting the properties of jute fibersVarious way of making jute fiber reinforced compositesInfluence of moisture on its propertiesPresent and future areas of its upgradation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) is the second most important natural plant fiber source after cotton. However, developing an efficient gene editing system for jute remains a challenge. In this study, the transgenic hairy root system mediated by Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain K599 was developed for Meifeng 4, an elite jute variety widely cultivated in China. The transgenic hairy root system for jute was verified by subcellular localization and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. The CHLOROPLASTOS ALTERADOS 1 (CcCLA1) gene, which is involved in the development of chloroplasts, was targeted for editing at two sites in Meifeng 4. Based on this hairy root transformation, the gRNA scaffold was placed under the control of cotton ubiquitin GhU6.7 and -GhU6.9 promoters, respectively, to assess the efficiency of gene editing. Results indicated the 50.0% (GhU6.7) and 38.5% (GhU6.9) editing events in the target 2 alleles (gRNA2), but no mutation was detected in the target 1 allele (gRNA1) in transgenic-positive hairy roots. CcCLA1 gene editing at gRNA2 under the control of GhU6.7 in Meifeng 4 was also carried out by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Two CcCLA1 mutants were albinic, with a gene editing efficiency of 5.3%. These findings confirm that the CRISPR/Cas9 system, incorporating promoter GhU6.7, can be used as a gene editing tool for jute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the special multi‐layered structure of plant fiber, jute fiber reinforced composite is sensitive to water. Its mechanical properties will be significantly decreased after water aging. In this paper, alumina ceramic particles are added into jute fiber reinforced composite to improve its water aging resistance and viscoelastic properties. Effects of temperature, vibration frequency and loading time on the viscoelastic properties of the composite before and after water aging are measured. Reversible and irreversible performances degradation caused by water aging is investigated. The results show that ceramic particles can effectively improve the viscoelastic properties of the composite. The storage modulus and relaxation modulus of the composite increase with the particle content, but the strength decreases due to the stress concentration caused by the particles. Therefore, filler content between 10%–30% is more suitable. It is also noticed that its mechanical properties partially recover after redry. Plasticization of the matrix can be reversed after water is removed, but hydrolysis of the matrix and interface damage are irreversible. In addition, a practical Fractional Differential Kelvin Model is established to predict the viscoelastic behavior of jute fiber reinforced composite filled with alumina ceramic particles, and the fitting results agree well with test data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute (Corchorus Olitorius) universally recognized as a golden fiber is one of the important cash crops in eastern India. In jute plants apart from fiber, sticks also have diversified applications in various sectors. Therefore, an advanced fiber extraction machinery that can extract fiber through ribbon retting without breaking sticks is the need of the hour for jute-growing farmers. In the present study, a gender-friendly power ribboner has been designed, simulated, and developed by considering the anthropometric data of both male and female operators. The developed prototype consists of a pair of fluted crushing rollers with pressure absorbing unit, a pair of peeling rollers, a fiber conveyor, power transmission unit, and an electric motor. The structural analysis of the designed fluted crushing rollers showed that the designed model and selected material (nylon 66/6) can withstand 10 times more load than the actual. At the optimized conditions throughput capacity, extraction capacity, extraction efficiency, and ribbon losses of the developed prototype were obtained as 227 kg/h, 116 kg/h, 92.95%, and 5.3% respectively, while the overall desirability of 0.966 was achieved. Furthermore, with the adaptation of the developed machine, jute farmers can get approximately Rs. 525/quintal or 12% more income than the conventional practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial neural networks (ANN) and response surface method (RSM) modeling were used to study the effect of water absorption on the behavior of jute (JF/epoxy) and sisal (SF/epoxy) biocomposite. The specimens were laminated with short fibers of different lengths (5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm) of jute and sisal until saturation lasted about 25 days. The kinetic behavior of water uptake was recorded and then compared to the curves predicted by the two models. The results showed that the water absorption of the jute and sisal biocomposites was fairly lower for the 5 mm length compared to the 10 mm and 15 mm lengths. The optimized solution is attained with 1.00 desirability for 14.73 mm fiber length and 482.85 h immersion time. The RSM model error percentages were higher than the ANN model indicating better accuracy in predicting the water uptake of biocomposites by the ANN model compared to RSM. The results of this investigation offer benefits for the application of jute and sisal fiber biocomposites at the elaboration and application stage; it is easy for engineers to identify the swelling factor of these biocomposites without the need for experiments, thus avoiding costs and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute and allied fibres viz., mesta including kenaf, roselle, ramie, sunhemp, sisal and flax are important industrial crops and the sources of livelihood of about 4 million farm families and supports direct employment to about 3.7 lakh workers. They accounted for about 0.36%, 0.51% and 0.45 of the gross-, net cropped area and total arable land, respectively, in India during 2018-19. The contribution of jute crop to the global acreage and production during 2018 was 49.4% and 53.7%, respectively. Its contribution to global production was reduced to 50.5% during 2019. The present paper analyses the growth of jute and allied crops during 1950-51 to 2020-21; scenario of area, production and yield; breeding and seed production during 2010-11-2021-22. The Compound Annual Growth rate was 0.21%, 1.52% and 1.31%, respectively, for area, production and yield during 1950-51 to 2020-21. The area and production of jute and allied fibres have decreased substantially during the last 12 years despite the enhancement of yield ha-1 from 2197 kg ha-1 in 2010-11 to 2709 kg ha-1 in 2021-22. Of the total 310 varieties of fibre crops (including cotton) released and notified during 2011-23, 43 were of these crops. In jute, leading varieties in the seed chain contributing highest to the breeder seed indent, such as Navin, Suren (JRO 204) and JRO 128 were old released during 1978, 2007 and 2002, respectively, and very old varieties released up to 1995 had a considerably high share in breeder seed indent during 2021-22. During the period under study (2014-15 to 2021-22), there was no indent for breeder seed production of mesta except in 2016-17 and 2021-22 and against the indent of 0.5 q for two varieties, Satyen (JRKM 9-1, released in 2016) and Central Kenaf 2 (JBMP 2, released in 2016), 1.7 q breeder seed was produced during 2016-17. But, during 2021-22 only 22 kg breeder seed against the indent of 9 kg for three varieties HC7910 (Ujjal), released during 1977; HS 4288, released during 1967 and JRM 5 (Shrestha), released during 2010, was produced. In sunhemp, only five varieties, SUIN 037, SUIN 053, JRG 610 (Prankur), PAU 1691 and Chhindwara 1 (Jabalpur 1) were indented for breeder seed production from 2016-17 to 2021-22 released during 2013, 2009, 2015, 2008 and 1973, respectively. Therefore, old varieties for jute and sunhemp need to be replaced in the seed chain. However, no systematic seed production is being followed for other fibre crops like mesta, ramie, sisal and flax. Public sector organizations contributed only up to 30% of the seed requirement of jute in the country. Therefore, there is an urgent need to increase the share of the public sector in seed production to ensure 'seed security' as well as its affordability and timely availability. The possibility should also be explored for jute seed production in areas close to the proximity to the area of cultivation by incentivizing seed production. Systematic seed/planting materials production of other crops such as ramie, sisal and flax that have very low acreage but important fibre crops with specific niches of cultivation should also be initiated / strengthened to ensure availability of quality seed/planting materials to the farmers. Since these are industrial crops, therefore, there is an urgent need to develop linkages with private sector especially textile industry, Farmers' Producing Organizations and Non-Government Organizations for enhancing production of seed/planting materials and also expanding them in new niches by developing suitable models and incentivizing production of fibres from these crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable development in construction field enhances the usage of renewable materials in concrete. In this paper an effort is made to characterize and utilize such renewable materials as an alternative material to wooden construction products. Natural plant fibers such as Jute fiber and banana fiber are used for this purpose. In addition to this, industrial wastes such as Fly ash (FA) and Groundnut shell ash (GNSA) have been used for manufacturing value added composite materials. This research work aims to introduce an alternative to wood usage which will promote forest conservation, to reduce industrial waste deposits, and to enhance environmental protection. The inclusion of banana fiber, jute fiber and natural resin resulted in the reduction of water absorption from 24% to 1.2% and 12 times improvement in the mechanical behavior when compared to particle board and teak wood. Adding groundnut ash showed improved abrasion resistance by 1.25 times. The proposed composite material reinforced with natural fiber and industrial waste has superior mechanical properties, better resistance to water absorption, wear and tear effect, and fire and weathering effects and also acts as a cost and energy effective material than the particle board and teak wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: This paper proposes several quality marker regions that could enable fast FT-IR qualitative screening of lignocellulosic compounds in raw materials such as stems of fiber plants. Plant fibers are sustainable sources of materials for many industries, and can be obtained from a variety of plants. Cellulose is the main constituent of plant-based fibers, and its properties give the characteristics of the fibers obtained. Detailed characterization of cellulosic fibers is often performed after lengthy extraction procedures, while fast screening might bring the benefit of quick qualitative assessment of unprocessed stems. The aim of this research was to define some marker spectral regions that could serve for fast, preliminary qualitative characterization of unprocessed stems from some textile plants through a practical and minimally invasive method without lengthy extraction procedures. This could serve as a screening method for sorting raw materials by providing an accurate overall fingerprint of chemical composition. For this purpose, we conducted comparative Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) prospecting for quality markers in stems of flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), velvet leaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medik.), hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) and jute (Corchorus olitorius L.). Analysis confirmed the presence of major components in the stems of the studied plants. Fingerprint regions for cellulose signals were attributed to bands at 1420–1428 cm−1 assigned to the crystalline region and 896–898 cm−1 assigned to the amorphous region of cellulose. The optimization of characterization methods for raw materials is important and can find immediate practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to resolve the contradiction of poor compatibility between plant fiber and cement-based materials and improve the toughness and durability of cement-based composites, this paper takes jute fiber cement-based composites as the research object, and proposes the pretreatment method of jute fiber through mass loss rate and water absorption test. The influence of pretreated jute fiber on the properties of cement-based composites was investigated by means of mechanical properties and frost resistance tests. The strengthening mechanism of jute fiber in the pre-treatment of cement-based composite materials was revealed from a microscopic perspective using scanning electron microscopy and mercury porosimetry. The results indicate that the quality loss rate of jute fiber soaked in hot alkali solution (60 ℃, 4% NaOH solution) was the largest, which was 37.94%. After dipping in 10% chloroprene latex, the fiber water absorption was the smallest, which was 0.93%. Therefore, the jute fiber was pretreated by the combination of hot alkali solution soaking and chloroprene latex impregnation. The pretreatment of fibers will reduce the fluidity of the composites, but has little influence on the setting time of the composites. The flexural strength, splitting tensile strength, dry shrinkage and frost resistance of the composites are significantly improved by the pretreatment fiber, but the compressive strength is slightly insufficient. The jute fiber after pretreatment can achieve reinforcement, crack resistance and toughening, reduce the porosity of cement-based composites, and optimize the pore structure inside the cement-based composites. • A new type of plant fiber reinforced cement-based composite was developed. • Pretreatment of jute fiber can effectively improve the toughness and frost resistance of composites. • Pretreatment of jute fiber optimizes the porosity and pore distribution of cement-based composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High‐strength concrete often suffers from brittleness, so the addition of fibers is an effective way to improve its performance. In this study, jute plant fiber was added to high‐strength concrete, and the application method, content, and influence on the mechanical properties were explored. An orthogonal test was used alongside physical and mechanical analyses to test the compressive and tensile strength of 28‐day‐old jute fiber‐reinforced concrete specimens, and the optimum length and content ratio of jute fiber were determined. By comparing and analyzing the mechanical properties of C60 concrete with and without jute fiber, it was found that the jute fiber gave obvious improvements to the tensile–compression ratio. By using scanning electron microscopy, the distribution of jute fibers in concrete and the reinforcement mechanism were analyzed. The strengthening, toughening, and cracking resistance effects of jute fibers in high‐strength concrete were revealed from a microscopic point of view. This study provides a reference and basis for the study of high‐strength concrete using environmentally friendly plant fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute fibre is the second most important fibre next to cotton. It is obtained from the bark of plant through microbial retting process. Here we report optimized microbial retting protocol that can lower retting period and produce high fibre quality. A total of 451 bacterial colonies have been isolated from five jute retting water samples in Bangladesh. Higher pectinolytic bacterial isolates were predominant in the later stage of jute retting. Out of these, 168 isolates have been screened by both semi-quantitative and quantitative pectinase, xylanase and cellulase enzyme assay. Among them, 144 isolates have been selected on the basis of extra cellular enzyme activity of these three enzymes. 16 s ribosomal gene sequencing analysis identified 2 phyla- Firmicutis (80.55%) and Proteobacteria (19.45%). To check the synergistic and antagonistic effect 10 selected isolates were tested in 167 different combinations. Three best combinations were identified that lowered retting period from 18–21 days to 10 days producing high quality fibre in both laboratory and field trial. This improved retting technology can be adopted in industrial scale for the production of quality jute fibre in a controlled condition in reduced water quantity without polluting the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Among the natural fibers, jute stands out for its characteristics. However, the adhesion between the fibers and the polymer matrix is limited and, therefore, physicochemical changes to the fiber surface are required. In this paper, the effects of physicochemical treatments on jute fibers were analyzed. We found alkaline treatment to be the most widespread and the use of chemical agents allows a greater addition of fiber to polymer matrices. Nevertheless, these treatments produce a lot of waste, increase the cost of production, and use toxic compounds. An environmentally friendly alternative is the application of irradiation to improve adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is thought that hydroxyl groups of plant fiber may react with isocyanate groups during the preparation of plant fiber-reinforced polyurethane composite, resulting in good interfacial bonding. In this work, jute fiber was reacted with polymethane polyphenyl isocyanate (pMDI) under different conditions, and the degree of reaction was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and elemental analysis. The degree of reaction largely depended on the accessibility of the hydroxyl groups of the jute fibers and it increased with the reaction time and temperature. Thus, to obtain good interfacial bonding sufficient reaction time and a proper high temperature should be provided for the reaction of plant fiber with an isocyanate component in the preparation of plant fiber-reinforced polyurethane composites. The activity of catalyst also had a significant effect on the reaction of jute fiber with pMDI. The alkali-treated jute fiber presented clearly lower reactivity to pMDI than the raw fiber for the hydroxyl groups of the former fiber were less assessible. When pMDI reacted with the raw fiber, isocyanate groups primarily reacted with the hydroxyl groups of hemicellulose covering its surface, which might result in interfacial debonding between the hemicellulose molecules bonded to matrix and those adhered by van der Waals forces in raw fiber-reinforced polyurethane composite. When jute fiber reacted with pMDI at room temperature with no catalyst, the reaction rate was extremely low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two types of composites: (1) pineapple fabric reinforced polyester resin (pineapple/PR) and (2) jute fabric reinforced polyester resin (jute/PR) were prepared and the mechanical properties investigated for various gamma radiation doses ranging from 100-500 krad. Properties like tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation-at-break, bending strength, bending modulus and impact strength were increased significantly by 19%, 32%, 45%, 32%, 47% and 20%, respectively, at a dose of 300 krad for pineapple/PR, and by 47%, 49%, 42%, 45%, 52% and 65%, respectively, at a dose of 200 krad for the jute/PR composite in comparison to the non-irradiated composite. Gamma radiation improved the mechanical properties, but overdoses of radiation even caused a reduction in them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Micro/nanofibrils increased water absorption and apparent void volume. • 2.0% of micro/nanofibrils increased toughness values. • 2% of micro/nanofibrils showed higher values of LOP, MOR and toughness. • Fibers and micro/nanofibrils presented higher performance than control after natural weathering. • Vibration frequencies identified the increases in modulus of elasticity with the exposure to weather. Abstract Driven by the growing environmental concerns, vegetable fibers have been used in order to partially replace conventional synthetic fibers as reinforcement in composites. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of jute fibers and micro/nanofibrils (submicron elements) as reinforcement in extruded fiber-cement composites. The jute micro/nanofibrils were generated through 30 cycles of defibrillation in a SuperMasscolloider grinder. Composites extruded with 0.5%, 1.0% and 2.0% (by mass) of the resultant micro/nanofibrils were compared with composites made with the same mass proportions of the starting jute fibers (∼3 mm length). The composites were subjected to 28 days of curing, to laboratory and natural weathering before being analyzed about their physical properties, static and dynamic bending, and microstructural characterization. The dynamic modulus of elasticity of the weathering exposed composites increased gradually over time, showing that the fiber-cements became stiffer with weathering exposure. Composites reinforced with jute micro/nanofibrils, in general, presented higher mechanical performance, even when under natural weathering exposition, and showed potential for future utilization in fiber-cement composites for civil engineering or other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute ( Corchorus spp.) is one of the most commercially important bast fiber crops in the world. However, molecular markers and high-density genetic maps are still lacking on jute compared with other crops. Insertion/deletion (InDel) markers, one of the most abundant sources of DNA/RNA variations in plant genomes, can easily be distinguished among different accessions using high-throughput sequencing. Using three transcriptome datasets, we identified and developed InDel markers. Altogether, 51 172 InDel sites in 18 800 unigenes were discovered, and the number of InDel loci per unigene varied from 1 to 31. Further, we found 94 InDel types, varying from 1 to 159 bp; the most common were single-nucleotide (23 028), binucleotide (9824), and trinucleotide (9182). In total, 49 563 InDels in 18 445 transcripts were discovered in the comparison between TC and YG, followed by 48 934 InDels in 18 408 transcripts between NY and YG, and 3570 InDels in 2701 unigenes between NY and TC. Additionally, there were 1273 InDel sites in 1129 unigenes with polymorphisms between any two of the three accessions. Twenty-nine (58%) primer pairs represented polymorphisms when compared to the jute accessions, and PIC varied from 0.340 to 0.680, with an average of 0.491. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of composite materials, particularly those reinforced with vegetable fibres, presents additional challenges, like the influence of the manufacturing process, fibre-matrix adhesion problems, progressive stiffness reduction or material degradation due to environmental elements (moisture, heat and UV) exposure. The present work studies the suitability of inverse characterization, based on modal properties, to determine the mechanical properties of jute fibre-reinforced composite plates, subjected to environmental exposure to simulate outdoors application conditions. With this method both the elastic and the damping properties of composite specimens are found, which highlights its great usefulness in the prediction of mechanical properties. It was found that this non-destructive method can better estimate material properties than the rule of mixtures, reflecting manufacturing, processing conditions and also the influence of moisture absorption and UV degradation on the mechanical properties of these natural fibre composites. This method is an important tool since it can be performed in the final parts where the results account for all external influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ready-made garment (RMG) industries in Bangladesh have become very competitive to cope with the competitors. The performance of this sector has attracted many countries to invest their money safely here and also earns foreign currency by exporting different materials like jute yarn. Jute yarn is a spun material which is prepared to use for weaving, knitting, sewing threads, carpets, carrying bags etc. In fiscal year 2015-16, according to data from Bangladesh's Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh has earned $559 million by exporting jute yarn and twine. To meet the growing demand of jute yarn worldwide, Bangladesh still has lots of possibilities to earn huge amount of foreign currency by improving the quality. It's a persistent need for Bangladeshi local jute yarn manufacturers to come forward, seek possibilities for improving quality, and fulfill the worldwide demand. The paper focuses on the application of AHP based QFD approach on a manufacturing company to improve its quality of product & improving the level of customer satisfaction. The paper shows how customer requirements can be identified and used them to prioritize the design requirements for improving quality of jute yarn. Here, AHP is integrated into house of quality (HOQ) that can be guide for overcoming the pitfalls of traditional QFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nine tossa jute parents and their 36 F1's produced through 9 x 9 half diallel cross, were raised in five environments (five different dates of sowing) viz. 11th, 18th and 25th April and 2th and 9th May, 2012, in a randomized block design with three replications. The nine parents along with their 36 F1's were evaluated for fibre yield and quality traits at the Instructional Farm of Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal during the pre-kharif and kharif seasons of 2012. The objectives of the study were to estimate the stability of the 36 F1's and the 9 parents for fibre yield and quality traits under different environments. The variance due to G × E showed significant interaction for all the traits except fibre percentage, indicating differential response of genotypes to different environments. Among the nine parents and 36 crosses, the parent (JRO 128) and cross (OIN 574 × JRO 128) were well adapted to all the five environments. The parents JRO 620 and JRO 878 for fibre yield and OIN 028 for fibre fineness and crosses OIJ 015 × OIN 028, OIJ 015 × OIJ 267, OIJ 015 × JRO 878, OIN 574 × JRO 878, OIN 580 × OIJ 267, OIN 580 × JRO 878 and JRO 620 × OIJ 267 for fibre yield, OIN 028 × OIN 580, OIN 580 × JRO 128 and JRO 128 × JRO 878 for fibre tenacity and OIN 217 × OIN 574 for fibre fineness, were stable under unfavourable environments. The crosses OIJ 015 × OIN 574 and OIN 028 × JRO 878 were found to be adaptable to favourable environments for both fibre yield per hectare and fibre tenacity. The parent JRO 620 and the crosses OIJ 015 × JRO 878, OIN 574 × OIN 580 and JRO 620 × JRO 878 for fibre yield, the parent JRO 128 and the crosses OIJ 015 × OIN 574 and OIN 028 × JRO 878 for fibre tenacity and the parent JRO 620 and the crosses OIN 028 × OIN 574, OIN 028 × JRO 878, OIN 580 × OIJ 267 and OIJ 267 × JRO 128 for fibre fineness, performed well in all the five environments on the basis of AMMI 1 and AMMI 2 biplot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel treatment on plant fibers is presented and its effect on the mechanical properties and water absorption of vinyl ester matrix composites is analyzed. The treated fibers used in this study consisted in alkaline-treated jute fibers and alkaline-treated jute fibers coated with polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Bending tests and IZOD impact tests were performed to evaluate the mechanical performance of the composites. The samples were immersed in water (at room temperature and at 80℃) and the water sorption and flexural modulus were measured in time. Flexural strength and impact energy were measured on dry specimens and the detrimental effect of water on those properties was evaluated by testing the samples after the immersion tests. The composites manufactured with alkali-treated fibers coated with PHB showed the best performance in terms of water absorption and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of alkali treatment on the jute fabrics and its influence on jute composites properties has been studied. The plain woven jute fabrics were manufactured using handloom. The alkali treatment was optimized using Box and Benkhen experimental design using time, temperature and concentration as independent variables and water absorbency, weight loss percentage as dependent variables. The fabric treated with optimized condition of 5% NaOH for 4 h at 30 °C was made into a composite of [0°]4lay-up sequence by means of compression moulding technique using vinyl ester resin. The composites were characterized for various mechanical properties such as tensile, flexural and impact strength. It is observed from the results that the alkali-treated samples show increased mechanical properties of the composites which may be due to the better adhesion between the fabric and the resin because of the removal of lignin and hemicellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In present investigation, the three-body abrasive wear behavior of short jute fiber reinforced epoxy composites was studied. The effect of various parameters such as fiber loading, sliding velocity, normal load, and abrasive size on the abrasive wear rate of composite has been analyzed. Abrasive wear study has been carried out using a dry sand/rubber wheel abrasion tester. The abrasive wear and friction characteristics of these composites are analyzed successfully using Taguchi orthogonal array and analysis of variance. The experimental study reveals that sliding velocity, fiber loading, and abrasive size have greater influence on the specific wear rate of the composites. The results show that the specific wear rate of the composites decreases with the increase in sliding velocity whereas, with the increase in normal load the specific wear rate increases. The study also revealed that the coefficient of friction of the composites increases up to a certain value than decreases with the increase in normal load as well as sliding velocity. The worn surfaces of the abraded specimens were examined using SEM to understand the mechanism involved in material removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jute retting process is one of the important responsible factors for quality of jute fiber. Scarcity of jute retting water in some areas of Bangladesh is one of the major issues. The main purpose of this study was provided information about the status of present jute retting process as well as mentioned the advantages and disadvantages of different jute retting processes. Data about traditional jute retting process and ribbon retting process were collected through personal interview of jute growers. The farmers are involved in jute cultivation and majority of them use the traditional method and time consuming approach of retting in ponds/canals. The traditional method hampers the quality of the jute fiber, fish cultivation and pollutes the environment as it decomposes bio-mass. For minimizing the problems of jute retting process, the farmers are now more interested on ribbon retting process. Therefore, forgetting quality jute fiber, a low cost ribbon retting technique is essential and farmers could able to produce high quality jute fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simplified model of a filled-in jute bag in the form of composite shell of three segments, each of which is generated by surface of revolution, is assumed. The development and distribution of stresses in the different portions of the composite shell under the action of uniform internal pressure is calculated using membrane theory. The portion subjected to maximum stress and the controlling factors in the failure of bag, such as bag dimension and width/length ratio of bag, are identified. These findings corroborate the observations related to failure of filled jute bags in actual use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, advanced plant fiber reinforced composites have captured the attention of many important manufacturing sectors such as the construction, automotive, and packaging industries. Recently, Jute fiber reinforced composites have replaced the most widely used synthetic fiber (glass, kevlar) reinforced composites in many applications. However, only few studies have been done on the tribological behavior of woven Jute fabric reinforced polypropylene composite material. In the present experimental endeavor, compression molding is used for the preparation of Jute-reinforced polypropylene composites. The effect of Jute fabric reinforcement on the resulting composite's behavior under friction was investigated. The tribological behavior was assessed with a computerized pin-on-disc wear and friction tester at an operating dry condition and different working parameters of sliding speed (1–3 m/s), applied load (10–30 N), and sliding distance (1000–3000 m). SEM has been utilized to support the discussion of the outcomes. The results revealed that, the addition of woven Jute fabric into PP matrix increases the wear resistance properties of polypropylene based composites as there was 3.5 - 45% reduction in coefficient of friction values and a decrease by 65% in the r specific wear rate on account of the incorporation of the Jute fabric as reinforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pigs may display biting behavior directed at pen mates, resulting in body damage such as tail wounds. We assessed the suitability of jute sacks (hung vertically at wall) to reduce biting behaviors and tail wounds in rearing gilts. Additionally, we assessed several characteristics of different types of tail biters. Tail docked rearing gilts originated from 72 litters, which were kept in partly slatted pens with jute sacks (J) or barren control pens (CON; 36 litters per treatment). Tail and ear damage were observed at weaning (4 wk) and during the weaner and rearing phase (17 J and 19 CON pens). Sow (dam) damage was also considered. Biting behaviors (tail, ear, and other) were observed during the weaner and rearing phase. Weight was recorded at birth, weaning, and end of the weaner phase and ADG was calculated from birth till weaning and from weaning till 9 wk. Furthermore, estimated breeding values for litter size, litter birth weight, back fat, and growth between birth and ~105 kg, and ~25 to 105 kg were determined. Jute sacks reduced tail and ear damage at weaning (both P < 0.001) and tended to reduce sow tail damage (P = 0.09). Jute sacks also reduced tail damage post-weaning (P < 0.001 to 0.03), with a 5-fold reduction of (mild) tail wounds at the age of 13 wk. Biting behaviors directed at pen mates were up to 50% lower in J pens (P < 0.001 to 0.04). Higher genotypic litter size, litter birth weight, growth, and lower back fat seemed associated with higher levels of ear or tail-biting behavior (P = 0.002 to 0.09), albeit dependent on treatment and phase. Higher phenotypic litter sizes were associated with higher levels of biting behaviors (P = 0.004-0.08). High-tail-biters and Medium-tail-biters (the latter less pronounced) stemmed from larger litters (P = 0.01 to 0.05), were heavier (P = 0.03 to 0.04), grew faster (P = 0.05 to 0.08), and displayed higher levels of all kinds of biting behavior directed to pen mates and the jute sack (P < 0.001 to 0.10) compared with non-tail-biters, the effect size dependent on treatment and phase of life. To conclude, jute sacks may profoundly reduce damaging behaviors and tail wounds in rearing gilts, probably because they partly meet the behavioral need of pigs for rooting and chewing. Furthermore, (tail) biting is associated with production level of the gilts (phenotypically and genetically), which suggests a role for breeding programs and additional research focusing on metabolic demands of (tail) biting pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant and animal fibers are getting recognition from researchers and academicians as a potential reinforcement for polymer composites due to their ecofriendly nature and sustainability. In the present study, the fabrication has been carried out on Jute and Vetiver fiber reinforced Epoxy composites using hand lay-up technique with a varying mass of the fibers in epoxy and matrix modifier graphite which has been fixed by weight. The mechanical (tensile, flexural and hardness test), and physical properties (water absorption [WA] and moisture content behavior) of developed composites are determined. The results obtained from performed test show that tensile strength of around 212.96 MPa was achieved for 6 wt% of Vetiver, the flexural strength of around 266.267 MPa, and the Rockwell hardness is 70.08. The WA is found maximum for Vetiver, and Jute fiber reinforced epoxy composite in the sample with 8% Vetiver and 22% of Jute fiber of composite. Scanning Electron Microscopy micrographs clearly show the incompatibility of Vetiver fiber with Epoxy matrix, easily understood with pull out of Vetiver fibers from the matrix. The continuous fiber was used which is equal to the length of the casting, therefore, even due to debonding, fracture of Vetiver fibers occurred more than pull-out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, technologies had used for development of various textile products to meet the consumer demands in different fields as per their end-use specifications. The market sustainability of the each new product mainly depends on the raw material as well as functionality. A functional finishing decides the end-use of the products as well as enhances the life of the products. Jute is one of the important natural cellulosic fibers and mainly used for sacking and packaging, rather than it has many advantageous properties. Similar to cotton, jute fiber has the potential to impart different functionality by different chemical finishing for its diversification. This paper reviews the functional finishing on jute textiles with special reference to softening, crease resistant, fire retardant, and hygiene for the satisfaction of the consumer's demand are reviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Lignocellulosic bast fibers (e.g., jute, kenaf hemp, and ramie) are one of the most important renewable carbon-neutral natural resources for various industrial applications. This review gives an outline of bast fibers biogenesis with special emphasis on the cell wall and wall polymers. Role of these molecules in influencing the quality, of the bast fiber has been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six quality, parameters of jute fibers, that is, strength, defect, root content, color, fineness, and bulk density are regarded as the criteria for grading of raw jute. The relative weights for different criteria are estimated using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The criteria such as strength, root content, and fineness are measured experimentally, whereas defect, color, and bulk density are determined subjectively. The 10 Tossa jute lots are ranked based on the TOPSIS method of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM). The ranking of jute attained by this method shows a significant agreement with that of traditional method as practiced in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of temperature, pressure and treatment time on impact strength property of short jute fibre reinforced polypropylene composite board has been studied. Composite boards have been prepared from the web by using compression moulding technique. The best impact strength properties are observed if the composite board is manufactured by using low temperature (165°C), pressure (8.13 bar) and treatment time (3 min). The R² is found to be 0.89. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrical resistance of jute needle-punched non-woven fabric has been studied. Statistical model using central composite rotatable experimental design is developed for electrical resistance depending on the three important parameters of needled non-woven fabric, i.e. punch density, depth of needle penetration and mass per unit area. From this model and its contour diagrams, the effects of different parameters can be understood on electrical resistance of those fabrics. Prediction of electrical resistance can be made knowing the values of independent parameters. The correlation coefficients between observed and predicted values are found to be significant in all the cases. As depth of needle penetration increases for a particular punch density, electrical resistance increases and after reaching to maximum, it decreases having optimum at about 140 punches/cm2 and 12 mm depth of needle penetration. With the increase of area density, resistance decreases. As punch density increases for a particular area density, resistance increases for high needle penetration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effects of fiber surface modification and hybrid fiber composition on the properties of the composites is presented. Jute fibers are cellulose rich (>65%) modified by alkali treatment, while the lignin rich (>40%) coconut coir fibers consist in creating quinones by oxidation with sodium chlorite in the lignin portions of fiber and react them with furfuryl alcohol (FA) to create a coating around the fiber more compatible with the epoxy resins used to prepare polymer composites. The maximum improvement on the properties was achieved for the hybrid composite containing the jute-coir content of 50 : 50. The tensile and flexural strength are recorded as 25 and 63 MPa at modified coir fiber content of 50 vol %, respectively, which are 78% and 61% higher than those obtained for unmodified fiber reinforced composites, i.e., tensile and flexural strength are 14 and 39 MPa, respectively. The reinforcement of the modified fiber was significantly enhanced the thermal stability of the composites. SEM features correlated satisfactorily with the mechanical properties of modified fiber reinforced hybrid composites. SEM analysis and water absorption measurements have confirmed the FA-grafting and shown a better compatibility at the interface between chemically modified fiber bundles and epoxy novolac resin. Hailwood-Horrobin model was used to predict the moisture sorption behavior of the hybrid composite systems. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of surface modification of jute fibers and nanoclay on jute–biopol green composites are evaluated by the thermal and interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) characterizations. Four subsequent chemical treatments including detergent washing, dewaxing, alkali treatment, and acetic acid treatment were performed to facilitate better bonding between the fiber and matrix. The scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy study confirmed improved fiber surfaces for better adhesion with matrix after final treatment. Enhanced thermal performance and tensile properties were obtained due to chemical treatments. Montmorillonite K10 nanoclay (2–4 wt.%) was dispersed into a biodegradable polymer, biopol, using solution intercalation technique and magnetic stirring. Nanoclay-infused biopol resulted in 7% improvement in the degree of crystallinity over the neat biopol. Jute fiber-reinforced biopol biocomposites with and without nanoclay were produced using treated and untreated jute fibers by the compression molding process. Treated jute fiber-reinforced biopol composites (TJBC) without nanoclay showed 5% and 9% increases in decomposition temperature and storage modulus, respectively, and 19% decrease in coefficient of thermal expansion compared to untreated jute fiber-reinforced biopol composites (UTJBC). The respective values were 5%, 100%, and 45% for 4% nanoclay-infused TJBC compared to UTJBC without nanoclay. ILSS evaluated by the short-beam shear tests, improved by 20% in the TJBC compared to the UTJBC. Incorporation of 4 wt.% nanoclay in TJBC further improved the ILSS by 22% compared to that of TJBC without nanoclay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Underwater shock wave loading has been implemented on various metals, foods and wood. The main goal of this study is to investigate the performance of unbleached jute fiber in terms of underwater shock wave loading and fiber surface parameters. The input short wave loading is varied by shock pressure. The underwater shock wave is generated by the explosion of a detonating fuse in the water tank. The process of bubble generation and expansion inside the water results in the formation of shock waves. After shock loading, jute fiber is taken for physico-mechanical and physico-chemical testing, such as those for breaking strength, elongation, moisture content, wicking, permeability, etc. The effects on jute fiber exposed by the underwater shock waves are also demonstrated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The maximum effect is observed at 100 MPa. Jute fiber treated by underwater shock waves shows improved moisture content and dye permeability than that of untreated jute fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of fiber yield and quality are essential in jute breeding program. Plant height and basal diameter are moderately reliable indicators of fiber yield in jute, but these characters are not useful to judge fiber quality owing to the large variability of fiber contents and fiber bundle structure which is again dependent on retting condition. Fiber anatomical characters are useful indicators for judging fiber yield and quality, but are rarely used in breeding programs. A rapid method for screening white jute (Corchorus capsularis) is described and the usefulness of fiber anatomy characters for predicting fiber yield was studied in comparison to morphological characters. Results indicate that fiber anatomical characters are highly suitable for predicting fiber yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new type of digital instrument has been developed using the resistance measurement method with a new concept of built-in lookup table form, which has been proved as more accurate than other available moisture meters. The operations are controlled by a microprocessor unit and provide the result on a digital display. The test is non-destructive and process of sample preparation is free from human errors. The same instrument can also be used for other fibres simply by changing the lookup table for that particular fibre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statistical models, using central composite rotatable experimental design, have been developed to predict sound transmission loss of jute needle-punched nonwoven fabric based on the three important parameters, namely needling density, depth of needle penetration and mass per unit area. From this model and its contour diagrams, the simultaneous effects of these parameters can be understood and prediction of sound transmission loss can be made knowing the values of independent parameters. The correlation coefficient between observed and predicted values is 0.94. The maximum sound loss is achieved for 14-15 mm depth of needle penetration, whereas the minimum sound loss is observed for area density 650 g/m² and punch density 180 punches/cm². [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fibers are characterized by large variation in their cross-section, both between fibers and along the length in any single “technical” fiber. This short communication describes an attempt to fully characterize the fiber cross-sectional area using single sample measurements from several fibers. This should enable an improved determination of mechanical properties of natural fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal behaviour, fire resistance and mechanical properties of jute-reinforced composites with vinylester and resol matrix were studied. Organically modified clay was added to the polymeric matrix in order to enhance the properties of the composites. An inhomogeneous distribution of the nanoreinforcement in the polymer was observed by X-ray diffraction. Thermogravimetric analyses revealed that the addition of clay to the resol resin by sonication enhanced the thermal resistance of the jute-reinforced composite at temperatures higher than 300°C. The fire resistance of the composites was evaluated by means of a cone calorimeter. A diminution in the peak of the heat release rate was observed when clay was added to the polymeric matrix. On the other hand, neither the time to ignition nor the total heat evolved was significantly reduced by the clay addition. Additionally, an increment in the flexural modulus as well as in the flexural strength of the resol composites was observed when the clay was added to the matrix. The fiber–matrix interface of the composites was studied by scanning electron microscopy. It was observed that as the clay dispersion degree was increased the interface quality was diminished in the resol composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]