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A review of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata): application, fibre characterisation and composites

M.R.M. Huzaifah (Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)
S.M. Sapuan (Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)
Z. Leman (Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)
M.R. Ishak (Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia)
M.A. Maleque (International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures

ISSN: 1573-6105

Article publication date: 4 October 2017

Issue publication date: 9 November 2017

534

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the review of natural fibre composites as well as a specific type of fibre, i.e., sugar palm fibre and its composites.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this review paper is to present previous work on natural fibres and their composites. Then a review of several important aspects such as history, origin, botanic description, distribution, application and characterisation of sugar palm tree, and its fibre is presented. Finally a review of properties and characterisation of sugar palm composites is presented.

Findings

Findings of this review include the potential application of natural fibres and their composites for engineering application, the use of sugar palm and its fibres, as well as the suitability of sugar palm composites in engineering application after conducting review of their performance and characterisation.

Originality/value

The value of this review is to highlight the potential of natural fibres, natural fibre composites, sugar palm, sugar palm fibres and sugar palm composites as materials for engineering applications.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Universiti Putra Malaysia for providing the research grant (Putra IPB 9441500). The authors would also like to thank Institute of Tropical Forestry and Forest Products, Universiti Putra Malaysia for providing facilities to carry out the experiment. Special thanks are also extended to University Putra Malaysia for funding the Master of Science degree for the principle author under grant research fellowship (GRF).

Citation

Huzaifah, M.R.M., Sapuan, S.M., Leman, Z., Ishak, M.R. and Maleque, M.A. (2017), "A review of sugar palm (Arenga pinnata): application, fibre characterisation and composites", Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, Vol. 13 No. 4, pp. 678-698. https://doi.org/10.1108/MMMS-12-2016-0064

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited

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