Food and Agriculture Organization*Action to Unlock Commercial Fibre Potential Multi-Stakeholder Consultation Held in Conjunction with the Intergovernmental Group on Hard Fibers and the Intergovernmental Group on Jute Kenaf and Allied Fibers

Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, November 15, 2011

*College of Agricultural SciencesCampus of BotucatuBrazilCoordinator: Prof. Alcides Lopes LeoE-mail: alcidesleao@fca.unesp.br55(14)3811-7257 - BRAZIL

NATURAL FIBERS FOR COMPOSITES APPLICATIONS

ProverbsTechnology is dominated by two types of people: those who understand what they manage, and those who manage what they do not understand Putts Law

We must fully understand the composites equation (matrix/reinforcements/load)

Opportunities forNatural FibersShort FibersLong FibersIntercroppingBy-productsResiduesField WasteIndustrial Waste

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Base Bio vs. Base Fossil*

Triangulo de CampbellNF Must be Sustainable

*United States: The Revis family of North CarolinaFood Expenditure for 1 week $342

*Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo Food Expenditure for 1 week $68.50

*Ecuador: The Ayme family of Tingo Food Expenditure for 1 week $31.55

*Chad: The Aboubakar family of Breidjing CampFood Expenditure for 1 week $1.23

NOT Competing with FoodPreventing rural exodusUsing local labour forcesEnvironmentally soundPROFITABLE for the growers as well as for the industryBiogenics versus Non-biogenicsGreen Product / Green ProcessEcomenia (ecological + profitable)

CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL FIBRES

Natural Fibers:Taboa (Typha domingensis)SisalJuteFiqueAbacaPineappleCurauaBananaCoirPulp & Paper sludgePeanut shells andRice Husk

*Newcomers:PiaavaImbiraCaro

Totora Huros at Lake Titicaca

Big Cat footstep nearby a curaua plantationCuraua fruits where are extracted seeds for in vitro reproduction

*Curaua in Consortium with Eucalyptus*

Chemical Composition of Some Vegetable Fibres

Main physical properties of cellulose based fibres compared with conventional synthetic fibres

Fibers Composition*

ItemTaboaCurauaPineappleBananaCoirExtractivesHot Water (%)8.55.52.510.66.4Lignin Klason(%)16.411.18.518.432.8Holocellulose(%)71.381.289.068.658.4Cellulose(%)35.070.482.464.244.2Ashes(%)3.82.22.02.42.4

Scientific and Technological Research?SciFnderImportant: Proprietary TechnologyMake available for LDC countries

Natural Fibers in ScienceFirst publication word: 1892Natural Fibers: 8945 articles and booksNatural Fibers Composites: 980Biobased Composites: 94Nanocellulose: 29Patents: 4,400

So, reinventing the wheel?No: Aiming the State of the art!!!!!!!!*

Challenges Against NFMand made materialsLow technology imageCampbell TriangleWood cellulosePulp and Paper residuesBiofuelLCA (Life Cycle Assessment)Funding for R&D, (CNPq, FINEP and FAPESP)People awareness (< 2%... Trex Corp.)Social, Political and Economical UnrestSubsidies and xenophoby....*

Itens Importance (Trex, 2011)*

IntroductionGlobal natural fiber composites market reached $2.1B in 2010, with compound annual growth rate of 15% in last five yearsAutomotive & Construction were largest segment among all natural fiber composite applicationsBast fiber such as flax, Kenaf, hemp, etc. were the material of choice for automotive, whereas wood plastic composite was most preferred by building and construction players

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IntroductionBy 2016, natural fiber composite market expected to reach $ 3.8B (10% CAGR) Rising prices of petroleum based products, strong government support to eco-friendly products, higher acceptance and positive growth of end use industries, new housing numbers will drive natural fiber composites growth to new horizonPerformance improvement in materials will drive growth for natural fiber composites in new application areas

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Evolution of Natural Fiber Composites

External Forces Shaping the Natural Fiber Composites Industry

Growth Opportunities of Natural Fiber Composites

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