Bast and Other Plant Fibres

R R Franck

• Publisher: Woodhead Publishing
• Year: 2005
• Print ISBN: 9781855736849
• eBook ISBN: 9781845690618
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Materials Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Bast and Other Plant Fibres, a title in Woodhead Publishing's series on fibres published in association with The Textile Institute, UK, is the first book in over 50 years to cover the most interesting plant fibres and those with high annual production. Bast fibres have many textile applications, with natural fibre composites being the fastest growing due to the combination of their relatively low cost and excellent technical characteristics.Following the editor's introductory chapter, which includes a comprehensive set of tables comparing the physical and chemical characteristics of the fibres, Chapter 2 discusses jute while Chapters 3 and 4 cover flax and hemp. Subsequent chapters are devoted to ramie, sisal, coir and abaca. Chapter 9 brings together information on minor fibres that may deserve greater interest on the part of international markets, while Chapter 10 is dedicated to the use of bast and leaf fibres in composites. Information is included on production and processing, physical and chemical properties, and on economic, environmental, and health and safety considerations.This book is an essential reference to academics and researchers in agriculture and horticulture as well as those working in textiles, apparel and industrial design, and textile testing and forensic science laboratories. It will also be invaluable to those working in government departments such as agriculture or trade and industry. - Essential discussion on chemical and physical properties of individual natural fibres - Looks at environmental advantages of bast fibres over synthetic fibres - First book of its kind in over 50 years

1

Overview

R R FRANCK

Publisher Summary

From the point of view of annual production, the only bast or leaf fiber that can be called a major fiber is jute, with an annual production of around two million tons per year. Many of these fibers are also used in the manufacture of paper, but only if their prices are sufficiently low to enable them to attract no more than a modest premium over wood pulp. The consumption of these fibers by this vast industry is therefore limited to their lower qualities. Most of these fibers are produced in developing countries—flax and hemp being the only exceptions and even in their cases, the greater parts of their world production comes from Eastern Europe, Russia, and China. These developing countries naturally add as much value as they can to their raw material production by spinning, weaving, and sometimes making finished consumer products from their fibers. But in nearly all cases, the distribution and marketing of both the fibers and the intermediary and some end products are handled by merchants in Hamburg, London, Zürich, and other major commercial centers.

1.1 Introduction

This book is one of a series on textile fibres that the Textile Institute and Woodhead Publishing Ltd decided to publish because, for most of the fibres, the most recently published books are over fifty years old. Also...

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Inside Front Cover
• Copyright
• Figures
• Tables
• About the editor
• About the contributors
• Contributor contact details
• Acknowledgements
• Chapter 1: Overview
• Chapter 2: Jute
• Chapter 3: Flax
• Chapter 4: Hemp
• Chapter 5: Ramie
• Chapter 6: Sisal
• Chapter 7: Coir
• Chapter 8: Abaca
• Chapter 9: Pineapple, curauá, craua (caroá), macambira, nettle, sunn hemp, Mauritius hemp and fique
• Chapter 10: Bast and leaf fibre composite materials
• Appendix I: List of fibre-producing plants
• Appendix II: References to Chapter 2
• Index