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Marine Applications of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Composites: A Manufacturing Case Study

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Abstract

The rising concern about environmental issues and the need to find a realistic alternative to glass or carbon-reinforced composites have led to an increased interest in polymer composites filled with natural-organic fibers, derived from renewable and biodegradable sources. The scope of this article is to raise awareness regarding the current scientific and technological knowledge on these so-called green composite materials in order to support their larger application in a number of industry sectors. The general state-of-the-art in terms of green composites is proposed, together with some experimental evidence on the mechanical properties of various ecological materials. As a practical demonstration of this sustainable technology, the adoption of green composites as a valid replacement for fiberglass in sailing applications is also described. This article will, in fact, illustrate, step by step and in great detail, the Wet Lay-up Hand Laminating process used, together with Vacuum Bagging, to realize a yacht deck hatch out of ecological composite materials.

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Acknowledgements

The artefact was built at in Metal Tig Srl of Castel San Pietro Terme, Italy. The hatch was designed by Ferretti Yachts, and has already been produced and installed on several luxury yachts. This research is part of a larger international investigation regarding the use of natural materials, including wood and cellulose-based reinforcements, in market-oriented applications (as detailed in Savoia et al. 2016).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Engineering, Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Via Risorgimento 2, 40136, Bologna, Italy

    Cristiano Fragassa

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  1. Cristiano Fragassa
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Correspondence to Cristiano Fragassa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain

    Eva Pellicer

  2. Maritime Faculty, University of Montenegro, Kotor, Montenegro

    Danilo Nikolic

  3. Department of Physics, ICREA and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain

    Jordi Sort

  4. Department of Physics, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Bellatera, Spain

    Maria Baró

  5. Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

    Fatima Zivic

  6. Faculty of Engineering, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia

    Nenad Grujovic

  7. Department of Food Science and Technology, University of East Sarajevo, Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Radoslav Grujic

  8. Faculty of Technology, University of East Sarajevo, Zvornik, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Svetlana Pelemis

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Fragassa, C. (2017). Marine Applications of Natural Fibre-Reinforced Composites: A Manufacturing Case Study. In: Pellicer, E., et al. Advances in Applications of Industrial Biomaterials. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62767-0_2

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