Traditionally considered a coarse fibre, kenaf is finding its place in the automotive and electronics market thanks to its use as reinforcement in composites. Its combination with PLA, a bioplastic sourced from corn, may illustrate the new focus of materials’ development nowadays. 2009 has been declared by the FAO the International Year of Natural Fibres. This is post is the third in a series dedicated to natural fibres.
What is Kenaf?
Kenaf, or Hibiscus Cannabinus, belongs to the Malvacean family and producers are based around the globe, although India and China are the major producers. Often compared with jute and hemp, kenaf applications could be classified as it follows:
- traditional uses, low value: rope, twine, clothing, animal bedding and feed
- Innovative Applications, medium value: Paper, engineered wood, environmental mat, oil and liquid absorbent material
- Kenaf Oil: edible oil, can also be used in cosmetics, lubricants and production of biofuel
- Composite materials, high value: kenaf fibres can be used as filler or reinforcement, with either epoxy or thermoplastics
Apart from these applications kenaf also shares its condition as hardy plant with jute or hemp. Thanks to it, it requires little water, pesticides or fertilizers to grow, making it a truly environmental crop to grow.
Production
Samsung Cheil in Malaysia
Samsung Cheil, a Korean affiliated company of the Samsung Group, launched in August 2008 a kenaf centre for collection, processing, packaging and distribution of the fibre. Samsung Cheil has traditionally being involved in the textile industry, but has diversified its business to cover all types of materials and chemicals. The strategic importance of the Malaysian centre, which is a collaborative effort between Malaysia’s Symphony Advance Sdn Bhd (SASB) and Samsung Cheil, is that it aims at the development and commercialisation of kenaf/plastic composites. The initial target of 1,000 tonnes exported per month is expected to double once shipments to Japan begin. The added value of the kenaf fibre when used in composites may allow tobacco farmers to replace their crops with kenaf.
Kenaf Green Industries
Based in Israel, Kenaf Green Industries licenses its current knowledge in kenaf production, trasnformation and commercialisation, helping new kenaf producers to establish their business. Kenaf Green Industries started a pilot project in Ethiopia for Global Energy, which aims at setting up a kenaf project of 10.000 hectares as complimentary crop for an existing castor bean project.
Better Paper
According to Treehugger, and the US Department of Agriculture, kenaf improves yield and performance of trees to manufacture paper. Kenaf fibres have less ligning than wood pulp, hence easing processing. The use of kenaf fibres in paper also improves its properties, making it more resistant, whiter and easier to print. It is due to these properties that kenaf fibres are also used to improve the quality of recycled paper. Kenaf is not the only natural fibre competing to substitute trees in the making of paper. Other strong candidates are hemp, bamboo and sugar cane.
Vision paper is a tree-free paper producer in the US that uses kenaf for its production. Vision paper has been affected by the closure of paper mills in the US and it has been looking to purchase its own mill equipment since March 2008. This should allow the company to maintain the production of kenaf-based quality paper.
Composites
Toyota
Toyota has been researching the use of kenaf in automotive applications for almost a decade now. Toyota used kenaf as a door trim base material first in 2000, but as 2008 kenaf was being used for five components in a total of 27 car models, mainly high-end cars. Some of the early examples of parts where kenaf was used in Toyota models are listed below:
- 2000: Celsior door trim. Kenaf and polypropylene composite
- 2001: Brevis door trim. Kenaf and polypropylene composite
- 2003: Harrier door trim and seat back board. Kenaf and polypropylene composite
- 2003: Raum spare tyre cover. Kenaf and polylactic acid
In May 2008, Toyota entered a kenaf seed development agreement with the Indonesian Tobacco and Fiber Crops Research Institute to embark on a full-scale seed development program. Toyota’s target to make all interior parts from plant materials means that having inside knowledge on kenaf production has become more vital than ever.
NEC
The combination of PLA and kenaf fibres to create a biocomposite, as the one used to manufacture the spare tyre cover on the Raum model is a strong trend in the materials market. We have seen it not only in automotive, but also in electronic devices, like mobile casings composed of a bioplastic and a natural fibre as reinforcement, as in NEC Eco-Mobile. Below NEC definition of its Eco-Mobile:
A mobile telephone whose entire casing is made from a kenaf-fiber-reinforced bioplastic consisting of a corn-based polylactic acid to which kenaf fiber and NEC’s original additive have been added as reinforcing agents. The new bioplastic features better strength and heat resistance characteristics than previous bioplastics consisting only of polylactic acid and its production process halves the CO2 emissions of conventional oil-based plastics. This is the first time in the world such an environmentally sound material has been used for a mobile phone casing. The Eco-Mobile was launched on the market on March 10, 2006, by NTT DoCoMo under the commercial name “FOMA(R) N701iECO”.
Conclusion
Kenaf, like most other natural fibres, still holds unexploited potential as a modern material. Its use in combination with bioplastics could enhance materials’ properties, opening up new applications for both materials.
Related posts in mundomaterial:
2009 International Year of Natural Fibres
2009 International Year of Natural Fibres: Fique in Colombia
Renewably sourced polymer in automotive part
Other sources of information:
Samsung Cheil Kenaf Malaysian project: http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=354548
Try Out the 5 Best Kinds of Tree-Free Paper: http://planetgreen.discovery.com/work-connect/tree-free-paper.html
Composites with PLA used in automotive; http://www.toyota.co.jp/en/environment/recycle/design/recycle.html
Presentation on kenaf and automotive applicatiosn by Toyota: http://www.bc.bangor.ac.uk/suscomp/assets/pdf/car%20components.pdf
NEC Eco-Mobile: http://www.nec.co.jp/eco/en/annual2006/02/2-1.html
Allow me to firstly express my admiration on your comprehensive wealth of information in Kenaf and its uses. I am from Malaysia, where the Government is trying to replace the farming of tobacco with Kenaf. Unfortunately, owing to a host of problems, the plans of its initial target of 1,000 tonnes exported per month did not materialize primarily owing to the Kenaf & Tobacco Board research and findings that the species which is suitable for growing on Malaysian soils is the type that is so slim, so that it is not practical to separate the core, fiber and stem. The Kenaf is thus crushed and produced as stem powder which has limited uses and fetches a low price when exported to Korea. Just thinking out loud, is there any uses for Kenaf stem powder that will fetch a reasonable price in the international market? Thank you. Best regards, Zakri
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