Moisture diffusing behavior of composite materials with vegetal fiber

F.Z.Sahli*, D. Gueribiz*, F. Jacquemin†, S. Fréour†, H. Bourennane*

*
Laboratoire de Génie des Procédés, Université de Laghouat, Algérie
†
Institut de Recherche en Génie Civil et Mécanique (UMR CNRS 6183),
Université de Nantes, Ecole Centrale de Nantes, France IUT de Saint-Nazaire,
58, rue Michel Ange - BP 420, 44606 Saint-Nazaire, France

Abstract

Composite materials with vegetal fibres absorb moisture, principally through the resin,
but also through the fibres when they are permeable. In case of vegetal fibres, the fibre is filled
with resin in witch; the fibre could be seen as alternate structure fibre/matrix. In numerous
cases, the moisture kinetic follows a Fick’s law. The knowledge of the moisture diffusivity with
the appropriate boundary conditions enables calculating the time-dependent moisture content
field in the composite material. The purpose of this paper is to determine the effective moisture
diffusivity permeable fibres in this case the vegetable fibre , through several appropriate scale-
transition models. The effective diffusivity is obtained by solving a unit cell problem on a
Representative Volume Element (RVE). The defined RVE is submitted to a macroscopic
moisture gradient inducing local fields and gradients within the RVE. In the case of permeable
fibres, inverse approaches enable the determination of the diffusion parameter which are
diffusivity moisture content of the fibres.

1. Introduction
The current trend towards a healthy environment requires the design of new less polluting
materials in witch the biodegradability is a relevant character. In this context a new range of materials
seems to have this potential, these are the composites of bio-based products. Among these materials, there
are composites natural vegetable fibers that in addition to their low cost, have special properties
(lightness, strength and recyclability) enabling them to emerge as alternative to conventional composites.
Currently bio-composites are present in many industrial sectors such as aerospace, aeronaval, building,
the automobile industry and the world of sport and entertainment, which has contributed to improved
their technical quality and disseminating their use in these areas. Although these materials are currently in
full progress, there is sometimes a deficiency in their implementation and use, generally due to the
peculiarity of their constituents witch require special treatment and a suitable manufacturing equipment.
Moreover, the divergence in theoretical predicting of their limits compared to experimental statement
when subjected to environmental conditions is still stated. This is due to the hydrophilic nature of these
fibers and their thermal sensitivity but also to the complexity of their structure and their particulate
morphology witch is less representative in suggested models for predicting their hygro-thermo-
mechanical behavior [1, 2]. In this study we deal with this problem and initially we propose the
determination of effective diffusive behavior based on the real structure of the fiber used as reinforcement
in these composites at different scales by using multi-scale homogenization techniques [3].
2. Determination of fiber diffusivity
2.1 Problem statement
For the vegetal fiber we can distinguish three scales, the scale of micro-fiber constituents at nano-scale
and the scale of fiber which is micro-scale and eventually the tissue scale of the order of mili. At nano-
scale the micro-fiber constituents’ are the cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin [10, 11]. At this scale
micro-fibril is generally considered as a composite formed of a lignin as matrix in which is embedded
cellulose as reinforcement and the hemicelluloses as an inter-phase between matrix and the fiber. To
estimate the effective diffusivity for the fiber orientation   0 . At this scale the composite can be
modeled by the four-phase approach represented by VER shown in figure 1. at this level, the VER is
subjected to a humidity gradient G. In this case, the cell problem to be solved for moisture diffusion
through each homogeneous equivalent medium layer can be written as:

div q  0 in each phase V


q  Dgrad (C) in each phase V
 (1)

 q.n  0 at interfaces

 C  0 at interfaces
G
Equivalent Mediume

Matrix
r
m
rf

Fiber ri
Interphase

Figure 1: Scheme with four phases: lignin as matrix, cellulose as fiber and Hemicellulose as interphase
between them.

If we consider a continuity of concentration at this scale the effective diffusion coefficient is given by [4]:

(1  kv f )[1  k  (k  1)]  (1  kv f )[ (k  1)   (1  k )]

0
D (2)
eff

Dm 
(1  kv f )[1  k  (k  1)]  (1  kv f )[ (k  1)  (1  k )]


Di D
With  and   f , where Di is interphase diffusion coefficient in our case is the
Dm Dm
hemicellulose. Df is the fiber coefficient diffusion and Dm corresponding to the lignin diffusivity.
vi  vf
k , vi vf are respectively the interphase and the fiber volume fractions. If we take as exemple
vf
the jute fiber chemical composition: Cellulose 65, 2%, Hemicellulose 22.2% and Lignin 12.5. Since
generally the cellulose is considered as 100% crystalline therefore insensitive to water so Df  0 [5] in
the equation (2) by replacing   0 we get:

D 0eff (1  kv f )(1  k )  (1  kv f )(k  1)

 (3)
Dm (1  kv f )(1  k )  (kv f  1)(1  k )

Since we have no information regarding the moisture diffusion in the two constituents, which are lignin
and hemicelluloses therefore, in following, the effective diffusion coefficient of the wall with fiber
orientation   0 . is calculated for the values of  in a range of 0 to 10.
D eff
Dm 1,6

1,4

1,2

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Figure 2: Normalized effective coefficient diffusion of micro-fiber (case of jute fiber)

In figure 1 is presented the curve for the effective diffusion coefficient of the micro-fiber as function of.
We note that effective coefficient diffusion normalized to that of the matrix is less than 0.22 for values of
 less than 1 and it is greater than 1 for  greater than 6.9. For  =0 this coefficient is approximately zero.

3. Determining the effective diffusion coefficient of the layers with fiber

orientation
To determine the diffusivity of a layer with given fiber orientation we assume our fiber as in figure 3:

Figure 3: Schematic representation of vegetable fiber

The effective diffusion coefficient of each layer is given by [6]:
2
D  La 
  (4)
D 0eff  L c 
With:
1
  v  2
 1  2 f  
 La 
2    
 
   cos 2   sin 2
1  v f  
(5)
 Lc  
 
 
Finally we have:
1
  v  2
 1  2 f  
   
 
D   D 0eff cos 2   sin 2
1  v f  
(6)

 
 

D  : is the diffusion coefficient of the layer with orientation of the fiber cellulose 
D 0 : is the diffusion coefficient of the layer with orientation of the fiber cellulose 
La : the diffusion apparent length (thickness of the layer with 
Lc : the diffusion characteristic length for a given orientation of the fiber.

D
1,2
D 0eff
1

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80


Figure 4: Effective diffusion coefficient of the layer normalised to that of the matrix according to the
cellulose fiber angle in case of jute fiber
The figure 4 illustrate the evolution of the diffusivity of the wall as function of cellulose fiber orientation
this figure highlighted the sensibility of the diffusivity to the angle fiber orientation in the case of higher
values. The small values angle it seems insensitive.
4. Conclusion
In this work a multi scale approach is proposed in the modelling of the diffusive behavior vegetable fiber
which is based on real structure of the fiber.
The classical homogenization multi-scale approaches were used in the determination the diffusivity at
each scale.
The results revealed that this coefficient depends largely on the structure of the fiber (the angles of the
layers of the secondary wall of the different portion of the fiber thicknesses).
The results can be exploited in identifying different diffusion parameters of the fiber as diffusion
coefficients and moisture content components using diffusion experimental data of composite.
5. References
[1] Rao, R.M.V.G.K, Chanda, Manas, and N. Balasubramanian, A Fickian Diffusion Model for
Permeable Fibre Polymer Composites, Journal Reinforced Plastics & Composites Vol 2, pp. 289-
299 (October 1983).
[2] Rao, R.M.V.G.K, Diffusion Phenomenon in Polymer Composites: Permeable and
Impermeable Fibre Composites, Ph.D. Thesis Department of Chemical Engineering, I.I.Sc,
Bangalore (December, 1982).
[3] PK Aditya and Sinha PK. Moisture diffusion in variously shaped fibre reinforced composites.
Comput Struct 1996; 59: 157–166.
[4] D.Gueribiz , F.Jacquemin, M. Rahmani, S.Fréour, R. Guillen and Loucif K.
Homogenization of moisture diffusive behavior of composite materials with impermeable
orpermeable fibres–Application to porous composite materials. J Compos Mater 2009; 43: 1391–
1408.
[5] A. Célino, thèse de doctorat, Contribution à l'étude du comportement hygro-mécanique de
fibres végétales, université de Nantes soutenue le 25 octobre 2013.
[6] HS.Choi, KJ.Ahn, JD.Nam and HJ.Chun, Hygroscopic Aspect of Epoxy/Carbon fiber
composite Laminates in Aircraft environments, Comp.Part A, Appl ,Sc and Manu; Elsevier ,709-
720(2001)