Natural fibres and composites: research, development and production

In this keynote the following topics about natural fibres for composites applications will be discussed: Composite characteristics; Present and future uses of composites; Why natural composites?; Natural fibres characteristics; History and peculiarities of hemp; Modernisation of the production cycle; Research on natural reinforcement; Natural matrix; Optical and SEM enlargements and tests; Prototypic production of an aeronautical rudder. Sections 2 and 3 treat with the composites in general, while Sections 4, 5, 7-9 are devoted to the natural composites and Sections 6 and 10 particularly to the hemp. Finally Section 11 is an example of a possible application of hemp reinforcement in aerospace field.