Research and application of kapok fiber as an absorbing material: A mini review
Yian Zheng , Jintao Wang , Yongfeng Zhu , Aiqin Wang
DOI:10.1016/j.jes.2014.09.026
Received August 20, 2014,Revised September 04, 2014, Accepted , Available online January 19, 2015
Volume 27,2015,Pages 21-32
Kapok fiber corresponds to the seed hairs of the kapok tree (Ceiba pentandra), and is a typical cellulosic fiber with the features of thin cell wall, large lumen, low density and hydrophobic- oleophilic properties. As a type of renewable natural plant fiber, kapok fiber is abundant, biocompatible and biodegradable, and its full exploration and potential application have received increasing attention in both academic and industrial fields. Based on the structure and properties of kapok fiber, this review provides a summary of recent research on kapok fiber including chemical and physical treatments, kapok fiber-based compositematerials, and the application of kapok fiber as an absorbent material for oils, metal ions, dyes, and sound, with special attention to its use as an oil-absorbing material, one predominant application of kapok fiber in the coming future.
