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Cited by 104Natural Fiber Reinforced CompositesTextile materials and evaluationsDyeing and Modifying Textile Fibers

Optimizing Hemp Fiber Production for High Performance Composite Applications

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Musio, Salvatore, Müssig, Jörg, Amaducci, Stefano·2018·Frontiers in Plant Science
DOI 10.3389/fpls.2018.01702PMC PMC6265480
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Abstract

Hemp is a sustainable and environmental friendly crop that can provide valuable raw materials to a large number of industrial applications. Traditionally harvested at full flowering for textile destinations, nowadays hemp is mainly harvested at seed maturity for dual-purpose applications and has a great potential as multipurpose crop. However, the European hemp fiber market is stagnating if compared to the growing market of hemp seeds and phytocannabinoids. To support a sustainable growth of the hemp fiber market, agronomic techniques as well as genotypes and post-harvest processing should be optimized to preserve fiber quality during grain ripening, enabling industrial processing and maintaining, or even increasing, actual fiber applications and improving high-added value applications. In this paper, the effect of genotypes, harvest times, retting methods and processing on the yield and quality of long hemp for wet spun yarns was investigated. Conventional green-stem varieties were compared with yellow-stem ones on two harvesting times: at full flower and seed maturity. Scutching was performed on un-retted stems and dew-retted stems, the un-retted scutched fiber bundles were then bio-degummed before hackling. Both scutching and hackling was performed on flax machines. Quality of hackled hemp, with particular reference to its suitability for high performance composites production, was assessed. The results of fiber extraction indicate that yellow-stem varieties are characterized by higher scutching efficiency than green-stem varieties. Composites strength at breaking point, measured on specimens produced with the Impregnated Fiber Bundle Test, was lower with hemp obtained from stems harvested at seed maturity than at full flowering. On average, back-calculated fiber properties, from hackled hemp-epoxy composites, proved the suitability of long hemp fiber bundles for high performance composites applications, having properties comparable to those of high quality long flax. Highlights: - The trait yellow stem in hemp is an indicator of processability. - Yellow stem varieties have finer hackled fiber bundles. - Controlled dew retting increased yield of hackled fiber compared to bio-degumming. - Retting influenced fiber and composite mechanical properties. - Hemp can achieve properties comparable to high quality long flax for high performance composites.

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  • Bast fiber composition can range from 14 to 48% of the plant's mass due to cultivar, with most fiber varieties having about 30% bast fiber content.

    “Bast fiber composition can range from 14 to 48% of the plant’s mass due to cultivar along with most fiber varieties having about 30% bast fiber content (Ehrensing 1998; Musio et al. 2018).”

    From A critical review of industrial fiber hemp anatomy, agronomic practices, and valorization into sustainable bioproducts (2025) · cites this paper as Musio et al. 2018

    The Results (Table 3; page unavailable) report cultivar-dependent bast fiber contents, with several values near 30%. They do not establish a 14–48% range or that most fiber varieties have about 30% bast fiber; the reported percentages concern sampled stem portions, not the whole plant. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The yield of bast fiber content derived from unretted stems is slightly higher, about 6.5%, compared to retted hemp stems.

    “The yield of bast fiber content derived from unretted stems is slightly higher, ~ 6.5%, compared to retted hemp stems (Musio et al. 2018).”

    From A critical review of industrial fiber hemp anatomy, agronomic practices, and valorization into sustainable bioproducts (2025) · cites this paper as Musio et al. 2018

    The Results report that un-retted Futura 75 stems had bast fiber content 6.5% higher than dew-retted Futura 75 stems. The citing sentence omits that variety-specific qualification and presents the figure as a general comparison of hemp stems; the Results give different values for Carmaleonte. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • As the plant develops, parts of the plant mature and flower, yielding more grain and cannabinoids, while the stalk becomes more lignified, decreasing processability and strength compared to earlier harvest.

    “As the plant develops, parts of the plant mature and flower, thus yielding more grain and cannabinoids. Conversely, the stalk becomes more lignified, decreasing the processability and strength compared to if harvested earlier in the growing season (Musio et al. 2018).”

    From A critical review of industrial fiber hemp anatomy, agronomic practices, and valorization into sustainable bioproducts (2025) · cites this paper as Musio et al. 2018

    The Discussion (page unavailable) says harvesting at seed maturity allows seed production but poses problems for stem processability and fiber quality. The Results (page unavailable) report lower composite strength at the later harvest. The paper does not establish that later development increases cannabinoid yield or stalk lignification, or that lignification causes the reported losses. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Decorticated hemp had the lowest shive content if it had undergone dew retting before decortication.

    “Decorticated hemp had the lowest shive content if it had undergone dew retting before decortication (Musio et al. 2018).”

    From A critical review of industrial fiber hemp anatomy, agronomic practices, and valorization into sustainable bioproducts (2025) · cites this paper as Musio et al. 2018

    The Results (Table 3) show that dew-retted Futura 75 at the first harvest had the lowest measured shive content after decortication (9.1%). The paper explicitly limits its comparison of retting treatments to Futura 75 at that harvest; the citing sentence presents the result as applying to decorticated hemp generally. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Decortication can be performed on unretted stems as well, but the scutched and hackled fiber yield is much lower in that case.

    “It can be performed on unretted stems as well, but the scutched (freed fibers from woody parts by beating) and hackled fiber yield is much lower in that case (Musio et al. 2018).”

    From A critical review of industrial fiber hemp anatomy, agronomic practices, and valorization into sustainable bioproducts (2025) · cites this paper as Musio et al. 2018

    Materials and Methods confirms that unretted stems were scutched. The Results report much lower hackling yield for fiber from unretted stems that was subsequently bio-degummed than for dew-retted fiber (25.0% versus 48.5%). But the reported scutching-yield ranges overlap, and the Discussion notes an over-retted sample with an extremely low yield, so the paper does not establish that scutched yield is generally much lower for unretted stems. Page numbers are not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

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Cited by

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Authors
Musio, S., Müssig, J., & Amaducci, S.
Affiliations
  • Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (IT)
  • Hochschule Bremen (DE)
Corresponding author
  • Müssig, Jörg
  • Amaducci, Stefano
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Plant Science
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2018-11-23
Volume
9
Pages
1702-1702
ISSN
1664-462X (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fpls.2018.01702
PMC
PMC6265480
OpenAlex
W2900796678
Cited by
104
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 4
FWCI
3.49
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Plant Science (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites
  • Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Polymers and Plastics › Textile materials and evaluations
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Building and Construction › Dyeing and Modifying Textile Fibers
Keywords
hemp fiber, hemp fiber composites, harvest time, dew retting, scutching, fiber quality, fiber bundle strength, fiber yield

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