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Biomass and Bioenergy pp 251–266Cite as

Kapok Fiber: Applications

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Abstract

Kapok fiber is obtained from the seed hairs of kapok trees (Ceiba pentandra) and belongs to a natural cellulosic fiber. Kapok fiber is consisted of abundant hollow microtubes with the unique structure of void content as high as 80–90 %. Conventionally, kapok fiber is used as the stuffing for pillows, bedding, and some soft toys. Owing to excellent buoyancy and air-filled lumen, kapok fiber is also utilized as the buoyant material (such as life preservers) and insulation materials against sound and heat. Due to better warm retention property, kapok fiber can blend with other fibers to achieve the required apparel textiles. Kapok fiber contains wax layer on its surface, which affords this fiber to show excellent hydrophobic–oleophilic characteristics, and accordingly, this fiber has received much attention in recent years as the oil-absorbing material. Featured with natural microtubes structure, kapok fiber can also be used as a desirable template material or supported candidate such as for catalyst carriers. This chapter provides a summary of recent applications of kapok fiber, with special attention to some fields being developed.

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Acknowledgment

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 21107116).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center of Eco-materials and Green Chemistry, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China

    Yian Zheng & Aiqin Wang

Authors
  1. Yian Zheng
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  2. Aiqin Wang
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Correspondence to Aiqin Wang .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

    Khalid Rehman Hakeem

  2. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

    Mohammad Jawaid

  3. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia

    Umer Rashid

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© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Zheng, Y., Wang, A. (2014). Kapok Fiber: Applications. In: Hakeem, K., Jawaid, M., Rashid, U. (eds) Biomass and Bioenergy. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07578-5_13

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