About the Conference

Natural fibers are a renewable resource, par excellence, having been renewed by nature and by humans for millennia. Recently, they have drawn tremendous attention from both the scientific community and industrial sectors due to their abundance and low cost, good specific mechanical properties, and environmental benefits. The tremendous growth in the use of non-renewable and non-biodegradable synthetic materials and associated emission of greenhouse gases is presently a big concern for the environment and future generations. In this context, the use of natural fibers, extracted from plants that absorb carbon dioxide and benefit the environment, seems to be highly attractive. In addition, the processing of natural fibers generates wastes, which are mostly organic and can be used to generate electricity or green building, and at the end of their life cycle, they are 100% biodegradable.

Due to the increasing environmental concern and depletion of non-renewable resources, natural fibers are greatly enlarging their range of applications in different industrial sectors including automobiles, sports, architecture, design, and many others. Consequently, extensive technological and scientific research and developments are being undertaken by various institutes around the world, turning these amazing materials into eco-friendly value-added products and stepping toward a greener world.

The path of the revaluation of natural fibers goes through the improvement of its production sectors, the continuous deepening of scientific knowledge in this area, new marketing strategies, and indelibly, the generation of products based on natural fibers.

Following up the great success of ICNF2013, ICNF2015, ICNF2017, ICNF2019 and ICNF2021 covering the topics, “Sustainable materials for advanced applications”, “From nature to market”, “Advanced Materials for a Greener World”, “Smart Sustainable Solutions”, “Materials of the Future”, ICNF2023 will focus on “Nature Inspired Sustainable Solutions”, aiming to explore the potential of natural fibers as key materials to smart design and sustainable solutions for the future generations. To fulfill this important goal, along with the scientific sessions, Natural Fibrenamics Award contest will be organized to promote and show new innovative natural fiber-based products from all over the world.

ICNF2023 - Nature Inspired Sustainable Solutions aims to be the meeting point for everyone interested in these fantastic materials called natural fibers.

Topics

The conference topics include: 

• New processes for natural fiber agriculture extraction and processing;
• Natural fiber reinforced biopolymers;
• Innovative natural fibers & structures;
• Functional natural fibers;
• Natural fiber modification techniques;
• Advanced fibrous structures based on natural fibers;
• Nanodimensional natural fibers;
• Natural fiber-based polymeric composites;
• Green composites;
• Natural fiber-based cementitious composites;
• Applications of natural fibers in high-end sectors;
• Analytics, modeling, and prediction of properties and behavior;
• Biomimetics;
• Product development based on natural fibers;
• Markets for natural fibers;
• Sustainability of natural fibers: life cycle assessment studies;
• Textile processing of natural fibers;
• Properties & characterization of natural fibers & structures;

Previous Editions

ICNF 2021 - 5^th International Conference on Natural Fibers
Materials of the Future

17^th  to 19^th May 2021 - Online

ICNF 2019 - 4^th International Conference on Natural Fibers
Smart Sustainable Solutions

1^st  to 3^rd July 2019 - Porto, Portugal

ICNF 2017 - 3^rd International Conference on Natural Fibers
Advanced Materials for a Greener World

21^st  to 23^rd June 2017 - Braga, Portugal

ICNF 2015 - 2^nd International Conference on Natural Fibers
From Nature to Market

27 to 29^th April - Azores, Portugal

ICNF 2013 - 1st International Conference on Natural Fibers 
Sustainable Materials for Advanced Applications

9 to 11th June 2013 - Guimarães, Portugal