A review on date palm fibre-reinforced polymer composites: Processing, properties, and applications

Natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites have attracted increasing attention as sustainable alternatives to synthetic fiber systems, driven by environmental concerns, cost reduction, and resource availability. Among various lignocellulosic reinforcements, date palm fiber (DPF) has emerged as a promising candidate due to its wide availability, low density, biodegradability, and acceptable mechanical performance. This review critically examines the current state of research on date palm fiber-reinforced epoxy composites, with emphasis on fiber characteristics, fabrication techniques, surface treatment strategies, and structure–property relationships. The influence of processing parameters and chemical modifications on interfacial bonding, mechanical performance, thermo-mechanical behavior, and durability characteristics is systematically discussed. Representative trends in tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength, dynamic mechanical, and moisture absorption behavior are synthesized from reported studies to highlight performance evolution with fiber content, treatment, and hybridization. Particular attention is given to hybrid composite systems incorporating secondary fibers or fillers to overcome the inherent limitations of DPF-based composites in terms of moisture sensitivity and long-term stability. The review further evaluates environmental resistance, application potential, and existing research gaps, emphasizing the need for standardized testing, long-term durability assessment, and optimization-driven material design. Overall, this work provides a consolidated technical perspective on DPF-epoxy composites and outlines future research directions for their reliable implementation in structural and semi-structural applications.