Recent advances to engineer tough basalt fiber reinforced composites: A review

Abstract Basalt fibers, known as “green materials without pollution in the 21st century”, have gained widespread attention due to its good mechanical properties. Basalt fiber‐based composites have applications in various fields such as construction, transportation, energy, and protection. However, as an inorganic fiber material, basalt fiber is hard and brittle and prone to catastrophic failure, reducing the safety of the material. Therefore, it is important to strengthen the toughness of basalt fiber‐based composites. This paper reviews the contributions made by researchers in recent years to enhance the toughness of basalt fiber reinforced composites. It mainly focuses on four aspects: physical and chemical modification of fibers surface, mixed application of multiple fibers, different textile and 3D printing technology, and design of biomimetic structures. Through these methods, the toughness of basalt fiber‐reinforced composite materials was increased by 10%–90%. In today's advocacy for green industrial development, the research and application of basalt fibers are very important for advancing the process of green development. These contributions can promote the application of basalt fiber in engineering fields. Highlights Basalt fiber is a green material without pollution. Basalt fiber reinforced composites is the key material for engineering field. Strengthening interfacial adhesion can significantly improve the toughness of composites. Basalt fibers can serve as an alternative to glass fibers in composite materials. The hybridization of basalt fibers with soft fibers can effectively enhance the toughness of composites.