Biofiber-Reinforced Biopolymer Composites

Materials Research Centre, School of Engineering, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK 

Handbook of Sustainable Polymers Structure and Chemistry Edited byVijay Kumar Thakur and Manju Kumarl Thakur Copyright 2016 Pan Stanford Publishing Pte. Ltd. 

Sustainable biobased products are products with commercial viability and environmental acceptability, that are derived from renewable resources and that have recycling capabilities and triggered bio degradability [2]. By incorporating biofibers into biopolymer matrices, new truly green biodegradable ecocomposites are created. This class of materials is currently under development and being comprehensively studied and researched. 

There are many definitions of biodegradability expounded by different authors. One publication [3] defines biodegradable polymer composites as materials obtained from nature or by synthetic route, whose chemical bonds are cleaved at least in one step by enz5mies from the biosphere. T) ical degradation times for various materials, including biopol5miers and biocomposites, have now been estimated and are shown in Table 10.1. 

It is obvious from Table 10.1 that most biopolymers and biocomposites have significantly shorter degradation times compared to synthetic pol3miers. One study has shown [4] a net reduction in emissions of 3 ton C02/ton of composite if glass fibers are substituted by hemp fibers in composites. Consequently, 

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Cellulosic fiber reinforced polymeric composites find applications in many fields ranging from the construction industry to the automotive industry. The reinforcing efficiency of natural fiber is related to the namre of cellulose and its crystallinity. The main components of natural fibers are cellulose (a-cellulose), hemicelluloses, lignin, pectins, and waxes. For example, biopolymers or synthetic polymers reinforced with natural or biofibers (termed biocomposites) are a viable alternative to glass fiber composites. The term biocomposite is now being applied to a staggering range of materials derived wholly or in part from renewable biomass resources [23]. 

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