Biopolymers fibre-reinforced

Riedel, U. (1999). Natural fibre-reinforced biopolymers as construction materials-new discoveries. 2nd International Wood and Natural Fibre Composites Symposium, June 28-29, Kassel/Germany, 1-10. 

Bhaduii SK, Sen SK, Dasgupta PC (1983) Structural studies of an acidic polysaccharide isolated from the leaf fibre of pineapple (Ananas comosus MERR). Carbohydr Res 121 211-220 Bhattacharya TB, Biswas AK, Chatterjee J, Pramnick D (1986) Short pineapple leaf fibre reinforced rubber composites. Plast Rubb Process Appl 6 119-125 Bismarck A, Mishra S, Lampke T (2005) Plant fibers as reinforcement for green composites. In Mohanty AK, Misra M, Drzal LT (eds) Natural fibers, biopolymers and biocomposites. Taylor Francis, EL, Boca Raton... 

As a result of the relatively early state of development of natural fibre-reinforced biopolymer composites, there are few current documents outside of those cited as references in this chapter. One possible starting point for further related... 

Mukheijee, T. and Kao, N. (2011) PLA based biopolymer reinforced with natural fibre a review. Journal... 

Due to its ease of implementation, electrospinning has received a lot of attention as a technique to produce nanoflbres [83]. When the diameter of polymer fibre materials shrinks from the microscale to the submicro or nanoscale, several new characteristics appear, such as enhanced surface area-to-volume ratio and a superior mechanical performance [84]. Therefore, biopolymer nanofibrous mats show great potential to be used as particle filters, nanocomposite reinforcing fibres, protective clothing and in biomedical applications like wound dressings, sutures, tissue engineering scaffolds, implantable devices and drug delivery [83-85]. 

Bismarck A, Mishia S, Lampke T et al (2005) Plant fibres as reinforcement for green composites. In Mohanty AK, Misra M, Drzal LT (eds) Natural fibres biopolymers and... 

Natural fibres can partially or completely replace glass fibres as reinforcements in apphcations where lightweight or recyclability are important considerations. Flax can be combined with the biopolymer PHB (polyhydroxybutyrate) to make biocomposites, and it has been suggested that plasticisers could replace the water in the flax that is lost during fibre drying. However, the replacement tends to weaken the fibre-polymer adhesion. 

A. Bismarck et al. Plant fibres as reinforcement for green composites, in Natural Fibres, Biopolymers, and Biocomposites (Eds. A. Mohanty, M. Misra and L. T. Drzal) CRC/Taylor Etancis, 2005, pp. 37-108. 

Bodros, E., Pillin, I., Montrelay, N, and Baley, C (2007). Could biopolymers reinforced by randomly scattered flax fibre be used in structural applications Composites Science and Technology 61, 462 70. 

Bodros, E., Pillin, I., Montrelay, N., and Baley, C. (2007) Could biopolymers reinforced by randomly scattered flax fibre be used in structural applications Compos. Sci. Technol., 67 (3-4), 462-470. Herrmann, A.S., Nickel, J., and Riedel, U. (1998) Constmction materials based upon biologically renewable resources - from components to finished... 

The biopolymers covered in this book chapter are Starch polymers, polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), polylactides (PLA), lignin-epoxy resins, epoxidised linseed oil and composites reinforced with natural fibres such as flax, hemp, and china reed (miscanthus). The first three materials are biodegradable while this is not the case for the remaining studied materials. 

Environmental comparisons including recycling as a waste management option are rarely made. Moreover, most of the biopolymers except starch can be processed by mechanical or even feedstock recycling (back to monomer). Mechanical recycling is in principle possible even for thermoplastic polymers reinforced with natural fibres. More attention must be paid to these options in future studies. 

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