Cellulose-polymer composites waste products

Pineapple leaf fibre (PALF), which is rich in cellulose, relatively inexpensive and abundantly available has the potential for polymer-reinforced composite. PALF at present is a waste product of pineapple cultivation. Hence, without any additional cost input, pineapple fibres can be obtained for industrial purposes. Among various natural fibres, PALFs exhibit excellent mechanical properties. These fibres are multicellular and lignocellulosic. They are extracted from the leaves of the plant Ananus cosomus belonging to the Bromeliaceae family by retting. The main chemical constituents of pineapple fibres are cellulose (70-82%), lignin (5-12%) and ash (1.1%). The superior mechanical properties of PALFs are associated with their high cellulose content. 

Nanofibers and webs are capable of delivering medicines directly to internal tissues. Anti-adhesion materials made of cellulose are already available from companies such as Johnson Johnson and Genzyme Corporation [19]. Namekawa etal. [20] developed a zeolite-polymer composite nanofiber mesh to remove uremic toxins for blood purification. The nanofiber is composed of blood compatible poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) as the primary matrix polymer and zeolites which are capable of selectively adsorbing uremic toxins such as creatinine. It was suggested that the proposed composite fibers have the potential to be utilized as a new approach to removing nitrogenous waste products from the bloodstream without the requirement of specialized equipment [21]. Kidney failure patients can have an alternative to dialysis in the form of nanofiber mesh which is portable and wearable. 

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