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The use of plant fibers, polymer, and nanoparticles for composite has gained global attention, especially in the packaging, automobile, aviation, building, and construction industries. Nanocomposites materials are currently in use as a replacement for traditional materials due to their superior properties, such as high strength-to-weight ratio, cost effectiveness, and environmental friendliness. Sisal fiber (SF) was treated with 5% NaOH for 2 hours at 70°C. A mixed blend of sisal fiber and recycled polypropylene (rPP) was produced at four different fiber loadings: 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt.%, while nanoclay was added at 1, 3, and 5 wt.%. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was used as the compatibilizer for all composites prepared except the untreated sisal fibers. The characterization results showed that the fiber treatment, addition of MAPP, and nanoclay improved the mechanical properties and thermal stability and reduced water absorption of the SF/rPP nanocomposites. The tensile strength, tensile modulus, and impact strength increased by 32.80, 37.62, and 5.48%, respectively, when compared to the untreated SF/rPP composites. Water absorption was reduced due to the treatment of fiber and the incorporation of MAPP and nanoclay.

Nanocellulose has been reported to be a very useful biomaterial with applications in biomedical, pharmaceutical, built industry, automobile, aerospace and many more. Its advantages over synthetic fibers include renewability, energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, biodegradability and good mechanical and thermal properties. However, the production of cellulose nanoparticles (CNPs) has focused more on woody plant sources. Non-woody biomass constitutes a large group of plant sources that are yet to be given the proper attention for utilization as raw material for nanocellulose particle production. This group of lignocellulosic biomasses is generally obtained as waste from farming activities, home gardens or office wastes. They are majorly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. However, their composition varies widely from one plant source to another. The variation in their composition results in limitations in the procedures employed in extraction of CNPs and of processing of the extracted CNPs. This means that different biomasses may have different ways by which CNPs are extracted from them. Therefore, this review intends to x-ray these variations, its effect on the structural properties of extracted CNPs and possible ways such limitations can be mitigated.