Biocomposites based on natural fibers and polymers: A review on properties and potential applications

Abstract

The growing awareness of socioeconomic and environmental issues and the high percentage of petroleum resources consumed and new environmental regulations have fueled efforts to develop innovative, cutting-edge, environmentally friendly materials with a wide range of applications. Due to environmental and sustainability concerns, the advancement of biocomposites has resulted in tremendous breakthroughs in green materials in this century. Their primary goal is to replace current synthetic petroleum-based composites with natural resources. Materials derived from nonrenewable petroleum-based sources are hazardous and expensive to produce; on the other hand, biocomposites derived from natural sources are biodegradable, recyclable, non-abrasive, and compostable and have properties comparable to synthetic fiber composites. Natural fibers are low-cost, lightweight, biodegradable, renewable, and environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic fibers like glass and carbon fiber. The long-term viability of natural fiber-based composite materials has led to increased use in various production industries. However, the manufacturing process of natural fiber-based biocomposites is still plagued by some difficulties, such as poor adhesive propensity, moisture absorption, poor fire resistance, low impact strength, and low durability. This review provides a panoramic view to provide insight into different aspects of biocomposites based on natural fibers and polymers in terms of properties and applications, which will pave the way for future biocomposites research in academic and commercial contexts.

Unveiling new frontiers: Bast fiber‐reinforced polymer composites and their mechanical properties

“…35 Plant-based fibers are usually stratified according to the source of the fiber, where fibers such as cotton, kapok, and so on are addressed as seed fibers as they are derived from seeds, and plant stem-based fibers such as flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, and so on are the bast fibers. 36 Most bast fibers are efficient and robust and are frequently used to create ropes, twines, bagging materials, and solid industrial fabrics. Jute led other fibers in production at the beginning of the 21 century and was primarily used for sacking and wrapping.…”

“…The categorization of natural fibers is shown in Figure 4 with adequate examples 35 . Plant‐based fibers are usually stratified according to the source of the fiber, where fibers such as cotton, kapok, and so on are addressed as seed fibers as they are derived from seeds, and plant stem‐based fibers such as flax, hemp, jute, kenaf, and so on are the bast fibers 36 . Most bast fibers are efficient and robust and are frequently used to create ropes, twines, bagging materials, and solid industrial fabrics.…”

Damage detection in bio-polyamide 11/woven basalt fibres composite laminates subjected to dynamic events

“…Nowadays, the necessity to decrease the CO 2 production 1 – both in the technological processes and in the propulsion – is quickly reaching a great attention, even in those industrial fields where the use of traditional materials is still predominant, such as naval, automotive and civil engineering. 2,3 This aim can be reached using a lightweight design approach, 4 by using bio-based thermoplastic resins reinforced with natural fibers 5 or both. 1 However, developing bio-based laminates with high mechanical properties and reduced weight is a great challenge, which requires consistent research and innovation.…”

Thermal Insulation of Roof using Composite Materials

“…The technical details of injection-molded natural fiber reinforcement-based composites are defined, including their kind and pre-molding compounding process [12]. The study was carried out which provides a comprehensive observation on many features and uses of biocomposites made of natural fibers and polymers, paving the way for future research on biocomposites in both academic and industrial backgrounds [13].…”