Green composites in automotive interior parts

Biopolymer composites: a review

“…The fibers obtained from plants are mostly composed of cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, pectin and wax where their proportion varies from one plant to another and also differs with various parts of the same plant [5]. The chemical composition and physical properties of plant fibers depend on the geography and soil condition, type of plant, age and growth of the plant, part of the plant where fiber is obtained and the mode of extraction of fibers [12]. Plant fibers are of remarkable demand to replace synthetic fibers to use it as environmental friendly renewable reinforcing materials to develop biopolymer composites.…”

“…In automobile industries, natural fiber-reinforced biopolymer composites can impart several advantages over conventional composites, like improved stability, reduced cost and weight, enhanced acoustic insulation and mechanical properties, reduced wear of machinery and tools, lesser or no release of toxic/noxious gases, along with recyclability, renewability, and eco-efficiency [12,34]. The biopolymer composites prepared from PLA reinforced with natural fibers like kenaf and jute with good strength and mechanical properties are found to be an excellent application in interior automotive parts, where strength of composite is a necessity for performances.…”

A comparative review of Nettle and Ramie fiber and their use in biocomposites, particularly with a PLA matrix

“…In the field of transport, for the automotive industry, weight is the enemy; Henry Ford already knew it in 1942 and therefore successfully replaced metal by hemp fiber composite in its prototype with a 33% weight reduction. But high production costs left this car as a prototype (Loureiro and Esteves 2019). Nowadays, biocomposites are largely used in the automotive industry since the early 2000's especially because of their lightweight as they could help to cut the final weight of an auto-body by 30%, in comparison with an optimized steel auto-body and by 50% to 67% for a standard steel auto-body (Faruk et al 2012;Koronis et al 2013).…”

“…These materials also resist corrosion and fatigue, therefore meaning that they are well adapted to replace their synthetic counterparts. In addition, biocomposites are easier to process in comparison with synthetic fibers which are really abrasive for cutting tools, but also costly and unsafe for human health (Ashori 2008;Di Virgilio 2015;Holbery and Houston 2006;Loureiro and Esteves 2019). Biocomposite generally need higher fiber ratio than their synthetic counterpart, thus leading to cost reduction as fewer matrix is needed (Summerscales 2010b).…”

Comparative life cycle assessment of coffee jar lids made from biocomposites containing poly(lactic acid) and banana fiber

“…In the past 5 years there has been a growth in biocomposites demand of 11% for use in various sectors, including food packaging (Carus et al, 2015;Gurunathan et al, 2015;Mohammed et al, 2015;Sun, 2017). Biocomposites are thought to be more sustainable when compared to traditional packaging, as they (partly) replace polymers while maintaining functional properties of the plastic base (Gunti et al, 2018;Jandas et al, 2011;Loureiro and Esteves, 2019;Zhang et al, 2005). The plastic base can be either of fossil or biological origin.…”