Biopolymer composites: a review

ABSTRACT

In spite of the fact that a prodigious portion of petroleum covers multitudinous products in the commercial world, its non-biodegradable characteristic is an unenviable factor. The utilization of biodegradable polymers or biopolymers is a prominent alternative to petroleum-based plastic products. Reinforcing natural fibers to biopolymer matrices significantly improves the properties of prepared plastic products. Such biopolymer composites have been developed by researchers to provide environmentally responsible materials and thereby reduce carbon footprint. Modification or functionalization of natural fibers is important to ameliorate the interfacial bonding with biopolymers, and to successfully obtain high-performance composite materials that can compete with conventional petrochemical-based polymer composite counterparts. Another widely accepted composite development technique is by combining different types of fibers into a single matrix to develop highly valued hybrid composites. The review focuses on the extraction, processing and characterization of bio-based materials; natural fibers and biopolymers, and their synergistic application and future scope as biopolymer composites in automotive and other growing sectors.

KEYWORDS:

• Biodegradable
• biopolymer
• natural fiber
• interfacial bonding
• hybrid composite
• automotive sector

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Shijin A, veterinary surgeon, Akhila P P and Zahle Khan for their constant support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Basheer Aaliya

Basheer Aaliya is a researcher scholar in Food Science and Nutrition, Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University. Her research interest is the isolation, modification and characterization of non-conventional starch.

Kappat Valiyapeediyekkal Sunooj

Kappat Valiyapeediyekkal Sunooj is an assistant professor in Department of Food Science and Technology, Pondicherry University. His doctoral research was on meat science from Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), DRDO. Currently Dr. Sunooj is widening his research on starch modification, plasma technology and biopolymer science.

Maximilian Lackner

Maximilian Lackner earned his Ph.D. from Vienna University of Technology. From 2004 to 2011, he worked in the polymer industry in Austria and China in several senior leadership positions. In 2013, he founded a company actively involving bioplastics trading, development and consulting. Dr. Lackner is a lecturer at The University of Applied Sciences FH Technikum Wien.