Georg Hinrichsen

Bio: Georg Hinrichsen is an academic researcher from Technical University of Berlin. The author has contributed to research in topics: Crystallization & Ultimate tensile strength. The author has an hindex of 21, co-authored 64 publications receiving 4743 citations.

Biofibres, biodegradable polymers and biocomposites: An overview

Abstract: Recently the critical discussion about the preservation of natural resources and recycling has led to the renewed interest concerning biomaterials with the focus on renewable raw materials. Because of increasing environmental consciousness and demands of legislative authorities, use and removal of traditional composite structures, usually made of glass, carbon or aramid fibers being reinforced with epoxy, unsaturated polyester, or phenolics, are considered critically. Recent advances in natural fiber development, genetic engineering and composite science offer significant opportunities for improved materials from renewable resources with enhanced support for global sustainability. The important feature of composite materials is that they can be designed and tailored to meet different requirements. Since natural fibers are cheap and biodegradable, the biodegradable composites from biofibers and biodegradable polymers will render a contribution in the 21st century due to serious environmental problem. Biodegradable polymers have offered scientists a possible solution to waste-disposal problems associated with traditional petroleum-derived plastics. For scientists the real challenge lies in finding applications which would consume sufficiently large quantities of these materials to lead price reduction, allowing biodegradable polymers to compete economically in the market. Today's much better performance of traditional plastics are the outcome of continued RD however the existing biodegradable polymers came to public only few years back. Prices of biodegradable polymers can be reduced on mass scale production; and such mass scale production will be feasible through constant R&D efforts of scientists to improve the performance of biodegradable plastics. Manufacture of biodegradable composites from such biodegradable plastics will enhance the demand of such materials. The structural aspects and properties of several biofibers and biodegradable polymers, recent developments of different biodegradable polymers and biocomposites are discussed in this review article. Collaborative R&D efforts among material scientists and engineers as well as intensive co-operation and co-ordination among industries, research institutions and government are essential to find various commercial applications of biocomposites even beyond to our imagination.

A Review on Pineapple Leaf Fibers, Sisal Fibers and Their Biocomposites

Abstract: Summary: The use of lignocellulosic fibers, pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) and sisal as reinforcements in thermoplastic and thermosetting resins for developing low cost and lightweight composites is an emerging field of research in polymer science and technology. Although, these biofibers have several advantages, such as low densities, low cost, nonabrasive nature, high filling level possible, low energy consumption, high specific properties, biodegradability, etc., over synthetic fibers, the absorption of moisture by untreated biofibers, poor wettability, and insufficient adhesion between the polymer matrix and fiber deteriorate the mechanical properties of composites made up of these biofibers. Therefore, the modification of these fibers is a key area of research at present to obtain optimum fiber-matrix properties. This review article is concerned with the structure, composition and properties of PALF and sisal, the chemical modifications of these fibers and PALF/sisal-reinforced thermosets, thermoplastics, rubber, cement, hybrids and biocomposites. Scanning electron micrograph of tensile fractured surface of alkali treated sisal fiber (magnification ×500).

Influence of chemical surface modification on the properties of biodegradable jute fabrics—polyester amide composites

Abstract: The chemical surface modifications of jute fabrics involving bleaching, dewaxing, alkali treatment, cyanoethylation and vinyl grafting are made in view of their use as reinforcing agents in composites based on a biodegradable polyester amide matrix, BAK 1095. The effect of different fibre surface treatments and fabric amounts on the performance of resulting composites are investigated. The mechanical properties of composites like tensile and bending strengths increase as a result of surface modification. Among all modifications, alkali treatment and cyanoethylation result in improved properties of the composites. The tensile strength of BAK is increased by more than 40% as a result of reinforcement with alkali treated jute fabrics. SEM investigations show that the surface modifications improve the fibre–matrix interaction. From degradation studies we find that after 15 days of compost burial about 6% weight loss is observed for BAK whereas cyanoethylated and alkali treated jute–BAK composites show about 10% weight loss. The loss of weight as well as the decrease of bending strength of degraded composites is more or less directly related.

Natural Fibers, Biopolymers, and Biocomposites: An Introduction

Abstract: As a result of a growing awareness of the interconnectivity of global environmental factors, principles of sustainability, industrial ecology, ecoefficiency, and green chemistry and engineering are being integrated into the development of the next generation of materials, products, and processes.1-7 The depletion of petroleum resources coupled with increasing environmental regulations are acting synergistically to provide the impetus for new materials and products that are compatible with the environment and independent of fossil fuels. Composite materials, especially “green composites,” fit well into this new paradigm shift. Simply stated, biobased materials include industrial products for durable goods applications, made from renewable agricultural and forestry feed stocks, including wood, agricultural waste, grasses and natural plant fibers composed of carbohydrates such as sugars and starch, lignin and cellulose, as well as vegetable oils and proteins. Producing chemical products and new materials from renewable resources is not a new idea. Most of the chemical products and materials came from renewable resources until the early part of the 20th century.1 The success and tremendous growth of the petrochemical industry in the 20th century, however, slowed the growth of biobased products. Environmental as well as economic factors are now driving the trend toward greater utilization of biobased polymers and materials.2-5 The challenge to scientists and engineers is to develop the technology needed to make the biobased materials revolution a reality.

Microfibrillated cellulose and new nanocomposite materials: a review

Abstract: Due to their abundance, high strength and stiffness, low weight and biodegradability, nano-scale cellulose fiber materials (e.g., microfibrillated cellulose and bacterial cellulose) serve as promising candidates for bio-nanocomposite production. Such new high-value materials are the subject of continuing research and are commercially interesting in terms of new products from the pulp and paper industry and the agricultural sector. Cellulose nanofibers can be extracted from various plant sources and, although the mechanical separation of plant fibers into smaller elementary constituents has typically required high energy input, chemical and/or enzymatic fiber pre-treatments have been developed to overcome this problem. A challenge associated with using nanocellulose in composites is the lack of compatibility with hydrophobic polymers and various chemical modification methods have been explored in order to address this hurdle. This review summarizes progress in nanocellulose preparation with a particular focus on microfibrillated cellulose and also discusses recent developments in bio-nanocomposite fabrication based on nanocellulose.

Review: current international research into cellulose nanofibres and nanocomposites

Abstract: This paper provides an overview of recent progress made in the area of cellulose nanofibre-based nanocomposites. An introduction into the methods used to isolate cellulose nanofibres (nanowhiskers, nanofibrils) is given, with details of their structure. Following this, the article is split into sections dealing with processing and characterisation of cellulose nanocomposites and new developments in the area, with particular emphasis on applications. The types of cellulose nanofibres covered are those extracted from plants by acid hydrolysis (nanowhiskers), mechanical treatment and those that occur naturally (tunicate nanowhiskers) or under culturing conditions (bacterial cellulose nanofibrils). Research highlighted in the article are the use of cellulose nanowhiskers for shape memory nanocomposites, analysis of the interfacial properties of cellulose nanowhisker and nanofibril-based composites using Raman spectroscopy, switchable interfaces that mimic sea cucumbers, polymerisation from the surface of cellulose nanowhiskers by atom transfer radical polymerisation and ring opening polymerisation, and methods to analyse the dispersion of nanowhiskers. The applications and new advances covered in this review are the use of cellulose nanofibres to reinforce adhesives, to make optically transparent paper for electronic displays, to create DNA-hybrid materials, to generate hierarchical composites and for use in foams, aerogels and starch nanocomposites and the use of all-cellulose nanocomposites for enhanced coupling between matrix and fibre. A comprehensive coverage of the literature is given and some suggestions on where the field is likely to advance in the future are discussed.