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.

Microfibrillated cellulose and new nanocomposite materials: a review

Processing technologies for poly(lactic acid)

An overview of the recent developments in polylactide (PLA) research.

Polymer blends and composites from renewable resources

Biofibres and Biocomposites

Melt processing of nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals with biobased thermoplastic polyurethane

Because of the numerous intermolecular hydrogen bonds existing between the polysaccharide chains, starch melting temperature is higher than its degradation temperature. Consequently, to elaborate a plastic-like material, it is necessary to chemically modify the chains or to introduce some extra components such as water (water acts as a destructuring agent and a volatile plasticizer) and/or some unvolatile plasticizers (e.g., glycerol and sorbitol). The corresponding plasticized materials are currently named “thermoplastic starch” or “plasticized starch.” Unfortunately, such systems present some strong drawbacks. In order to improve their properties, specific multiphase systems have been developed such as the nanobiocomposites (nanocomposites based on biodegradable matrices).

This chapter examines the effects of these multiphase systems, with different types of nanobiocomposites based on plasticized starch and various nanofillers, nanostructures and subsequent processing, thermomechanical properties, and performance properties.

Chapter 8 – Nanobiocomposites Based on Plasticized Starch

Towards Biobased Aromatic Polymers from Lignins

Polyester and/or polythioester grafted chitosan copolymers were synthesized. For that, poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL), poly(e-thiocaprolactone) (PTCL), and their copolymers were first synthesized by ring opening polymerization. Copolymers with caprolactone:thiocaprolactone (CL:TCL) molar ratios of 2:1, 1:1, 1:2 were synthesized. All of the synthesized macromolecular architectures were characterized using different spectral (Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR), X-Ray diffraction (XRD)) and thermal (Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)) methods. Grafting was then performed according two distinct routes: (i) using a blend of both homopolymers (PCL and PTCL) or (ii) using pre-synthesized copolymers with controlled CL:TCL ratios. Hexamethylene diisocyanate was used as a grafting/coupling agent through urethane bonds with high yield. Grafting preferentially occurred at sulfur sites. The results indicated that PTCL is more reactive and favorable than PCL for grafting onto chitosan. With the homopolymers blend grafting route, the corresponding materials mostly had a higher PTCL portion than expected. To obtain polyester grafted chitosan with a determined CL:TCL ratio, the copolymer grafting route would yield better results.

https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/12/3799/pdf

Original Macromolecular Architectures Based on poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(ε-thiocaprolactone) Grafted onto Chitosan Backbone

Titanium-catalyzed transesterification as a route to the synthesis of fully biobased poly(3-hydroxybutyurate-co-butylene dicarboxylate) copolyesters, from their homopolyesters

Luc Avérous

Papers

Melt processing of nanocomposites of cellulose nanocrystals with biobased thermoplastic polyurethane

Chapter 8 – Nanobiocomposites Based on Plasticized Starch

Towards Biobased Aromatic Polymers from Lignins

Original Macromolecular Architectures Based on poly(ε-caprolactone) and poly(ε-thiocaprolactone) Grafted onto Chitosan Backbone

Titanium-catalyzed transesterification as a route to the synthesis of fully biobased poly(3-hydroxybutyurate-co-butylene dicarboxylate) copolyesters, from their homopolyesters