Biocomposites reinforced with natural fibers: 2000–2010

A review on the degradability of polymeric composites based on natural fibres

Next to cellulose, lignin is the second most abundant biopolymer, and the main source of aromatic structures on earth. It is a phenolic macromolecule, with a complex structure which considerably varies depending on the plant species and the isolation process. Lignin has long been obtained as a by-product of cellulose in the paper pulp production, but had rather low added-value applications. Changes in the paper market have however stimulated the need to focus on other applications for lignins. In addition, the emergence of biorefinery projects to develop biofuels, bio-based materials and chemicals from carbohydrate polymers should also generate large amounts of lignin with the potential for value addition. These developments have brought about renewed interest in the last decade for lignin and its potential use in polymer materials. This review covers both the topics of the direct use of lignin in polymer applications, and of the chemical modifications of lignin, in a polymer chemistry perspective. The future trend toward micro- and nanostructured lignin-based materials is then addressed.

A review on lignin-based polymeric, micro- and nano-structured materials

Plastic pollution accumulating in an area of the environment is considered “poorly reversible” if natural mineralization processes occurring there are slow and engineered remediation solutions are improbable. Should negative outcomes in these areas arise as a consequence of plastic pollution, they will be practically irreversible. Potential impacts from poorly reversible plastic pollution include changes to carbon and nutrient cycles; habitat changes within soils, sediments, and aquatic ecosystems; co-occurring biological impacts on endangered or keystone species; ecotoxicity; and related societal impacts. The rational response to the global threat posed by accumulating and poorly reversible plastic pollution is to rapidly reduce plastic emissions through reductions in consumption of virgin plastic materials, along with internationally coordinated strategies for waste management.

The global threat from plastic pollution

Natural fibers today are a popular choice for applications in composite manufacturing. Based on the sustainability benefits, biofibers such as plant fibers are replacing synthetic fibers in composites. These fibers are used to manufacture several biocomposites. The chemical composition and properties of each of the fibers changes, which demands the detailed comparison of these fibers. The reinforcement potential of natural fibers and their properties have been described in numerous papers. Today, high performance biocomposites are produced from several years of research. Plant fibers, particularly bast and leaf, find applications in automotive industries. While most of the other fibers are explored in lab scales they have not yet found large-scale commercial applications. It is necessary to also consider other fibers such as ones made from seed (coir) and animals (chicken feather) as they are secondary or made from waste products. Few plant fibers such as bast fibers are often reviewed briefly but other p...

A Review of Natural Fibers Used in Biocomposites: Plant, Animal and Regenerated Cellulose Fibers

Thermal properties of high density polyethylene composites with natural fibres : Coupling agent effect

With increasing interest in the effects of microplastics on the soil environment, there is a need to thoroughly evaluate the potential adverse effects of these particles as a function of their characteristics (size, shape, and composition). In addition, extractable chemical additives from microplastics have been identified as an important toxicity pathway in the aquatic environment. However, currently, little is known about the effects of such additives on the soil environment. In this study on nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans), we adopted an ecotoxicological approach to assess the potential effects of 13 different microplastics (0.001-1% of soil dry weight) with different characteristics and extractable additives. We found that poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fragments and polyacrylicnitrile (PAN) fibers show the highest toxicity, while high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) fragments induced relatively less adverse effects on nematodes. In addition, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) induced no toxicity within our test concentration range for the acute period. Acute toxicity was mainly attributed to the extractable additives: when the additives were extracted, the toxic effects of each microplastic disappeared in the acute soil toxicity test. The harmful effects of the LDPE films and PAN fibers increased when the microplastics were maintained in the soil for a long-term period with frequent wet-dry cycles. We here provide clear evidence that microplastic toxicity in the soil is highly related to extractable additives. Our results suggest that future experiments consider extractable additives as key explanatory variables.

Walter R. Waldman

Papers

Thermal properties of high density polyethylene composites with natural fibres : Coupling agent effect

Effects of Different Microplastics on Nematodes in the Soil Environment: Tracking the Extractable Additives Using an Ecotoxicological Approach

Thermo-mechanical degradation of polypropylene, low-density polyethylene and their 1:1 blend

Thermo-mechanical Degradation Of Polypropylene, Low-density Polyethylene And Their 1:1 Blend

Thermal stability of polypropylene–montmorillonite clay nanocomposites: Limitation of the thermogravimetric analysis