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PLA Based Biopolymer Reinforced with Natural Fibre: A Review

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Abstract

In recent years renewed interest on the development of biopolymers, based on constituents obtained from natural resources is gaining much attention. Natural fibres such as kenaf, hemp, flax, jute, bamboo, elephant grass and sisal based polymer with thermoplastic and thermoset matrices offer reductions in weight, cost and carbon dioxide emission, less reliance on foreign oil resources and recyclability. Reinforced biopolymer with natural fibres is the future of “green composites” addressing many sustainability issues. Among the available biopolymer, PLA (polylactide) is the only natural resource polymer produced at a large scale of over 140,000 tonnes per year. Natural fibre reinforced PLA based biocomposites are widely investigated by the polymer scientists in the last decade to compete with non renewable petroleum based products. The type of fibre used plays an important role in fibre/matrix adhesion and thereby affects the mechanical performance of the biocomposites. The aim of this review is to investigate the effects of processing methods, fibre length, fibre orientation, fibre-volume fraction, and fibre-surface treatment on the fibre/matrix adhesion and mechanical properties of natural-fibre-reinforced PLA composites. Although much work has been performed to engineer the design of such superior biocomposites, the information is scattered in nature. A comprehensive review on the major technical considerations undertaken to prepare such biocomposites over the last decade is investigated to address the feasibility of wide scale industrial acceptance to such biocomposites. A brief review on the available natural fibres and biopolymer is also given for a comparative study.

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Abbreviations

BRAF:

Bleached red algae fibre

PLA:

Polylactide/polylactic acid

PLLA:

Poly-l-lactide

PDLA:

Poly-d-lactide

sc-PLA:

Stereocomplex PLA

PHA:

Polyhroxyalkanoates

PHB:

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate

PHBV:

Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate

CA:

Cellulose acetate

CAP:

Cellulose acetate propionate

CAB:

Cellulose acetate butyrate

WPC:

Wood plastic composite

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Civil Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, VIC, 3001, Australia

    Tapasi Mukherjee & Nhol Kao

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  1. Tapasi Mukherjee
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  2. Nhol Kao
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Correspondence to Tapasi Mukherjee.

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Mukherjee, T., Kao, N. PLA Based Biopolymer Reinforced with Natural Fibre: A Review. J Polym Environ 19, 714–725 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-011-0320-6

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