Bionanocomposites

Green Synthesis and Applications

Khalid Mahmood Zia, Farukh Jabeen, Muhammad Naveed Anjum, Saiqa Ikram

• Publisher: Elsevier
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9780128167519
• eBook ISBN: 9780128168905
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Materials Science
• Index: Technology & Engineering

Bionanocomposites: Green Synthesis and Applications provides an in-depth study on the synthesis of a variety of bionanocomposites from different types of raw materials. In addition, the book offers an overview on the synthesis and applications of environmentally friendly bionanocomposites, with an emphasis on bionanocomposites of natural products. Final sections focus on various characterization techniques, their production, and the future prospects of sustainable bionanocomposites. - Outlines the major characterization methods and processing techniques for bionanocomposites - Explores how bionanocomopsites are being used to design new projects in medicine and environmental engineering - Discusses how the properties of a variety of bionanocomposite classes make them suitable for particular industrial applications

Chapter 1

Synthetic materials to bionanocomposites: an overview

Muhammad Usman Akbar¹, Zill-e Huma², Mahwish Salman¹, Rizwan Hussain³, Ameer Fawad Zahoor¹, Asim Mansha¹, Sadia Asim² and Mohammad Zuber¹, ¹Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan, ²Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan, ³Laboratory for Advanced Materials Processing (LAMP), NCP, Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

Bionanocomposites are a novel class of advanced biohybrid materials. Today, industrialists and researchers are looking toward bionanocomposites to solve environmental problems and to find alternative sources for petroleum-based chemicals. They have developed bionanocomposite materials with excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability, by using excellent green technology. However, biopolymers present relatively poor mechanical and barrier properties, which currently limit their industrial use. There is a growing interest in developing bio-based polymers and innovative process technologies that can reduce the dependence on fossil fuel and move to a sustainable raw materials base. Bionanocomposites open an opportunity for the use of new, high-performance, lightweight, green nanocomposite materials to replace conventional nonbiodegradable petroleum-based plastic packaging materials. This chapter provides a broad overview of the literature of synthetic materials to bionanocomposites, their properties, their processing, and their applications.

Keywords

Bionanocomposites; nanoscaled inorganic materials; bio-based components; nanofillers (organic or inorganic) biodegradability; biocompatibility; nanoclay

1.1 Introduction

Over the last decade material scientists and researchers have been placing much importance on environment-friendly materials, such as biocomposites. Composite materials consist of a matrix, and if this matrix is of natural fibers then it forms a biocomposite. These compounds are highly eco-friendly because of their biodegradability. Biocomposites are formed by natural fibers which may be obtained from crops like cotton, flax, and hemp. Biocomposites are becoming more popular day by day in industry due to their unique properties, that is, they are recyclable, cheap, and lighter in weight. These materials can be used alone or may be used with some standard materials, like carbon fibers. Inorganic nanoparticles of size 1–100 nm can be incorporated into biocomposites to enhance their strength properties, thus forming bionanocomposites [1]. Bionanocomposites are a very unique class of compounds. They consist of a multiphase nanostructure in which one of the phases is of biological origin and the other phase is inorganic in nature. The inorganic part provides good thermal properties and physical stability, which are helpful in improving the functional properties. These materials allow various applications in various disciplines, for example, biosensors, biomedical engineering, tissue engineering, and drug delivery. These compounds are versatile and most reliable due to the ease of processing and the variety of starting materials [2].

1.2 Raw materials used for the synthesis of bionanocomposites

Bionanocomposites are the materials in which nanoscaled materials are incorporated into bio-based composites. These bio-based components impart biodegradability and biocompatibility, whereas the nanomaterials enhance its strengthening properties and are used as filler in the nanosized pores. Various biological and nanoscaled materials have been used for the synthesis of bionanocomposites. Bionanocomposites are an exclusive class of compounds which are formed by natural polymers with the incorporation of nanofillers (organic or inorganic). These materials have vast variation in their properties due to the presence of numerous natural polymers and filler materials. Due to their biodegradability they have many applications in the biomedical field which include tissue engineering, drug delivery, and biosensors. For biomedical applications these materials are designed in such a manner that they remain in the body until they are needed, and after that they automatically disappear from the body. Bionanocomposites are very easy to process; they have useful properties and are of low cost. It merges different disciplines into one framework, that is, materials science, biology, chemistry, biomedical, and nanotechnology. Transparent bionanocomposites films are used for food packaging owing to their degradable nature. Packaging materials are used to preserve and protect the food which is distributed in the market. But it is necessary that these packaging materials should biodegrade after they have passed their useful time period, because if they do not degrade completely they may cause serious environmental pollution and thus cause various health issues [3]. Plastic packaging is widely used for packaging purposes. But these plastics are nondegradable and accumulate, causing serious environmental problems. For the purpose of film formation, a structure-forming component is required which possess a high degree of cohesiveness with the matrix [4]. For the past few years, a great deal of attention has been focused on protein-based bionanocomposites, especially albumin. These bionanocomposites are used for drug delivery purposes as they are highly biocompatible. Their biocompatibility goes on increasing with the increase in albumin concentration into the matrix. These have also been used to treat some inflammatory diseases, including cancerous tumors and tissue inflammations. Many types of nanoparticles are used in the albumin matrix which may be copper nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes (CNT), and nanoclay. These composites possess a cross-linking structure with swellable clay, wherein the clay content in the structure controls the drying and swelling properties of the bionanocomposites [5]. Gelatin is a recyclable protein matrix which is extracted from animal bones by partial hydrolysis. In this process the collagen fiber present in bones is denatured. Gelatin has proven to be a good biocompatible material like other proteins and has the capability of forming films and gives satisfactory adhesive properties. But gelatin has bad mechanical properties which limit its applications in various fields. Thus to overcome this liability of gelatin, cellulose nanofibers are incorporated into its matrix to improve its strength and other mechanical properties. Cellulose nanoparticles or nanofibers enhance the properties of gelatin, which include good crystallinity and high surface area. So the combination of biodegradable gelatin with the nanostructure of cellulose makes it a useful bionanocomposite [6]. Magnetic bionanocomposites can be prepared by the incorporation of nanomaterials which possess either a paramagnetic or ferromagnetic character. Magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) have a superparamagnetic nature and can be used in the biocomposites matrix to prepare magnetic bionanocomposites. In the absence of an external magnetic field magnetite nanoparticles exhibit a paramagnetic character with zero magnetism, but they are more reliable than paramagnets. These nanoparticles are used in different matrices in order to attain specific properties for the required applications [7]. Magnetic bionanocomposites can also be prepared through a superficial green route in which K-carrageenan and chitosan is used. They are combined through a cross-linking process by electrostatic interaction. K-carrageenan is the most abundant polymer that is found in seaweed, plant tissue, and intercellular matrix. It contains sulfate groups that are anionic in nature and have a high ability to attract cations. The magnetic bionanocomposites are used to remove methylene blue from its solution. This phenomenon can be described efficiently with the Langmuir model. The Langmuir model helps to compare the adsorption capacities of magnetic and nonmagnetic adsorbents. Magnetic K-carrageenan bionanocomposites are environment-friendly adsorbents and are efficient in removing cationic dyes from the aqueous solution. So these are really helpful for minimizing water pollution as they have the ability to remove organic dyes from wastewater. They are also used for drug delivery purposes [8].

Polyurethane is an important class of materials which offers high durability and elasticity. In recent years, various materials such as rubber, plastics, and metals have been replaced by polyurethane due to its useful physical properties. However, the liability of the nanocomposites of polyurethane is that they are not biodegradable and may cause serious environmental problems. To address these issues researchers have made biodegradable polyurethane by incorporating different kinds of natural materials, that is, starch, cellulose, curcumin, etc. [9]. These bionanocomposites of polyurethane are much more useful for various industries, and are gaining considerable attention from scientists [10]. Polysaccharide can also form bionanocomposites. Pectin is a polysaccharide which is isolated from banana peels. Pectin can form films by combining with carbon nanocrystals through the cross-linking method. Pectin can also be isolated from other sources, but it cannot be used as a packaging material because of its low tensile strength and other barrier properties. But after combining it with cellulose nanocrystals, its performance is enhanced to such an extent that it can be used as a packaging material. However, these polysaccharide films still have some limitations and drawbacks as they are highly hydrophilic in nature. Because of this nature they can easily dissolve in water, which limits their versatility and applications [11].

Polyester is another class of polymers which, by combining with some other biocompatible material, forms bionanocomposites. Cellulose can be incorporated into the polyester matrix to enhance its properties and make it biocompatible as well. These bionanocomposites can be prepared easily by an inexpensive ultrasonic process. Silica nanoparticles can also be incorporated successfully into the polyester matrix. These fillers increase the thermal and mechanical properties of polyesters [12]....

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• List of contributors
• About the editors
• Foreword
• Foreword
• Preface
• Chapter 1. Synthetic materials to bionanocomposites: an overview
• Chapter 2. Polymer blends as matrix materials for the preparation of the nanocomposites
• Chapter 3. Natural polymers as constituents of bionanocomposites
• Chapter 4. Processing methods of bionanocomposites
• Chapter 5. Characterization techniques for bionanocomposites
• Chapter 6. Chitin and chitosan-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 7. Starch-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 8. Alginate-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 9. Cellulose-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 10. Curcumin-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 11. Glycogen-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 12. Protein-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 13. Polyhydroxyalkanoates-based bionanocomposites
• Chapter 14. Polymeric materials as bionanocomposites
• Chapter 15. Computational modeling for bionanocomposites
• Chapter 16. Bionanocomposites in food industry
• Chapter 17. Biomedical applications of bionanocomposites
• Chapter 18. Applications of bionanocomposites in agriculture
• Chapter 19. Bionanocomposites in water treatment
• Chapter 20. Bionanocomposites in sensor technology
• Chapter 21. Bionanocomposites: uses in applied sciences and their benefits
• Chapter 22. Future horizons of bionanocomposites
• Index