Natural Fiber Composites

Processing, Characterization, Applications, and Advancements

Shishir Sinha, G.L Devnani

• Editore: CRC Press
• Anno: 2022
• ISBN:
  9781000609028
• Edizione: 1
• Argomento: Technik & Maschinenbau
• Categoria: Werkstoffwissenschaft

This book focuses on the key areas and issues related to natural fibers and their reinforced polymer composites. It begins with an introduction and classification of natural fibers and their different extraction methods, followed by characterization techniques. Further, this book gives solutions to improved adhesion between natural fibers and different polymer matrices via different chemical, physical, and biological treatment methods. Fabrication procedures and characterization techniques for development and testing of composites, including processing, development, and characterization, have been included as well. Applications of these composite materials for food packaging and structural and semi-structural applications are also explained.

FEATURES

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• Describes the extraction process of natural fibers with comparisons

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• Covers the fundamental concepts for the characterization of natural fiber composites

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• Includes a comparative study of different polymer matrices

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• Provides insight about various fabrication methods

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• Discusses diverse applications of these novel materials and the scope for commercialization and entrepreneurship

This book is aimed at graduate students and researchers in materials, polymers, composites and characterization, textile engineering, chemical, civil, and mechanical engineering.

1 Introduction

Kajal Mishra and Shishir Sinha

Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, India

DOI: 10.1201/9781003201724-1

1.1 Introduction to Green Chemistry and Renewable Bio-Based Products

The resilient color green usually relates to life, productivity, health, and energy. Chlorophyll, a critical element of ecological systems, is green in appearance. In many nations, green is also aligned with the color of money. Becoming green has always been quite a rallying point for environmentalists and green political groups. Being green has recently become a popular marketing strategy for business companies. Green chemistry principles are crucial for chemists to apply to all aspects of the chemical sciences, including fundamental and applied research and practices, application mechanism, operational advancement, production, and education (Marteel et al., 2003). The requirement for food, fuel, energy, and commodities can cause major chemical development problems due to enormous quantities of dangerous chemicals and residues produced throughout the midst of a consistently growing economy with cutthroat trade rules. The whole pattern against “green computing” or “sustainable innovative technologies” necessarily requires a conceptual framework shift away from long-established theories of operational efficiency that target primarily on chemical yield, which accredit the economic benefit on reducing scrap at the source and evading the practice of noxious and dangerous materials (Saleh & Koller, 2018). Anastas and Warner from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the phrase “green chemistry.” The EPA formally selected its name to the US Green Chemistry Program in 1993, and it has since functioned as a prime focus for initiatives in the world. The terms “green chemistry,” “green technology,” and “sustainable development” are frequently interchanged to explain the idea of developing materials and systems that have a lower environmental effect and are (ideally) made from renewable resources. Moreover, a closer examination of such terms reveals significant philosophical divergence, which influences the viability of approaches and strategies in forming an environmentally responsible society (Anastas et al., 2002). These concepts primarily address how to conduct chemical reactions and produce chemical products and synthesize chemicals in an environmentally friendly way. Green chemistry emphasizes specific themes, such as the usage of mild and harmless intermediates like solvents for operations and extractions, decreasing the several stages, and the theory of atom economy, or combining all of the raw resources into the product (Anastas & Kirchhoff, 2002). The 12 standards were published more than two decades earlier and do not entirely represent current understanding. In the context of increased attention on product quality and renewable resources, other challenges such as toxicity and biodegradability are now playing an essential part in green chemistry (Anastas & Farris, 1994). Green chemistry indeed is reasoned as the scientific backbone of ecologically friendly manufacturing in many aspects. Corrêa et al. (Corrêa et al., 2013) investigated the progression of green chemistry, demonstrating that a significant amount of work was put toward a greener advancement in numerous fields of chemistry, including organic and inorganic synthesis, as well as analytical chemistry. According to the authors, different countries like India, Brazil, and South Africa have ideal circumstances for developing novel biomass modification mechanisms for biofuels and bio-based products. However, a few other current reviews (Krausmann et al., 2009) have revealed that these days academicians and researchers have a better understanding regarding environmental conservation, economic sustainability, as well as the aspect of green chemistry, resulting in improved analysis calculation and more consistent recognition of the purpose of green chemistry in the latest agribusiness approach. In recent years, there has been a switch to effective and renewable biomass utilization attributed to sustainable manufacturing processes to produce food and many other bio-based commodities with acceptable economic worth, low sources, strengthened ecological processes, waste reduction, and negligible environmental consequences and greenhouse emissions (Caldeira-Pires et al., 2013; Claudino & Talamini, 2013). Worldwide, 140 billion metric tons of agricultural biomass is produced each year. Also, the advantages of green schemes to yield better products could save approximately 50 billion metric tons of fossil fuels, which would significantly mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution and our reliance on non-renewable component. Minimal carbon emissions can also be achieved using appropriate tactics and high-density, rapid-growing crops like sugarcane and wheat straw. For example, palm oil farming for producing biodiesel in southern area of Brazil generates a CO₂ emissions ratio of roughly 208 kg CO₂ equivalent/1,000 kg crude palm oil annually (Höfer & Bigorra, 2008). Although an organic chemicals production sector dependent upon oil refining emerged in the early twentieth century, a similar organics industry that relies on biomass refining occurs in the twenty-first century. Energy is the driving force in both instances. The tremendous requirement for petroleum as an inexpensive, one-shot use fuel provided chemical production with a substantial amount and consistent source of hydrocarbons, allowing the petrochemical sector to grow. Also, chemical and engineering technology for splitting, segregating, re-configuring, polymerizing, and functionalizing enabled individual to use complex compounds of basic chemicals and convert them into a myriad of greater value compounds with an ostensibly infinite variety of applications, consisting of high quantity, relatively inexpensive plastics to limited amount yet high-cost drugs (Bozell, 2008). In the current world, novel, renewable resources are being pursued with tremendous enthusiasm; biomass, or renewable energy, is assured a role in the developing energy sector for the conceivable future. The expansion of the bioenergy (e.g., biomass incineration) and biofuels (e.g., biodiesel) operations will drive up the consumption of renewable c...