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Eco-biocomposite materials for shock cushioning application: an outlook of the potentials and challenges
David, N.V1, Siti Syahidah M. Rum2.
Recently there is an increased concern for the development of not only well-designed
but also sustainable materials. Material sustainability is associated with the extraction of
renewable resources and disposal procedures that would not injure our ecosystem. In this
respect, indigenous agricultural wastes or by-products are suitable alternatives to
lightweight and disposable green-materials at low cost. Agro-waste and biomass
materials are plentiful in many parts of the world including Malaysia. Fibers obtained from
agricultural by-products are often used as fillers or reinforcement in non-biodegradable
polymer matrix. Polylactic acid (PLA), which is a compostable and biodegradable
thermoplastic, is derived from renewable agro-sources such as potato, corn, or
sugarcane. The mechanical and thermal properties of select biofibers-filled PLA
composites are comparable to that of the composites made from conventional fibers.
Research findings imply the feasibility of processing PLA with natural fibers such as kenaf
using existing manufacturing technologies. Natural fiber filled biodegradable polymer
composite materials have the advantage of simple and safe disposal over petroleumbased
polymers besides generating new low-carbon economy for the plantation sector.
However, research outcomes show that the fiber/matrix interface of PLA and natural fiber
is weak due to incompatible surface properties of the two material types. In this article,
issues pertaining to fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion, potential renewable sources of
polymers and processing technologies of natural fiber (or –eco)-biocomposite materials
are reviewed. The prospect of replacing traditional polymers obtained from nonrenewable
fossil resources with biopolymers to develop sustainable eco-biocomposite
materials for shock cushioning application such as for packing and packaging materials
is discussed in particular.
Affiliation:
- Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
- Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
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Indexation |
Indexed by |
MyJurnal (2021) |
H-Index
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6 |
Immediacy Index
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0.000 |
Rank |
0 |
Indexed by |
Scopus 2020 |
Impact Factor
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CiteScore (1.4) |
Rank |
Q3 (Engineering (all)) |
Additional Information |
SJR (0.191) |
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