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6
5 Service Environment—A service environment having high
temperatures or high moisture is not suitable for natural
fibre-reinforced polymeric composites.
5 Safety—The processability of these composites does not cause
any health hazard due to the nontoxicity of the natural fibres.
6.9.2 Processability of Natural Fibre-Reinforced
Biodegradable Matrix Composites
Natural fibre-reinforced biodegradable matrix composites are the true
green polymeric composite. Biodegradable polymers are used as
matrices with natural fibres as reinforcements. In order to make a synthetic matrix biodegradable, biodegradable materials (such as starch
or wood flour) are also mixed in the polymeric matrix. The processability of these composites is governed by the following factors:
5 Interphase in the Composite—The hydrophilic nature of natural
fibres restricts their wetting by hydrophobic polymeric
matrices, as mentioned in 7 Sect. 4.5.1.
5 Brittleness of Biodegradable Polymers—PLA is one the most
important and common biodegradable polymers. It is quite
brittle; therefore, processability of its composite is difficult.
Often, a need is felt for plasticizing it before processing. The
problem of brittleness is also compounded by the low-impact
strength of natural fibres.
5 High-Temperature Processing—High-temperature processing of
a biodegradable matrix (PLA) restricts the processability of
natural fibres with low thermally stability.
5 High Cost of Biodegradable Polymers—The cost of biodegradable polymers is quite high in comparison to their thermoplastic counterparts. This restricts their use in many common
applications.
5 Durability—The durability of natural fibre-reinforced biodegradable composites is limited by the durability of the biodegradable polymer in the operating environment.
5 Service Environment—Service environments having high
temperatures or high moisture content are not suitable for
natural fibre-reinforced polymeric composites, as mentioned in
7 Sect. 5.5.
5 Safety—The processability of these composites does not cause
any health hazard due to the fact that natural fibres are
nontoxic, as mentioned in 7 Sect. 5.5.
6.9.3 Processability of Synthetic FibreReinforced Biodegradable Matrix
Composites
Synthetic fibres (such as glass fibre-reinforced PLA composites) are
common, and their commercial development will be visible in the
near future. These composites offer the best processability in terms
of the compatibility of raw materials, ability to form interphase, and
Chapter 6 · Processability of Thermoplastic Composites
6
5 Service Environment—A service environment having high
temperatures or high moisture is not suitable for natural
fibre-reinforced polymeric composites.
5 Safety—The processability of these composites does not cause
any health hazard due to the nontoxicity of the natural fibres.
6.9.2 Processability of Natural Fibre-Reinforced
Biodegradable Matrix Composites
Natural fibre-reinforced biodegradable matrix composites are the true
green polymeric composite. Biodegradable polymers are used as
matrices with natural fibres as reinforcements. In order to make a synthetic matrix biodegradable, biodegradable materials (such as starch
or wood flour) are also mixed in the polymeric matrix. The processability of these composites is governed by the following factors:
5 Interphase in the Composite—The hydrophilic nature of natural
fibres restricts their wetting by hydrophobic polymeric
matrices, as mentioned in 7 Sect. 4.5.1.
5 Brittleness of Biodegradable Polymers—PLA is one the most
important and common biodegradable polymers. It is quite
brittle; therefore, processability of its composite is difficult.
Often, a need is felt for plasticizing it before processing. The
problem of brittleness is also compounded by the low-impact
strength of natural fibres.
5 High-Temperature Processing—High-temperature processing of
a biodegradable matrix (PLA) restricts the processability of
natural fibres with low thermally stability.
5 High Cost of Biodegradable Polymers—The cost of biodegradable polymers is quite high in comparison to their thermoplastic counterparts. This restricts their use in many common
applications.
5 Durability—The durability of natural fibre-reinforced biodegradable composites is limited by the durability of the biodegradable polymer in the operating environment.
5 Service Environment—Service environments having high
temperatures or high moisture content are not suitable for
natural fibre-reinforced polymeric composites, as mentioned in
7 Sect. 5.5.
5 Safety—The processability of these composites does not cause
any health hazard due to the fact that natural fibres are
nontoxic, as mentioned in 7 Sect. 5.5.
6.9.3 Processability of Synthetic FibreReinforced Biodegradable Matrix
Composites
Synthetic fibres (such as glass fibre-reinforced PLA composites) are
common, and their commercial development will be visible in the
near future. These composites offer the best processability in terms
of the compatibility of raw materials, ability to form interphase, and
Chapter 6 · Processability of Thermoplastic Composites