A Review on Bio-Composites: Fabrication, Properties and Applications

ABSTRACT: Polymers form the backbones of plastic materials, and are continually being employed in an
expanding range of areas. As a result, many researchers are investing time into modifying traditional
materials to make them more user-friendly, and into designing novel polymer composites out of
naturally occurring materials. A number of biological materials may be incorporated into polymer
materials. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in interest in biodegradable bio-composite
material for use in packaging, agriculture, medicine, and other areas. The belief is that polymer bio-
composite materials will reduce the need for synthetic polymer production (thus reducing pollution) at a
low cost, thereby producing a positive effect both environmentally and economically. This review is
intended to provide a brief outline of work that is under way in the area of polymer bio-composite
research and development, the scientific theory behind these materials, areas in which this research is
being applied, and future work that awaits.

KEYWORDS: bio-composites; biodegradable, biological materials.

I. INTRODUCTION

Plastics have become the choice for many applications due to their long life and attractive properties.
Due to its tremendous growth in applications, plastics are one of the fastest growing segments of the
waste stream. Majority of plastic products are made from petroleum-based synthetic polymers that do
not degrade in land fill site or in a composite like environment. Ecological concerns have resulted in a
renewed interest in natural and compostable materials, and therefore issues such as biodegradability
and environmental safety are becoming important [1]. Tailoring new products within a perspective of
sustainable development or eco-design is a philosophy that is applied to more and more materials. It is
the reason why material components such as natural fibres, biodegradable polymers can be considered
as ‗interesting‘—environmentally safe—alternatives for the development of new biodegradable
composites. Nowadays production of natural biodegradable polymer composites is an important
research topic on the stage of renewable sources implementation instead of petrochemical sources.
Large variety of natural fibres and their developed surface which increases adhesion to matrix makes
them an attractive filler material. In fibre-reinforced composites, the fibres serve as reinforcement by
giving strength and stiffness to the structure while the polymer matrix holds the fibres in place so that
suitable structural composites can be made Composites consist of two (or more) distinct constituents
phases which when married together result in a material with entirely different properties from those of
the individual components. Most plastics by themselves are not suitable for load-bearing applications
due to their lack of sufficient strength, stiffness, and dimensional stability. Two of the main functions of
the matrix are to transmit externally applied loads, via shear stresses at the interface, to the
reinforcement and to protect the latter from environmental and mechanical damage. The advantage of
such a coupling is that the high strength and stiffness of the fibres (which in most practical situations
would be unable to transmit loads) may be exploited. Typically, a manmade composite would consist of
a reinforcement phase of stiff, strong material, frequently fibrous in nature, embedded in a continuous
matrix phase. The latter is often weaker and more compliant than the former. The so-called advanced
composites made from carbon, aramid, silicon carbide, boron, or other higher modulus fibres have been
widely used in the aerospace and recreational industries, and their use in the automotive and
construction industries has also been explored, where general composites
2.Development of Bio-composites

The processes involved in the development of NFRP composites are: fiber and polymer preparation

and amalgamation of prepared fiber and polymer by different fabrication techniques. Several methods

can be used for the processing of natural fibers such as mechanical processing (for stiff and rough

fibers), chemical processing (for soft, contains property of both synthetic and natural), & biological

degumming etc.

2.1.Basic Steps

The following four steps are generally used in the development of bio-composites such as

impregnation, layup, consolidation and solidification.

IMPREGNATION---- LAY-UP --------CONSOLIDATION ---------SOLIDIFICATION

Impregnation-Fibre-Resin wetting process.

Lay Up-Placement of impregnated fibre at desired place.

Consolidation-Strengthening process removal of entrapped air.

Solidification-Curing process developing intimate contact.

2.2.Manufacturing Methods

There are different manufacturing methods for the successful development of NFRP composites such

as injection molding for short fiber reinforced thermoplastics, open mold process (spray and hand

layup), liquid composite molding process, compression molding including film staking, automated

process[8][9]. The selection of particular manufacturing process depends upon the type of polymers

(whether thermoplastic or thermosets) used for the development of NFRP composites [10].

Thermosets are firstly used around 1940s. Fabrication of thermosetting composite is easy because of

the low tooling cost, better wettability of fiber, less heat and pressure required during curing

process.In 1998, thermoplastic polymer based composite products capture around 25% markets of

polymer-based composites. Thermoplastic composites are very popular in the field of aerospace and

automobile industries. Few manufacturing processes are common for both types of polymers like

pultrusion process, compression molding, injection molding, autoclave process, etc. Table 1 shows

different manufacturing methods, processing techniques and characteristics of bio-composites.

Methods Operation Characteristics

1)Hand Lay-Up Method

Mixture of fiber-matrix is placed manually into open mould, mild pressure is applied by roller for the
removal of entrapped air, better compatibility with thermosets.low cost, no size constraints, suitable for
academic and R&D work, mild surface finish, air pockets and long curing time are the limitation.

2)Filament Winding Process

Resin impregnated continues fiber are wound on rotating mandrel, manual, computer controlled,
controlled fibre orientation.Hallow Tube like structures, continues fiber and thermoplastic resin are the
constraints, high fiber volume fraction.

3)Pultrusion Process

Resin soaked fibers are pulled out though a die of desired shape, Shape of the product depends on the
die cross section.Overall cost is low, suitable for thermosets and thermoplastics, limited for continues
cross section.

4)Compression Moulding

Fiber- resin mixture is placed into the heated closed mould; compressive load is applied through the
upper half of the mould.High production rate, good Surfacefinish, multiple part development,
thermosets polymer, large automobile parts.

5)Liquid Transfer Moulding Process

Resin is injected into the fiber carrying closed mould, mould cavity has vacuumed pressure or
atmospheric pressure.product having complex geometry, high fiber volume fraction, good surface finish,
Resin injection, curing, and heat transfer are the major constraint.

6)Hybrid transfer moulding

Mixture of two different resin is injected into mould containing fiber. Low fiber volume fraction,
complex shapes, thermosets polymer.

7)Injection Moulding

Require amount of fiber resin mixture are injected into mould cavity, extruder is used.Compatibility with
both type of resin, high production rate, less curing time, different automobile parts.

8)Tape Winding

Commingled fibers are wound on the heated mandrel for melting and strengthening of thermoplastics.

Suitable for thermoplastics polymers, single step process.

Thermoplastic prepreg are piled up together between the heated moulds and compressed.No need of
secondary operation, popular in R&D.

10)Autoclave Processing

Automatic process, prepregs are lay down in mould and entire assembly vacuumed bagged and placed
for curing inside autoclave.Higher fiber volume fraction, proper amalgamation of composite
constituents, no air pockets, good interfacial adhesion, aircraft parts, both type of polymers.

11)Diaphragm forming

Thermoplastic prepregs sheets are placed between the flexible diaphragms, diaphragms placed into the
mould for curing.only suitable for part having constant thickness and non-uniform fiber distribution.

Applications

The bio-composites materials have wide domestic and industrial applications. The different types of
natural fibers such as sisal, hemp, wood saw particles, bamboo, kenaf, oil palm, bagasse, animal hair etc.
and polymers such as epoxy, polyester, polylactic acid(PLA), etc. are used for the sustainable
development of bio-composites. Bio-composites are largely used in automobile industries, structural
components, packaging, electronics industries, electrical appliances, sports, aerospace structures, etc.
for the last two to three decades because it possesses high strength to weight ratio, substantially low
cost, corrosion resistant, high fatigue strength, biodegradability, good surface finish, etc. These
composites have the demerits such as poor hydrophilic resistance, moderate temperature
sustainabilityand ageing effect.

Applications of Bio-Composites

1)Area Applications Company Automobile Industries

Rear storage shelf/panel, door panels, spare tyre lining, noise insulation panels, boot lining, seat backs,
internal engine cover, sun visor, bumper, wheel box and other parts of automobiles

Examples-Opel, Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, General Motors, Toyota, Volvo, Mercedes, Renault, Mitsubishi,
Rover, Lotus

2)Packaging

Cosmetics, laptop casings, bottles, food and beverages, mobile casings, electronic goods packaging,
laptop and mobile packaging, projector and voltage stabilizer cover

Examples-FS Korea, Rexam, hp, Apple, Thomson Lamp BulbSports

3) Sports

Safety helmets, surfing boards, rackets, polo balls, bicycle frame

Various fabrication methods have been investigated for bio-composites. These may be classified [4] into
two categories according to the types of reinforcement used: (i) particle or short fibres and (ii)
continuous fibres. For continuous fibrereinforced bio-composites, woven fabric preforms processed
from natural fibres have been introduced as the reinforcements. Fabrication of laminated composite
with four layers of jute [5] woven fabrics has been done. Prior to their impregnation in the resin matrix,
the jute fabrics were treated with alkali in the biaxial tensile stress state. A significant improvement of
the mechanical stiffness was achieved in the composite with the fibres treated with alkali under applied
stress. The two main drawbacks of presently developed bio-composites from its rival glass
fibrecomposites are: poor moisture resistance and low impact strength. Recent research results show
that there is a large lays either in pre-treatment of the fibres, engineering of fibres or in improving the
chemistry while impregnating the fibreswith the matrix polymer. Three-corner approach in designing
bio-composites of superior/desired properties include: bio-fibre treatment, matrix modification and
novel processing. Aim towards the ―synergism‖ is through above three-corner approaches [6]. From
research results it was found that bastfibre (Kenaf, Hemp etc.) based bio-composites exhibit superior
flexural and tensile properties while leaf fibre (Henequen, Pineapple leaf fibre or PALF)) based bio-
composites show very high impact strength. Again through suitable pre-treatment of bio-fibres like alkali
treatment (AT) and/or silane treatment (ST), the water absorption of the resulting bio-composites could
be reduced. Through suitable blend of such surface treated bio-fibres, engineered natural/bio-fibres
could be achieved, as shown in schemeFor use in unsaturated polyester bio-composite, a woven fabric
from banana [7] and glass fibres have been prepared. In their woven fabric, banana yarns were used for
all of the warp yarns, whereas glass yarns comprised the weft yarns by alternating them with the banana
yarns. On the other hand, the low velocity impact testing [8] of hemp fibre reinforced composites, which
were prepared using an unsaturated polyester resin and a needle punched non-woven mat of hemp
fibres has been carried out. It was demonstrated in that the total energy absorbed by the Hemp fibre
reinforced bio-composites was comparable to that absorbed by E-glass fibre reinforced unsaturated
polyester composites.The fabrication of super strength bio-composite has been described in the scheme
2. Chopped natural fibre reinforced PP composites have been widely studied in an attempt to benefit
from the cost and mechanical properties of these natural fibres. The fabrication of Kenaf [1] fibre
reinforced polypropylene sheets that could be thermoformed for a wide variety of applications using a
compression moulding process utilizing the layered sifting of a micro finepolypropylene powder and
chopped kenaffibres has also been done. Preparation of kenaffibre reinforced PP composites using
compression moulding [9] by sandwiching PP film with kenaf mats and fabrication of the same
composites from PP and kenaffibres by the press forming [10] of stacked layers of their mats have been
achieved. On the other hand, extrusion technology was also adopted to process chopped (50-80 mm)
natural fibres [11] with micron size PP powderFor the preparation of thermoplastic composites such as
PP, a commingled technique was developed for fabricating continuous or discontinuous fibre reinforced
composites. For the preparation of continuous fibre composites, both the reinforcement and matrix
fibres are commingled into yarns or fabrics, while both fibres are entangled into nonwoven mats for the
preparation of chopped fibre composites. To convert them into solid composites, heat and pressure
areapplied to the commingled preforms such that only the resin fibres within them melt and flow,
forming a continuous matrix phase between the reinforced fibres. This fabrication method has been
utilized to manufacture bio-composites using a carding process [12], which is used to make uniform
blends ofdiscontinuousnatural fibres such as kenaf or jute with synthetic fibres for use as the matrix (Fig.
1& 2). The commingled fabrication method using the carding process may be an effective means of
processing bio-composites using long and discontinuous natural fibres, because it can avoid the process
of converting them into continuous yarns, which allows the cost to be reduced and the fibres to be
uniformly distributed in the composites. Here long fibres refer to fibres whose length is large compared
to short fibres with a length of a few millimetres at most. The limited fibre fraction [4] can be explained
by the void content in the bio composites, which may be caused by the non-uniform packing or the
deficiency of the matrix fibres. To incorporate more natural fibres into the bio-composites, the fibre
length of both the natural and matrix fibres may need to be shortened; however, too short fibres may
spoil the processibility of the carding operation, thus further experimental or theoretical studies are
necessary to determine the optimum fibre fraction. New process development for bio-composite
fabrications for commercial applications is the real challenge of research at the current level of
technology so far developed for bio-composites.

Properties:

The selection of suitable fibres is determined by the required values [13-15] of the stiffness and tensile
strength of a composite . Further criteria for the choice of suitable reinforcing fibres are, for example,
elongation at failure, thermal stability, adhesion of fibres and matrix, dynamic and long-term behaviour,
price and processing costs. The study and utilization of natural polymers is an ancient science. Fibres
provide strength and stiffness and act as reinforcement in fibre-reinforced composite materials;
ultimately the properties of a composite are governed by the inherent properties of these fibres. Careful
selection of the reinforcing fibres and matrix polymers, in light of the intended application, is the first
step in obtaining a composite with the desired properties. Natural fibres are of basic interest since they
have the ability to be functionalized and also have advantages from the point of view of weight
andfibre-matrix adhesion, specifically with polarmatrix materials. They have good potential for use in
waste management due to their biodegradability and their much lower production of ash during
incineration. Nevertheless, the properties of a bio-composite may be controlled and indeed enhanced
by altering those factors that control composite properties, namely fibre architecture [16] and thefibre–
matrix interface.Uses of these materials have rapidly evolved over the last decade primarily due to the
issue of the environment and the shortage of matrix. The surface chemical modifications [6] of natural
fibres like dewaxing, alkali treatment, vinylgrafting, cyanoethylation,acetylation, bleaching,peroxide
treatment, sizing with polymeric isocyanates, treatment with silane and other coupling agents have
achieved various levels of success in improving fibre-matrix adhesion in natural fibre composites (Fig. 3).
The SEM micrograph of the untreated fibre shows the presence of natural waxy substances on the fibre
surface. Such waxy substances contributed to the ineffective fibre-matrix bonding and poor surface wet-
out. The micrographs on figures reveal that all chemicalmodifications smooth the fibre surface. This is
probably due to the removal of the fibre‘s outer surface layer through dissolution in chemical solutions
during treatments. The smooth surface is observed among silane- and acrylic acid-treatedfibres,
showing the best effect on the removal of the waxy layer. Sodium chlorite treatment not only smoothed
the fibre surface, but also bleached the fibre. Compared with other treatments, potassium
permanganate treated fibre has the roughest surface. As the waxy layer was being removed, oxidation
took place between permanganate and the fibre. Aliphaticpolyesters and hydrophilic natural
polymersarethermodynamically immiscible, leading to pooradhesion between the two components.
Variouscompatibilizers and additives have been developedto improve their interface. One alternative
way isthe technology of multilayer extrusion.It must, however, be borne in mind that fibre architecture,
and to some extent the interface, are affected by the manufacturing technique adopted and that,
depending upon the desired performance characteristics and production volumes, this will control the
extent to which performance can be improved. Starch reinforced by cellulose [17] is a typical example of
natural polymer composites. Nano composites consisting of Nano clays and biodegradable polymers
have also been investigated more recently and have shown to exhibit superior mechanical and thermal
properties. The dispersions of Nano clays in polymers from renewable resources have been enhanced
via chemical surface modification and the use of novel ultrasonic methods. Considering the potential of
natural fibres for composites and comparing the tensile strength, elasticity and elongation at failure with
synthetic fibres, hemp and flax fibres can potentially compete with E-glass fibres, which serve as a
reference because of their great importance in composite technology.

CONCLUSION REMARK
Many problems have been associated with the utilization of petroleum based products such as
increasing costs, and environmental degradation due to extraction, processing, and disposal. Therefore,
researchers have recently focused attention on bio-composites. Development of bio-composites as an
alternative to petroleum based materials is addressing the dependence on imported oil, reducing
carbon dioxide emission, and generating more economical opportunities for the agricultural sector.
Achieving this objective will require further multidisciplinary research in the fields of engineering,
biology, agriculture and economy along with government support through education, subsidies and tax
breaks. Eco-friendly bio-composites from plant derivedfibre and crop-derived plastics would be the
novelmaterials of the 21st century not only as a solution to the growing environmental threat but also as
a solution to alleviating the uncertainty of the petroleum supply which is expected to decline between
2010 to 2020. Natural fibresoffer a possibility to developing countries to use their own natural resources
in their composite processing industries. Natural/Bio-fibre surface modifications, development of bio-
plastic as a suitable matrix for composite fabrication and processing techniques all play vital roles in
designing and engineering bio-composites of commercial interest.Use of bio-composites in building
materials offers several advantages such as they are cheap, lightweight, environmental friendly, bio-
renewable, and more durable. However, in addition to these advantages, they have some disadvantages
as well, such as moisture absorption and photochemical degradation because of the UV radiations. For
this purpose, some research is going on to address these issues.New environmental regulations and
societalconcern have triggered the search for new products andprocesses that are compatible to the
environment. Theincorporation of bio-resources in to composite materialscan reduce further
dependency of petroleum reserves. Themajor limitations of present bio-composites are their high cost.
Again renewable resource based bio-plastics are currently being developed and need to be researched
more to overcome the performance limitations.
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012028

Review Letter By
MANISH MOHAPATRA
169109082