Green composites and their contribution toward sustainability: A review

Abstract

The current world environment scenario demands new and more eco-friendly solutions to global problems that cover the demands for materials. This sector has included green polymer-based composites and natural reinforcers from origins of renewable sources, these Green Composites (GC), natural-fiber-reinforced bio-composites in which the matrix is a bio-based polymer, have shown attractive characteristics. Biodegradability is one of the most important attributes for these new “green” materials, in that this characteristic allows for their introduction into the world market as an environmental solution. The manufacturing processes for obtaining these materials have observed important improvements because each raw material exhibits different properties and characteristics and their eco-friendly character has facilitated its incorporation into diverse sectors, such as construction, automotive, packaging, and medicine, among others. At present, this segment represents an important income for some economies, especially those where these resources are available, enhancing the creation of green economies, strengthening the world’s efforts toward sustainability.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Recent advances in green technology and Industrial Revolution 4.0 for a sustainable future

“…These both help increase the mechanical properties, facilitate degradability, and are antimicrobial. Plant fibers can be used to make ropes, textiles, mats, curtains, etc., which are eco-friendly and safe products (Vazquez-Nunez et al 2021 ). Microalgae biomass is another highly effective and eco-friendly material with a fast growth rate, the ability to produce high oil yield, and is the most effective way for heavy metal pollution (Yap et al 2021 ).…”

A review on engineering biocomposites and natural fiber-reinforced materials

“…The application areas of green composites are extensive [91]. They can be used for environmental concerns and sustainability [92,93] or as construction materials [94]. The production of green composites can also be achieved with significantly different materials, as long as they are recyclable and biodegradable [95,96].…”

Multifunctional PA6 composites using waste glass fiber and green metal organic framework/graphene hybrids

“…[ 13,14 ] Also, it can be observed that the reinforcement of SCFs and SGFs purely enhances the mechanical properties of the thermoplastic composites, but underlying problems related to poor flame retardant characteristics remain a challenge. Given the importance of flame resistance performance in the modern composites market, [ 15 ] the need to introduce fillers which can both maintain the mechanical integrity and simultaneously improve the flame resistance property becomes significantly important. [ 16,17 ]…”