Effect of Chemical Functionalization on Functional Properties of Cellulosic Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites

The successful combination of vegetable natural fibers with polymer matrices results in an improvement of the mechanical properties of the composites compared with the matrix material. These fillers are cheap and nontoxic and can be obtained from renewable sources and thus are easily recyclable. Moreover, despite of their low strength, they can lead to composites with high specific strength and low density, and thus can play a major role in the automotive, sports and transportation industries, packaging, leisure-based products, etc. Increased technical advancement, identification of new applications, continued political and stringent environmental norms and government investment in new methods for fiber harvesting have played a key role in the adoption of these novel materials. Natural fibers are undergoing a high-tech revolution that could see them replace synthetic materials in various applications such as boat hulls, archery bows and bathtubs, etc. Recently, there has been an increasing interest in the commercialization of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites and their use for interior paneling in the automotive industry. Biocomposites will continue to expand their role in various industries, especially in automotive applications, only if technical challenges such as moisture stability and fiber polymer interface compatibility are solved to the satisfaction of users.