Recent Advances in Nanocomposites based on Biodegradable Polymers and Nanocellulose

JUAN MORÁN; LEANDRO LUDUEÑA; VERA ALVAREZ

Nanocellulose/ polymer nanocomposites: from fundamental to applications

Wiley

Año: 2014; p. 237 - 250

Because of waste accumulation at the end of the life cycle of traditional polymer products, the development of environmental friendly, degradable, polymeric materials has attracted extensive interest [1]. Nevertheless, the properties of such kind of polymers are lower than that of traditional ones. Thermoplastic polymers have been widely used as matrix of composites reinforced with natural fibers in order to achieve a final material with improved mechanical properties with respect to the pure polymer [2]. In order to obtain competitive products, the performance of biodegradable polymers can be greatly enhanced by the incorporation of nanometer-size fillers [3]. A biodegradable polymer is often named bioplastic which may be biobased and/or biodegradable that is, it may be a biopolymer derived from nature and/or a polymer that can return to nature. The terms biobased plastic and biodegradable plastic are sometimes used interchangeably, but this is not correct. Bioplastics can be made of 100%-renewable material, biodegradable fossil-based polymers, or a combination of renewable and fossil materials.