Polylactic Acid Composites

Polylactic Acid-Based Nanocellulose and Cellulose Composites offers a comprehensive account of the methods for the synthesis, characterization, processing, and applications of these advanced materials. This book fills a gap in the literature as the only currently available book on this topic. This book: Describes the procedures for the extraction of cellulose materials from different sources and characterization methods adopted for analyzing their properties Covers properties, processing, and applications of PLA biocomposites made using the extracted cellulose Discusses the effect of reinforcement of cellulose on the biopolymer matrix and the enhancement of biopolymer properties Examines current status, challenges, and future outlook in biocomposite research and applications The book serves as a reference for researchers, scientists, and advanced students in polymer science and engineering and materials science who are interested in cellulose polymer composites and their applications.

The book summarizes in a comprehensive manner many of the recent technical research accomplishments in the area of natural polymers. It discusses the various attempts reporting on solving this problem from the point of view of the chemistry and the structure of natural polymers, highlighting the drawbacks and advantages of each method and proposal. Based on considerations of structure - property relations, it is possible to obtain fibers with improved strength by making use of their nanostructures and/or mesophase properties of natural polymers. The book is a unique book with contributions from the experts of the biomaterial area research. it covers all topics related to natural biomaterials such as natural rubber, cellulose, chitin, starch, hemicellulose, lignin, alginates, soy protein, casein and their bionanocomposites and applications. This book is a useful reference for scientists, academicians, research scholars and biotechnologists.

This book comprehensively addresses surface modification of natural fibers to make them more effective, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly. Topics include the elucidation of important aspects surrounding chemical and green approaches for the surface modification of natural fibers, the use of recycled waste, properties of biodegradable polyesters, methods such as electrospinning, and applications of hybrid composite materials.

A comprehensive overview of the synthesis, characterisation, properties and applications of poly(lactic acid) science and technology covering scientific, ecological, social and economic issues.

Towards more sustainable packaging with biodegradable materials! The combination of the continuously increasing food packaging waste with the non-biodegradable nature of the plastic materials that have a big slice of the packaging market makes it necessary to move towards sustainable packaging for the benefit of the environment and human health. Sustainable packaging is the type of packaging that can provide to food the necessary protection conditions, but at the same type is biodegradable and can be disposed as organic waste to the landfills in order to biodegrade through a natural procedure. In this way, sustainable packaging becomes part of the circular economy. ?Sustainable Food Packaging Technology? deals with packaging solutions that use engineered biopolymers or biocomposites that have suitable physicochemical properties for food contact and protection and originate both from renewable or non-renewable resources, but in both cases are compostable or edible. Modified paper and cardboard with increased protective properties towards food while keeping their compostability are presented as well. The book also covers natural components that can make the packaging functional, e.g., by providing active protection to the food indicating food spoilage. * Addresses urgent problems: food packaging creates a lot of hard-to-recycle waste - this book puts forward more sustainable solutions using biodegradable materials * State-of-the-art: ?Sustainable Food Packaging Technology? provides knowledge on new developments in functional packaging * From lab to large-scale applications: expert authors report on the technology aspects of sustainable packaging