The increased attention to sustainable materials has triggered the progress of polymer composites in which plant-based fillers, i.e. jute, hemp, flax, coir, and abaca, are used to reinforce the materials. These materials which are given by biomass possess the benefits of low density, low cost, much more efficient in terms of renewability and also with less effect on the environment than the traditional synthetic reinforcements. Although these have these advantages, their further implementation is limited by natural hydrophilicity, low thermal stability, incompatibility with hydrophobic polymer matrices, and irregular material quality. The present review of literature offers critical insight into the chemical structure, functional group, mechanical, and thermal performance, surface treatments, and processing techniques of natural fillers. Such sophisticated methods of interfacial modification as graft polymerization is discussed as one of the effective techniques to improve adhesion and multi functionality. Its use in the automotive, aerospace, construction, packaging, and biomedical industries is tested, and such aspects of sustainability as a carbon footprint reduction and the potential of the circular economy are taken into account. Necessary technical issues and research directions are outlined in order to enable scalable and high-performance natural filler-based composite systems.
Arunprasath et al. (Tue,) studied this question.