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Composite materials based on renewable agricultural and biomass feedstocks are increasingly utilized as these products significantly offset the use of fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in comparison with conventional petroleum-based materials. However, the inclusion of natural fibers in polymers introduces several challenges, such as excess water absorption and poor thermal properties, which need to be overcome to produce materials with comparable properties to the conventional composite materials. Instead of using rather expensive chemical and physical modification methods to eliminate these aforementioned challenges, a new trend of utilizing waste, residues, and process by-products in natural fiber-polymer composites (NFPCs) as additives or reinforcements may bring considerable enhancements in the properties of NFPCs in a sustainable and resilient manner. In this paper, the effects of waste materials, residues or process by-products of multiple types on NFPCs are critically reviewed and their potential as NFPC constituents is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodegradable fiber-reinforced biocomposites from steam-exploded coconut fibers and polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) plastic were developed in this study. Biocomposite filaments and samples were produced using a commercial-scale screw extruder and a 3D printer, respectively. In-depth mechanical and thermal analyses were also performed. The results showed that the tensile strengths of PLA mixed with 3% coconut fiber (PLA97/F3) and 6% coconut fiber (PLA94/F6) decreased by approximately 22% and 23%, respectively, compared to the 64% reduction of that of the original PLA after four-week storage. The bending modulus of the PLA/fiber composite was better than that of the original PLA (21–29% higher), whereas a 5–8% improvement was observed for the PLA/PBS/fiber composites. The impact strengths of PLA97/F3 and PLA77/PBS20/F3 were approximately 8.5% and 7.4% higher than those of the original PLA and PLA/PBS, respectively. During the degradation test, both PLA97/F3 and PLA77/PBS20/F3 exhibited higher tensile strengths than the original materials. Finally, this research presents encouraging results for the production of biodegradable fiber-reinforced biocomposites that are applicable to 3D printing platforms. The final products can be used as replacement or aftermarket components of automobiles. • PLA, PBS, and steam-exploded coconut fiber were used for filament production. • The 3D-printed biocomposites were subjected to mechanical and thermal tests. • Coconut fiber is effective as a natural fiber reinforcement material. • The products have higher tensile strengths than original materials during degradation test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clean and sustainable development of biomass resources has attracted tremendous attention to alleviate the increasingly serious energy depletion and environmental problems. Hence, it is urgently needed to design a green product through a cleaner production strategy to bridge the gap between materials and sustainability toward environmental protection and practicality. Herein, a bamboo fiber/polybutylene succinate (PBS) biocomposite that carries silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) with electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and antibacterial activity, as well as the performance of interface reinforcement, were prepared using a green, efficient, and scalable bionic strategy of PDA coupling with minimal environmental footprint. The proposed bamboo fiber/PBS biocomposites, which showed multifunctionality and environmental adaptability, revealed good antibacterial activity, where the average inhibition zone diameters against E. coli and S. aureus bacteria reached 5.37 ± 0.36 and 3.96 ± 0.74 mm, respectively. Simultaneously, gains in the EMI shielding effectiveness (∼29.72 dB) and mechanical properties (improved by 24.58% in tensile strength, 39.13% in tensile modulus, 14.60% in flexural strength, and 19.67% in flexural modulus) were realized. Overall, this work displays a novel pathway toward eco-friendly and multifunctional nature fiber/polymer composites for high-value utilization. A green and sustainable natural fiber-reinforced polybutylene succinate biocomposite carrying silver nanoparticles based on a clean, simple and bionic strategy was proposed for antibacterial application and electromagnetic interference shielding. [Display omitted] • An eco-friendly biocomposite was realized via a green and bionic strategy. • AgNPs were synthesized through a clean synthetic route. • Biocomposites exhibit a remarkable EMI shielding effectiveness. • Enhanced interfacial interaction was attained. • Biocomposites possess antibacterial performance towards E. coli and S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]