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Fossil-fuel-based plastics have many enticing properties, but their production has resulted in significant environmental issues that require immediate attention. Despite the fact that these polymers are manmade, some bacteria can degrade and metabolise them, suggesting that biotechnologies based on the principle of plastic biodegradation could be beneficial. Among different types of plastics, polypropylene (PP), either having low or high density, is one of the most consumed plastics (18.85%). Their debasement under natural conditions is somewhat tricky. Still, their debasement under natural conditions is rather difficult slightly. However, different scientists have still made efforts by employing other microbes such as bacteria, fungi, and guts bacteria of larvae of insects to bio-deteriorate the PP plastic. Pre-irradiation techniques (ultraviolet and gamma irradiations), compatibilizers, and bio-additives (natural fibers, starch, and polylactic acid) have been found to impact percent bio-deterioration of different PP derivatives stronglythe various. The fungal and bacterial study showed that PP macro/microplastic might serve as an energy source and sole carbon during bio-degradation. Generally, gravimetric method or physical characterization techniques such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, etc., are utilized to affirm the bio-degradation of PP plastics-based materials. However, these techniques are not enough to warrant the bio-deterioration of PP. In this regard, a new technique approach that measures the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during bacterial or fungus degradation has also been discussed. In addition, further exploration is needed on novel isolates from plastisphere environments, sub-atomic strategies to describe plastic-debasing microorganisms and improve enzymatic action strategies, and omics-based innovations to speed up plastic waste bio-deterioration.

Different kinds of biorenewable materials are rapidly emerging as potential alternatives to conventional petroleum-based synthetic materials. Among these materials, soy protein and its derivatives are of utmost interest and importance due to their advantages such as low cost, biodegradability, environmental friendliness, biocompatibility, renewability, and wide availability to name few. However, the poor physicochemical/mechanical properties as well as high moisture sensitivity of different soy based materials limit their successful applications in many fields. Different methodologies to produce new soy based materials with suitable functional groups are highly desired to increase their range of applications. So, in this Review, we have focused on the recent advances in the various graft copolymerization strategies involving soy and its applications. The synthesis, characterization, and methodology of graft-copolymer processing and resulting properties of the copolymers are fully covered. In this Review, ...

Chitosan is among one of the most important and most studied natural polymers. The cationic nature of chitosan makes it a polymer of high importance from environmental and biomedical point of views among the other natural polysaccharides. However, it also suffers from a few disadvantages and requires further development to achieve the targeted results and desired range of efficiency. To overcome some of the disadvantages of the pristine chitosan, it is most imperative to functionalize it with suitable functional groups. Therefore, it is highly desired to understand the chemistry of the reactions used to alter the surface characteristics of chitosan. Among various techniques presently being used to tailor the surface characteristics of chitosan, graft copolymerization is of the utmost importance. The aim of the present perspective is to describe the recent advances in the graft copolymerization of chitosan with particular emphasis on atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). This perspective describes t...

Natural polysaccharide based hydrogels display unique properties such as biodegradability, biocompatibility, stimuli-responsive characteristics and biological functions making them a materials of choice for diverse applications. Indeed during the last few years, a number of biorenewable polymers based hydrogels have attracted great interest for miscellaneous applications including biomedical, toxic ion removal and water purification. Keeping in mind the advantages of biorenewable polymers, this article summarizes for the first time, the recent development in psyllium polysaccharide based hydrogels. Different methods for preparation of polysaccharide hydrogels along with characterization, their swelling behavior and different mechanisms of solvent diffusion are critically reviewed. This article also comprehensively discusses the structure-property relationships of polysaccharide hydrogels and highlights the application potential for prime performance of the resulting hydrogels. Effect of different reaction conditions and monomers on different properties of the resulting hydrogels have been explored. The most important properties of polysaccharide hydrogels relevant to their biomedical/environmental applications are also identified, especially for the use of polysaccharide hydrogels as drug delivery/flocculant and superabsorbent systems. It is anticipated that the interest in natural polysaccharide based hydrogel will continue to grow as value – added green materials for multifunctional applications.

Recently there has been a growing interest in substituting traditional synthetic polymers with natural polymers for different applications. However, natural polymers such as cellulose suffer from few drawbacks. To become viable potential alternatives of synthetic polymers, cellulosic polymers must have comparable physico-chemical properties to that of synthetic polymers. So in the present work, cellulose polymer has been modified by a series of mercerization and silane functionalization to optimize the reaction conditions. Structural, thermal and morphological characterization of the cellulose has been done using FTIR, TGA and SEM, techniques. Surface modified cellulose polymers were further subjected to evaluation of their properties like swelling and chemical resistance behavior.

Recently natural cellulose fibers from different biorenewable resources have attracted the considerable attraction of research community all around the globe owing to their unique intrinsic properties such as biodegradability, easy availability, environmental friendliness, flexibility, easy processing and impressive physico-mechanical properties. Natural cellulose fibers based materials are finding their applications in a number of fields ranging from automotive to biomedical. Natural cellulose fibers have been frequently used as the reinforcement component in polymers to add the specific properties in the final product. A variety of cellulose fibers based polymer composite materials have been developed using various synthetic strategies. Seeing the immense advantages of cellulose fibers, in this article we discuss the processing of biorenewable natural cellulose fibers; chemical functionalization of cellulose fibers; synthesis of polymer resins; different strategies to prepare cellulose based green polymer composites, and diverse applications of natural cellulose fibers/polymer composite materials. The article provides an in depth analysis and comprehensive knowledge to the beginners in the field of natural cellulose fibers/polymer composites. The prime aim of this review article is to demonstrate the recent development and emerging applications of natural cellulose fibers and their polymer materials.

Rising environmental concerns and depletion of petro-chemical resources has resulted in an increased interest in biorenewable polymer-based environmentally friendly materials. Among biorenewable polymers, lignin is the second most abundant and fascinating natural polymer next to cellulose. Lignin is one of the three major components found in the cell walls of natural lignocellulosic materials. Lignin is widely available as a major byproduct of a number of industries involved in retrieving the polysaccharide components of plants for industrial applications, such as in paper making, ethanol production from biomass, etc. The impressive properties of lignin, such as its high abundance, low weight, environmentally friendliness and its antioxidant, antimicrobial, and biodegradable nature, along with its CO2 neutrality and reinforcing capability, make it an ideal candidate for the development of novel polymer composite materials. Considerable efforts are now being made to effectively utilize waste lignin as one ...

The effective utilization of raw natural fibers as indispensable component in polymers for developing novel low-cost eco-friendly composites with properties such as acceptable specific strength, low density, high toughness, good thermal properties, and biodegradability is one of the most rapidly emerging fields of research in polymer engineering and science. In fact, raw natural fiber–reinforced composites are the subject of numerous scientific and research projects, as well as many commercial programs. Keeping in mind the immense advantages of raw natural fibers, in the present article we concisely review raw natural fiber/polymer matrix composites with particular focus on their mechanical properties.

Natural lignocellulosic polymers are one of the most promising biodegradable, non-toxic and eco-friendly polymeric materials which have been used to develop various products for number of applications especially in green composites. However, these cellulosic materials have certain drawbacks, like sensitivity to water and moisture, and need to be modified. So in this article, a treatment of lignocellulose biopolymers with suitable acrylate monomer was investigated. The influence of different reaction parameters on efficiency (grafting) was investigated. SEM, TGA and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) were used to study the graft copolymerization between the monomer and hydroxyl groups of lignocellulosic biopolymers. This article also discusses swelling, and chemical resistance properties of the both the grafted/ungrafted cellulosic biopolymer and their potential candidature for green composite applications.

The present research work deals with the surface modification of natural cellulosic polymers to develop novel materials for different applications. Natural cellulose-graft-poly (methyl acrylate) copolymers were prepared using the free radical induced graft copolymerization technique. Different reaction parameters were optimized to achieve the highest percentage of grafting of natural cellulose-graft-poly (methyl acrylate) copolymers. The natural cellulose graft copolymers were characterized by FT-IR, SEM, TGA, and physicochemical studies. For the evaluation of swelling and the physicochemical mechanism, swelling and chemical resistance studies were carried out in different solvents as well as chemicals.

Rising environmental awareness has resulted in a renewed interest in biological macromolecules obtained from renewable resources. So in view of technological significance of natural lignocellulosic polymers in numerous applications, the present study is an attempt to synthesize lignocellulosic polymers based graft copolymers using free radical polymerization. Different reaction conditions have been studied to synthesize the lignocellulosic graft copolymers. The graft copolymers have been characterized with scanning electron micrography (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The grafted samples have also been screened against different physico-chemical conditions to assess their applicability in different applications.

In view of recent technological significance of green cellulosic polymers in environmentally friendly materials, the present study is an attempt to synthesize Saccaharum cilliare-graft-poly (ethyl acrylate) (Saccaharum cilliare-g-PEA) copolymers via pressure-induced free-radical polymerization. The effect of pressure, time, ratio of monomer, solvent, and initiator concentrations were determined to get the premier percentage of grafting. It has been observed from this study that the physicochemical and thermal properties of the grafted cellulosic polymers have increased to a considerable extent and can be a potential material for a number of applications.

Surface modification of a natural cellulosic polymer system is required to improve the physicochemical properties of the fibers to be used as reinforcement for green composite applications. Surface modification through graft copolymerization improves the existing properties of the cellulosic fibers for a number of applications. Therefore, in the present study, an attempt was made to synthesize butyl acrylate (BA)-g-Saccaharum cilliare fibers using a redox initiator. Graft copolymers were characterized through FT-IR/SEM/TGA/DTA/DTG techniques, and the effect of grafting percentage on the water absorption properties of raw as well as grafted fibers was also investigated.

Natural cellulosic pine needles were used in long fiber form as a new, potential reinforcement to fabricate green composites using the compression-molding technique. Mechanical and physico-chemical properties of green composites have been investigated as a function of fiber loading in order to assess their applicability in everyday life. The green composites fabricated showed a universal trend of increase in properties with fiber loading up to 30% and beyond this loading these properties decrease. Fiber/matrix interaction between the polymer and reinforcement has been analyzed from the mechanical and morphological studies, which reveal the impact of good interfacial compatibility.

Increasing environmental concerns and depletion of petroleum resources has forced researchers around the globe to find new green materials. In the present research work, a particular interest was focused on the effective use of lignocellulosic natural fibers as reinforcement using polymer resin as a novel matrix. Green composites were prepared using the compression molding technique with different fiber contents. The physicomechanical and thermal characteristics of the different composite samples were investigated as a function of fiber contents. The results obtained suggest that the properties of the polymer matrix are positively affected by the incorporation of natural cellulosic fibers.

Natural biomasses such as natural fibers have been traditionally used as reinforcement in polymer biocomposites for structural applications. However, the resulting biocomposites are sensitive to harsh environmental conditions, which results in poorer properties in the biocomposites. Therefore, in the present study an attempt has been made to modify the surface properties of natural cellulosic biomass by the graft copolymerization technique. This article discusses the synthesis, characterization, and physicochemical properties of the raw and graft copolymerized natural cellulosic biomass. Cellulosic biomass–based grafted copolymers were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectrophotometry, and thermal analysis (TGA) techniques.

Renewable cellulosic biofibers appear to be a promising substitute to synthetic fibers as reinforcement in different kinds of polymers. The prime objective of this work was to determine water absorption, chemical resistance, and mechanical properties of the green composites reinforced with ecofriendly natural cellulosic Saccharum cilliare fibers. The mechanical and physicochemical properties of the green composites have been investigated as a function of fiber loading for assessing their applicability in different potential applications in everyday life. The green composites thus prepared have been found to show a universal trend of an increase in properties with fiber loading up to 30%, and beyond this the properties decrease. A fiber/matrix interaction between the polymer and reinforcement has been analyzed based on the mechanical and morphological studies. Overall results suggest that the natural cellulosic S. cilliare fibers were capable of serving as a feasible reinforcement for green polymer composites. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 32: E427–E435, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/adv.21290