Natural Fiber Reinforced Composites in the Context of Biodegradability: A Review

Increase in consciousness and awareness of the need for sustainable development, which has stimulating research in the development of new materials for construction, furniture, packaging, aerospace, automotive industries and many more. Particularly, there is more interest in research and development in developing new materials which are derived from renewable resources. Natural fibers are one which is naturally available used as reinforcements to replace the existing synthetic fibers such as glass, carbon and aramid to prevent further stress on the environment. Natural fibers are derived from natural resources and these fibers are classified based on the origin of extraction such as plant fibers, animal fibers and mineral fibers. This article provides a comprehensive review of natural fibers and associated topics such as origin, significance, classification, manufacturing techniques, and applications derived from recent findings. The concepts discussed in this article will spark new ideas in the effort to realize the much-anticipated biodegradability and sustainability of these natural fiber reinforced composites in long run and find wide applications in many sectors- auto, defense, constructions, sports, home appliances etc. Also their effect on environmental, human life and animal life is very minimal.