Biopolymers and biocomposites

This chapter gives a comprehensive review on R&D efforts to develop bio-based thermosetting resins and biocomposites for use in critical applications such as aircraft fabrication, rail transportation, and construction by a Chinese research consortium in collaboration with international teams. This work was initially motivated by the fact that, on one hand, environmental and resource-related benefits of bio-sourced materials are still compromised by limited standards of technical performance and material life. On the other hand, in the air and ground transportation sectors, new environmental regulations and societal concerns have triggered a search for new products and processes that complement not only environment but also resources. To address this issue, novel bio-sourced materials, including bio-sourced epoxies, continuous plant fibers, textiles and prepregs, and neat and hybrid biocomposite laminates, were developed. These materials were characterized, modified, and evaluated in terms of their interfacial properties, flammability, and hydrothermal stability levels. Quasi-structural and structural damping biocomposite structures were finally designed and manufactured using technologies that have been fully adapted to state-of-the-art industrial composite processes. It is also found that developing function-integrated plant-fiber-fabric-reinforced biocomposites and corresponding hybrid structures appears to be more essential and feasible than the mere development of “high-performance” biocomposites for applications. At the end of the chapter, structural damping and decorative quasi-structural composites for use in aircraft, rail transportation, and civil engineering sectors are presented.