| Popis: |
Nowadays concerns over global warming favored research to focus on the environmental pollution and waste accumulation and on the possibility to recycle and up-cycle the waste. A particular class of such waste consists of natural remains and by-products from agriculture and industries, such as forestry, pulp and paper, furniture, and food industry. There are various methods to upcycle and capitalize the agro-industrial waste: (1) anaerobic digestion for energy production; (2) thermal conversion for the resulting liquids and char that may be further used in obtaining other materials, bioplastics included; (3) industrial processing to obtain natural fibers, long or short, able to be employed as reinforcing materials in biocomposites (multicomponent systems where the matrix consists of polymers or polymer blends, either synthetic or natural; they may also contain emulsifiers, compatibilization agents, antioxidants, as well as inorganic, organic, metal, or metal oxides micro- and/or nanoparticles); and (4) composting. Composites based on agro-industrial waste displayed a level of performance high enough to grant their use in a wide variety of applications: furniture and civil constructions; interior design, fencing, and decking; automotive and aerospace industry; food and general packaging. To obtain such materials, it is necessary to consider specific issues, the most important being the compatibility between matrices and reinforcing material. Characteristics of the final material (mechanical, thermal, water sorption, weather resistance) strongly depend on a good compatibility. A critical assessment of the selected methodology is necessary as it is reflected in the final cost of production, which must be limited in relation to the envisaged application. |
