ABSTRACT
Green composites are generally produced by adding natural, sustainable fibers to selected polymer matrices. There are many types of natural fibers available in the environment, such as coconut fibers, sisal fibers, banana fibers, and coir fibers. Most researchers utilize these natural fibers in polymer-matrix-based systems, but problems still continue with the polymer matrix, that is, therm osets and therm oplastics because both these result in environmental pollution. Taking into account this problem scientists are working on biodegradable composites. Such a composite generally involves a biodegradable polymer as the m atrix and a natural fiber as
the reinforcem ent phase. There are many types of marketable biodegradable m atrices available in the industrial sector that are petroleum based. However, our discussion in this chapter will be limited to starch-based systems or natural-fiber-reinforced starchbased biocomposites.
