ABSTRACT
Composite materials have come to the fore a few decades ago because of their superior specic mechanical properties, as a result of the increasing demand of both consumers and industries for highly performing materials and structures. However, the combination of the bers with the aggregating material or matrix highly increases the complexity of the design process and usually leads to challenges in the composite engineering and, correspondingly, to more conservative solutions for a given application. Although the success of these materials is obvious, recently, a general consensus all around the world was reached regarding the negative inuence of the human being on global warming and the environment. The best way in which the environment could be conserved is by using renewable and nontoxic natural materials, and all efforts should be undertaken to make them competitive. Actually, the environmental consciousness all around the world has led to the research and development of the next generation of materials, products, and processes [1]. Within this scope, it is necessary to develop cheap and biodegradable materials that are concurrently available from nature. This awareness triggered interest in more sustainable materials that are able to be processed with lower energy consumption, such as
1.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................1 1.2 Natural Fibers ...................................................................................................4 1.3 Biopolymers .................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Biocomposites ................................................................................................. 11 1.5 Benets and Applications of Natural Fiber Composites ................................ 15 1.6 Life Cycle Assessment of Natural Fiber Composites ..................................... 16 1.7 Potential of Natural Fiber Composites and Drivers for Change .....................22
