GREEN NANOCOMPOSITES FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 21st CENTURY MATERIALS WORLD

摘要

The US Biomass Research and Development Act of 2000 Along with Presidential executive order 13134 calls for tripling America's use of bio-based and bio-energy products by 2010. The recent "Farm Bill" signed by president Bush into law on May 13, 2002 also encourages increased use of bio-based products. Currently, there is a considerable interest in biodegradable polymers, which can be used as alternatives to traditional plastics, thus reducing the pollution caused by plastic wastes. New environmental regulations, societal concerns, and growing environmental awareness have triggered the search for new products and processes that are compatible with the environment. The recent end of vehicle life directive implemented by the EU would make car manufacturers responsible for recycling cars at the end of their working lives, which is due to be introduced for new vehicles by 2002 end and for all cars in 2007. Incorporation of certain minimum amount of recycled plastics (～5 to 10 wt.% of the total weight of a car) into new cars might be imposed to automotive manufacturers as a part of green movement. Demand for superior fuel economy in transportation along with the current green movement opens up opportunities for the use of new, high performance, light weight green nanocomposite materials that can replace metal and also fiber reinforced composites. Biopolymers now enter in to the commercial market and pose strong potential to replace/substitute the usual petroleum-derived plastics both on cost and performance basis. The newly developing green nanocomposites need to be sustainable to compete with the existing petroleum polymer-clay based nanocomposites in greener automotive parts. Nano reinforcements of bio-based polymers thus pose exciting opportunities for real world applications in greening the 21st century materials world!