Modification of Natural Fibers and Development of Green Composites

Greenpeace groups and NGOs in various countries have reiterated the environmental impact of the chemical substances, as a global issue for many decades. As a consequence, this awareness is pushing governments toward more stringent laws for the preservation and protection of the quality of the environment for future generations. To combat the problem at the source, the chemical industry must develop cleaner and greener chemical processes or materials designing of innovative and environmentally benign chemical reactions. Green chemistry offers the tools for this approach. In other words, green chemistry is the chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and production of hazardous substances (Anastas and Kirchhoff, 2002). The aim of green chemistry must be to maximize the use of raw materials efficiently and to minimize the creation of waste (Trost, 2002). As a result of this, composite industries are using more environment friendly materials for their products. There is an increasing interest to develop biodegradable renewable composites reinforced with plant fiber.

Dr Mithu Maiti, Ph.D.: Completed Ph.D degree in Polymer Chemistry from National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, India. Working as an assistant Professor (on contract) in National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, India.