Surface Modification and Different Recycling Techniques of Natural Fibre Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites to Overcome Current & Future Challenges

The ever-depleting situation of petroleum resources and stringent environmental norms have encouraged the usage of natural fibres in composites as a reinforcement material. But due to less availability of natural plant fibres, there is minimal demand for natural fibres from the commercial point of view. This is because of the inferior physical properties of natural fibres due to their staple length, and poor compatibility due to hydrophilic natural fibre and hydrophobic matrix. Also, the material properties of natural fibres reinforced polymer matrix composites (NFRPMC) such as mechanical performance, thermal degradation properties, and durability are inferior. There are fewer applications of natural fibres reinforced composites as there is high demand for synthetic fibres reinforced composites. But currently, natural fibres and their derivatives-based composites have adored foremost success through research & development and also commercially it has gained humungous success in several macro to nanoscale application areas. Natural fibre persists, has a better stiffness-to-weight ratio, and bio-degradability, sustainable in nature and economical in comparison to synthetic fibres. This chapter summarizes the future challenges of natural fibre-reinforced composites. The key challenges that the NFRPMC face are majorly due to inferior material properties of the natural fibres, issues with composite processing techniques, thermal degradation, issues with composite performance, composite durability, lack of product diversification and lastly due to the recycling, biodegradability and circular economy issues. Therefore, in this chapter, we have discussed the current trend in the research of NFRPMC and their future potential and challenges for product diversification has been analysed.