Adhesion in Biocomposites: A Critical Review

Environmental concerns and increasing awareness about sustainability issues are driving the push to develop bio-based composites from renewable and sustainable resources. A clear understanding of fiber-matrix interaction at the interfaces is vital for the design and production of these composite materials because stress transfer between load-bearing fibers occurs at these interfaces, and this can determine their mechanical and thermal behaviors. A detailed study of different attributes such as processing technology parameters, types of biopolymers, and chemical and physical treatments is essential to effect interface modification and facilitate a better understanding of these composites from an application perspective. In this article, we attempt to critically review adhesion in biocomposites with special emphasis on the effects of various surface modifications and the processing technology adopted. The review also addresses various characterization techniques adopted for evaluating adhesion in biocomposites.