Woodhead Publishing Green Composites (Woodhead Publishing Series in Composites Science and Engineering): Polymer Composites and the Environment

There is an increasing movement of scientists and engineers dedicated to minimising the environmental impact of polymer composite production. Life-cycle assessment is of paramount importance at every stage of a product's life, from initial synthesis through to final disposal and a sustainable society needs environmentally safe materials and processing methods. With an internationally recognised team of authors, Green composites examines polymer composite production and explains how environmental footprints can be diminished at every stage of the life-cycle. This book is an essential guide for agricultural crop producers, governmental agricultural departments, automotive companies, composite producers and material scientists all dedicated to the promotion and practice of eco-friendly materials and production methods. Key Features: reviews fibre reinforced polymer composite production; explains how environmental footprints can be diminished at every stage of the life-cycle. Contents: Why green composites? An introduction; Designing green composites: Traditional and future trends; Life cycle assessment (LCA); Natural fibre sources; Alternative fibre sources: Paper and wood fibres as reinforcement; Alternative solutions: Recyclable synthetic fibre-thermoplastic composites; Natural polymer sources; Optimizing the properties of green composites; Green fibre thermoplastic composites; Clean production; Applications; Extraction for reuse: Recycling and degradation of composites; Reprocessing.