Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs): Applications of Nanomaterials

Abstract

In recent years, the demand for plastic and polymeric materials has been increasing, and it is an inevitable fact that it is an important sector to be considered in terms of sustainability. Both the producer and the consumer consider plastic and polymeric composites as clean and environmentally friendly engineered materials. In the last two decades, scientists have revealed that there has been an increasing interest in using environmentally friendly natural resources to develop polymer materials with synthetic substitute material properties and optimum performance, with the growing concern of the negative environmental effects of artificial materials. Bio-based materials are an indispensable reality for a future sustainable society. The fact that there are about three trillion trees on earth is the fact that wood is one of the most abundant renewable/sustainable materials. Living trees are a biological material with a longer service life by storing carbon dioxide using solar energy, as it is of biodegradable origin. For this reason, it is considered as an important building material for sustainable development. Nanotechnology is a new field that finds its place in almost every industry. Wood nanotechnology is a sector that can both use abundant resources in nature and allow the production of cutting-edge materials with improved mechanical performance. The modification of wood with nanotechnology is based on the principles of green chemistry and on the use of bio-based polymers and nanoparticle technology as well, which leads to a reduction in the overall environmental impact. In addition, it is an inevitable fact that successful wood nanotechnology depends on nanoscience to improve its processing and structural properties. This chapter tries to review potential application of nanomaterials in wood-plastic composites and to introduce their useful aspects in terms of the improved properties. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.