Advances towards development of industrially relevant short natural fiber reinforced and hybridized polypropylene composites for various industrial applications: a review

There has been an apparent significant increase in the application of composite materials in diverse industrial sectors lately with a focus on improving performance properties and processing techniques. Among several advances noticed, the most significant one for composite industry has been the reinforcement of environment friendly natural fiber (NF) to the polymeric matrix for the fabrication of superior composites. This benign entry of NF in the composite industry has prominently decreased the carbon footprint and composite cost compared to the previously synthetic fiber reinforced ones. Motivated by the decreased cost and latent positive environmental effects, various engineering sectors have already started using these composite materials extensively. The scientific community has observed that hybridization of natural fibers with certain fillers helps to enhance the performance of these composites further. In line with this, the review aims to describe the developments related to the particulate hybridization with short industrially pertinent NF reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites. The effect of hybridization on the composite processability, interfacial interactions, mechanical properties, thermomechanical and thermal properties, and moisture absorption has been covered. The review also covers various challenges and prospects of NF/PP composites for application in the automotive, aerospace and other industries.