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Polymer Bulletin, Vol.71, No.11, 3035-3049, 2014
Selected biotrends in development of epoxy resins and their composites
Epoxy resins and their fibre or particulate composites are widely used in various industries, including building, naval, aircraft, automotive and aerospace. Modern polymer science and technology focus on the development of green polymers and composites. There are two major areas of interest in the case of epoxy resins: the development of bio-based resins and the production of composites with natural fibres. One of the most interesting challenges is developing fully bio-based composites: that is, epoxy resins based on renewable resources and natural fibres. This paper presents a review of literature on epoxy resins and hardeners based on renewable resources (especially vegetable oils) and epoxy composites with natural fibres. We also describe some of the effective methods of improving the mechanical properties of epoxy-natural fibres composites, including chemical modification of the fibre surface and the application of hybrid reinforcements.