Application, recycling, environmental and safety issues, and future prospects of crystalline polymer composites

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/9783527839247.ch12

Crystalline polymer composites have been an emerging class of composite materials with their novel physical, chemical, and mechanical features. Semi-crystalline polymers, the most common crystalline polymer type, are usually reinforced with several kinds of organic, inorganic, or natural fillers to boost the crystallinity and mechanical features of the resultant materials used in many applications in automotive, electrical, energy, defense, aerospace, military, textile, and biomedical fields. However, the growing interest in the extensive utilization of polymer composites has brought the accumulation of waste that threatens the human health and the environment. Due to environmental and economic concerns, waste management has become compulsory and to this end, recycling has been applied to the ultimate disposal in order to meet the demands of environmental legislation, and waste management regulations. Based on the related knowledge and current studies, this chapter focuses on the understanding of crystalline polymer composites in terms of the reinforcing agent types. In addition, a comprehensive review of the automotive, biomedical, defense, and aerospace applications of crystalline polymer composites is presented. The recycling, environmental, and safety issues of crystalline polymer composites are comprehended based on the different filler types existing in their structure. Furthermore, as a last stage, future aspects of crystalline polymer composites are discussed in detail.