Biodegradable composites of cassava starch and agro-industrial by-products: a review

Abstract

The environmental concern with the use of synthetic polymers, above all, used in single-use packaging such as expanded polystyrene (EPS), is related to the use of non-renewable resources and, it is accentuated, with the prolonged decomposition time of this material in the environment. Cassava starch, a renewable and biodegradable polymer, offer a partial solution to the problem. Therefore, the objective of this work was to gather publications in natural polymers and to discuss the similarities and differences between these studies. The method of systematic literature review proposed by Conforto, Amaral and da Silva (2011) was used. The database used was the CAPES Journal Portal (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel). Recent studies have shown the formation of cassava starch composites with the addition of agro-industrial by-products as reinforcing agents. And it was verified which were the evaluated by-products, the main variables studied and the most used additives.