Biocomposites Using Whole or Valuable Component-Extracted Microalgae Blended with Polymers: A Review

Abstract

Global demand for plastics has increased steadily alongside industrial development. Despite their versatility and convenience, environmental pollution caused by plastics are a major issue. With a reduction in the market size of plastics being seemingly impossible, bioplastics may become key to tackle this issue. Among a wide range of sources of bioplastics, microalgae have come into the limelight. While abundant and valuable components in microalgae have the potential to replace preexisting plastics, complex processes and low cost performances have prevented them from entering the market. In this study, we examined techniques for biocomposites in which polymers are blended with microalgae. We focused on microalgae-based biocomposite blending processed from the perspective of functionality and cost performance.