With the depletion of petroleum energy, the possibility of prices of petroleum-based materials increasing, and increased environmental awareness, biodegradable materials as a kind of green alternative have attracted more and more research attention. In this context, poly (lactic acid) has shown a unique combination of properties such as nontoxicity, biodegradability, biocompatibility, and good workability. However, examples of its known drawbacks include poor tensile strength, low elongation at break, poor thermal properties, and low crystallization rate. Lignocellulosic materials such as lignin and cellulose have excellent biodegradability and mechanical properties. Compounding such biomass components with poly (lactic acid) is expected to prepare green composite materials with improved properties of poly (lactic acid). This paper is aimed at summarizing the research progress of modification of poly (lactic acid) with lignin and cellulose made in in recent years, with emphasis on effects of lignin and cellulose on mechanical properties, thermal stability and crystallinity on poly (lactic acid) composite materials. Development of poly (lactic acid) composite materials in this respect is forecasted.
Keywords: cellulose; composite materials; lignin; microcrystalline cellulose; modification; nanocellulose; poly (lactic acid) (PLA).