MUMBAI, India, March 13 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202621007046 A) filed by St. Vincent Pallotti College Of Engineering And Technology, Nagpur, Maharashtra, on Jan. 23, for 'a method for preparing a biodegradable hybrid composite.'
Inventor(s) include Banerjee, Abhranil Dulal; Jha, Kanishka; Dhiman, Rajeev Kumar; Kulkarni, Madhura Ashay; and Atre, Anurag.
The application for the patent was published on March 13, under issue no. 11/2026.
According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention relates to a method for preparing a biodegradable hybrid composite based on a polylactic acid (PLA) matrix reinforced with alkali-treated flax fibers and pine cone fibers. The invention aims to overcome the limitations of conventional natural fiber-reinforced PLA composites by improving mechanical strength, thermal stability, and interfacial adhesion. Flax fibers and pine cone fibers are subjected to alkali treatment using a 6% sodium hydroxide solution for 18 hours to remove hemicellulose, lignin, and surface impurities, thereby enhancing fiber-matrix bonding. The treated fibers are washed, dried, and uniformly sized before being blended with PLA. The composite is fabricated using compression molding at about 170 C under a pressure of 15-20 MPa for 20-25 minutes, followed by controlled cooling. An optimized composition with an 80:20 PLA-to-fiber ratio, comprising 14% flax fibers and 6% pine cone fibers, exhibits superior tensile and flexural strength, improved thermal resistance, reduced void formation, and enhanced biodegradability. The developed composite is suitable for automotive interiors, lightweight structural components, and biodegradable packaging applications."
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