Host: The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers
Name : [in Japanese]
Date : March 03, 2025 - March 04, 2025
Biocomposite materials have gained significant interest as sustainable alternatives across multiple industries, requiring an effective and systematic selection procedure to guarantee optimal performance and environmental compatibility. This paper analyzes contemporary research on the selection of biocomposite materials in several industries, including automotive, aerospace, marine, electrical, packaging, and safety equipment. These studies utilize several decision-making methodologies to determine appropriate material combinations. The review classifies selection criteria into five principal categories: material properties, sustainability factors, processing characteristics, cost and availability, and application requirements. Each criterion is subdivided into sub-criteria and parameters, demonstrating a detailed and thorough approach to selection. The results reveal that material properties constantly rank as the most prioritized factor, followed by cost and availability, and processing characteristics. Essential sub-criteria encompass weight, mechanical performance, and pricing, with density, tensile strength, and cost recognized as the most prioritized parameters. The findings from the review indicate that despite the growing awareness of sustainability, the selection of biocomposite materials frequently prioritizes performance and economic aspects over sustainability. This is proven by the emphasis on material properties, cost, and processing attributes, with challenges in balancing trade-offs with other criteria. In addition, a lack of standardized sustainability metrics and the perception of biocomposite as inherently sustainable might also contribute to their limited inclusion as selection criteria. Therefore, the development and integration of standardized sustainability metrics into the decision-making process is imperative.
