Preface

Growing interest has been devoted in the last years to materials derived from renewable and sustainable resources mainly due to the increasing concerns associated with environ‐ ment, waste accumulation and disposal, and the inevitable depletion of fossil resources. It becomes clear that ecological efficiency, green chemistry, renewable resources, and sustaina‐ ble manufacturing should be the cornerstones for development of new methods and materi‐ als that offset the use of fossil fuels, utilize wastes, and are biodegradables or recyclables. So, the necessity of more renewable and sustainable composite materials can lead to the devel‐ opment of new technologies and processes that can contribute to the environment and life quality. Renewable and sustainable materials are of great concern in scientific research and industry. These materials include biomass as industrial and agricultural residues and ener‐ gy crops. The utilization of such materials as reinforcement or to improve specific properties in composite or nanocomposites materials is an excellent alternative. Among the advantages that can be cited are the strong ecological appeal, low cost, and higher specific mechanical properties. Therefore, a solid knowledge is necessary to transform renewable and sustaina‐ ble materials into useful products. So, this book intends to develop a deeper understanding about the fundamental aspects and current applications of renewable and sustainable mate‐ rials in engineering applications. *Composites from Renewable and Sustainable Materials* consists of sixteen chapters related to the renewable materials, biomaterials, natural fibers, biode‐ gradable composites, starch, and recycled materials. This is a useful book for readers from diverse areas, such as physics, chemistry, biology, materials science, and engineering. It is hoped that this book will expand the reader's knowledge about this fascinating area.

#### **Matheus Poletto**

Center of Exact Science and Technology (CCET) University of Caxias do Sul (UCS) Brazil
