1. Introduction
Recently, considerable research effort has been undertaken to develop new plastic
materials with low environmental impact. Thermoplastic polymers were compounded
with natural materials to reduce the costs of production while maintaining their
properties [1]. In particular, composites and nanocomposites of biopolymers with
natural fillers seem to be very promising for the development of environmentally
friendly materials [2,3]. Biopolymers are naturally occurring polymers that are found in
all living organisms. The use of biopolymers has less adverse impact on our
environment compared to using fossil fuel based commodity plastics