Multicriteria Ranking and Micromechanical Preselection of Natural-based Composite Families for Circular Material Pathways

Abstract

Circular material pathways increasingly rely on biomass residue valorization for bio-based composites, yet early-stage material selection is restricted by conflicting requirements and high variability of natural constituents. This study proposes a traceable screening workflow integrating documentary property evidence with perception-based contextual indicators. A national survey quantified local relevance and operationalized contextual criteria, including availability and perceived environmental impact, to prefilter candidate residue streams. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) then combined technical criteria (density, tensile strength, Young’s modulus, elongation) with contextual criteria to rank fiber- and starch-based matrix alternatives. Potato starch ranked first among matrix candidates and remained invariant under analytical breakpoint sensitivity across the admissible weight domain. Fiber ranking identified straw (17.96%), corn husk (15.74%), and sugarcane bagasse (13.72%) as the top alternatives. The selected constituents were propagated to micromechanical screening using the traditional rule of mixtures and a Hirsch-type formulation to estimate Young’s modulus and tensile strength ranges for three hybrid composite families: starch–bagasse–straw, starch–bagasse–corn husk, and starch–straw–corn husk. Results provide a decision-to-performance pipeline that narrows the experimental search space and reveals stiffness–strength trade-offs and tolerance to variability across candidate composite families, supporting feasibility-oriented preselection rather than full material qualification. Since short fiber biocomposite strength is highly sensitive to microstructural efficiency and interfacial quality, tensile outputs are interpreted as comparative screening indices intended to guide subsequent controlled fabrication and validation.