Method of removing odors from fibrous materials used in forming biocomposite materials

A method for reducing/eliminating odors in a biocomposite material, the method consisting essentially of the steps of:

• a) separating a fibrous material from a raw fiber;
• and
• b) treating the fibrous material with an odor elimination process prior to performing any step that subject the fibrous material to heat, the odor elimination process consisting of chemically modifying the fibrous material and at least one or more of the steps of:
• dehumidifying the fibrous material by heating the fibers to a temperature of between about 35° C. to about 50° C. and cold plasma modification of the fibrous material,
• wherein the method does not include the addition of an oxidizing agent to the fibrous material in the chemical modification step,
• wherein the step of chemically modifying the fibrous material comprises
• i) performing a silane modification on the fibrous material;
• and
• ii) performing an acrylic modification on the fibrous material, and
• wherein the method further consists essentially of the step of washing the fibrous material after the acrylic modification step.