abstract
Cellulose/iron oxide hybrids were prepared by the controlled hydrolysis of FeC2O4 in the presence of vegetable and bacterial cellulose fibres as substrates. By varying the relative amount of FeC2O4 and NaOH, either hematite or magnetic iron oxides were grown at the cellulose fibres surfaces. This chemical strategy was used for the production of a number of materials, whose coloristic properties associated to their reinforcement role allowed their use as new hybrid pigments for thermoplastic starch (TPS) based products. The TPS reinforced materials were characterized by several techniques in order to evaluate: the morphology and the compatibility between the matrix and the fillers; the mechanical reinforcement effect of the cellulose/iron oxide pigments on TPS and the coloristic properties of the composites. All materials showed good dispersion and strong adhesion for the cellulose/iron oxide nanocomposites in the TPS matrix thus resulting in improved mechanical properties.
keywords
MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES; FIBERS; COMPOSITES; IRON; NANOCOMPOSITES; BIOCOMPOSITES; NANOPARTICLES; CRYSTALLITES; BACTERIAL; GROWTH
subject category
Materials Science; Polymer Science
authors
Neves, MC; Freire, CSR; Costa, BFO; Neto, CP; Trindade, T
our authors
Carlos Pascoal Neto
Raiz Director
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcher
Márcia Carvalho Neves
Assistant Researcher
Tito Trindade
Full professorGroups
G1 - Porous Materials and Nanosystems
G4 - Renewable Materials and Circular Economy
G5 - Biomimetic, Biological and Living Materials
acknowledgements
M. C. Neves thank FCT for a research grant (SFRH/BPD/35046/2007). Microscopy analysis was supported by RNME-Pole University of Aveiro FCT Project REDE/1509/RME/2005. This work was also supported from funds from FEDER (Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade COMPETE) and from FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia under the project PEst-C/FIC/UI0036/2011. The authors also thank FCT for funding CICECO (Pest-C/CTM/LA0011/2011).