Improving the Processability and Performance of Micronized Fiber-Reinforced Green Composites through the Use of Biobased Additives

abstract

Green composites made of bioplastics reinforced with natural fibers have gained considerable attention over recent years. However, the use of natural fibers in composites usually compromise some key properties, such as the impact strength and the processability of the final materials. In the present study, two distinct additives, namely an epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) and a sugar-based surfactant, viz. GlucoPure(R) Sense (GPS), were tested in composite formulations of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) or poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) reinforced with micronized pulp fibers. Both additives showed a plasticizing effect, which led to a decrease in the Young's and flexural moduli and strengths. At the same time, the elongation and flexural strain at break were considerably improved on some formulations. The melt flow rate was also remarkably improved with the incorporation of the additives. In the PHB-based composites, an increment of 230% was observed upon incorporation of 7.5 wt.% ELO and, in composites based on PLA, an increase of around 155% was achieved with the introduction of 2.5 wt.% GPS. ELO also increased the impact strength to a maximum of 29 kJ m(-2), in formulations with PLA. For most composites, a faster degradation rate was observed on the formulations with the additives, reaching, in the case of PHB composites with GPS, a noteworthy weight loss over 75% under burial testing in compost medium at room temperature.

keywords

EPOXIDIZED VEGETABLE-OILS; POLY(LACTIC ACID); NATURAL FIBER; MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES; PHYSICAL-PROPERTIES; POLYLACTIC ACID; PLASTICIZERS; DEGRADATION; PLA; WOOD

subject category

Polymer Science

authors

Valente, BFA; Silvestre, AJD; Neto, CP; Vilela, C; Freire, CSR

our authors

acknowledgements

This work was carried out under the Project InPacTus-Innovative products and technologies from Eucalyptus, Project N. ffi 21874 (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-021874) funded by Portugal 2020 through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) in the frame of COMPETE 2020 nffi 246/AXIS II/2017, and project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020, UIDP/50011/2020 & LA/P/0006/2020, financed by national funds through the FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC).FCT is also acknowledged for the research contracts under Scientific Employment Stimulus to C.V. (CEECIND/00263/2018 and 2021.01571.CEECIND) and C.S.R.F. (CEECIND/00464/2017).

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