abstract
Bacterial cellulose, produced by Acetobacter Xylinum, was used as reinforcement in composite materials with a starch thermoplastic matrix. The composites were prepared in a single step with cornstarch by adding glycerol/water as the plasticizer and bacterial cellulose (1% and 5% w/w) as the reinforcing agent. Vegetable cellulose was also tested as reinforcement for comparison purposes. These materials were characterized by different techniques, namely TGA, XRD, DMA, tensile tests, SEM and water sorption assays. All composites showed good dispersion of the fibers and a strong adhesion between the fibers and the matrix. The composites prepared with bacterial cellulose displayed better mechanical properties than those with vegetable cellulose fibers. The Young modulus increased by 30 and 17 fold (with 5% fibers), while the elongation at break was reduced from 144% to 24% and 48% with increasing fiber content, respectively for composites with bacterial and vegetable cellulose. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
keywords
NATURAL FIBERS; COMPOSITES; NANOCOMPOSITES; MICROFIBRILS; CRYSTALLITES; BEHAVIOR
subject category
Materials Science
authors
Martins, IMG; Magina, SP; Oliveira, L; Freire, CSR; Silvestre, AJD; Neto, CP; Gandini, A
our authors
Alessandro Gandini
Researcher
Armando Jorge Domingues Silvestre
Full professor
Carlos Pascoal Neto
Raiz Director
Carmen Sofia da Rocha Freire Barros
Coordinating Researcher
Sandra Pereira Magina
Researcheracknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge Prof. Cruz Pinto for his valuable contribution with the DMA experiments optimization. L. Oliveira thanks the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal) for a post-doctoral Grant (SFRH/PBD/38515/2007).