Eco-friendly approach and potential biodegradable polymer matrix for WPC composite materials in outdoor application

Blends based on high density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly(lactic) acid (PLA) with different ratios of both polymers were produced: a blend with equal amounts of HDPE and PLA, hence 50 wt.% each, proved to be a useful compromise, allowing a high amount of bio-derived charge without this being too detrimental for mechanical properties and considering its possibility to biodegradation behaviour in outdoor application. In this way, an optimal blend suitable to produce a composite with cellulosic fillers is proposed. In the selected polymer blend, wood flour (WF) was added as natural filler in the proportion of 20, 30 and 40 wt.%, considering as 100 the weight of the polymer blend matrix. Two compatibilizers to modify both HDPE-PLA blend and wood-flour/polymer interfaces i.e. polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride and a random copolymer of ethylene and glycidyl methacrylate. The most suitable percentage of compatibilizer for HDPE-PLA blends appears to be 3 wt.%, which was selected also for use with wood flour. In order to evaluate properties of blends and composites tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermo-gravimetric analyses and infrared spectroscopy have been performed. Wood flour seems to affect heavy blend behaviour in process production of material suggesting that future studies are needed to reduce defectiveness

Barrier Properties and Structural Study of Nanocomposite of HDPE/Montmorillonite Modified with Polyvinylalcohol

In this work was studied the permeation of CO2 in films of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and organoclay modified with polyvinylalcohol (MMTHDTMA/PVA) obtained frommelt blending. Permeation study showed that the incorporation of the modified organoclay generates a significant effect on the barrier properties of HDPE. When a load of 2wt% of MMTHDTMA/PVA was incorporated in the polymer matrix, the flow of CO2 decreased 43.7% compared to pure polyethylene.The results of TEM showed that clay layers were dispersed in the polymeric matrix, obtaining an exfoliated-structure nanocomposite. The thermal stability of nanocomposite was significantly enhanced with respect to the pristine HDPE. DSC results showed that the crystallinity was maintained as the pure polymericmatrix. Consequently, the decrease of permeability was attributable only to the effect of tortuosity generated by the dispersion ofMMTHDTMA/PVA. Notably the mechanical properties remain equal to those of pure polyethylene, but with an increase in barrier properties to CO2. This procedure allows obtaining nanocomposites of HDPE with a good barrierproperty to CO2 which would make it competitive in the use of packaging. with an increase in barrier properties to CO2. This procedure allows obtaining nanocomposites of HDPE with a good barrier property to CO2 which would make it competitive in the use of packaging.Fil: Carrera, María Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigación Para la Industria Química (i); ArgentinaFil: Erdmann, Eleonora. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigación Para la Industria Química (i); Argentina. Instituto Tecnologico de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Destefanis, Hugo Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Salta. Instituto de Investigación Para la Industria Química (i); Argentin

Biocomposites Based on Thermoplastic Starch and Granite Sand Quarry Waste

Granite stone is a by-product of the rock crushing manufacturing. An industrial waste in powder form that causes health problems and environmental pollution. Fine particles fraction can be used as a partial replacement of sand in concrete manufacture. In this work, an alternative exploitation of this waste fraction is proposed. Granite sand (GS) with particles mean size of ~1 μm was employed as thermoplastic starch (TPS) filler at different concentrations. Biocomposites were obtained by melt-mixing and thermo-compression, achieving translucent and easy to handle films. A good GS dispersion within the matrix was evidenced by SEM. Mineral presence induced a shift of starch’s melting point to higher values and a better thermal resistance. TPS UV absorption capacity was increased ~90% by GS addition. An increment in TPS Young’s modulus and maximum tensile stress of 5 and 3 times, respectively was observed by adding 5 % w/w GS.Fil: Passaretti, María Gabriela. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Ninago, Mario Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Aplicadas a la Industria; ArgentinaFil: Paulo, Cecilia Inés. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Petit, Andres. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Irassar, Edgardo Fabián. Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tandil. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. - Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigaciones en Física e Ingeniería del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Vega, Daniel Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto de Física del Sur. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Física. Instituto de Física del Sur; ArgentinaFil: Villar, Marcelo Armando. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Ingeniería Química; ArgentinaFil: Lopez, Olivia Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Planta Piloto de Ingeniería Química; Argentin

Evaluation of the Flexural Strength, Sorption, Rheological and Thermal Properties of Corncob Plastic Composites

Plastic composites were made from corncobs and high density polyethylene (HDPE) by extrusion and evaluated. The composites were manufactured using two different screened corncob particle size fractions

Effects of Latex Type and Processed-Mica Waste Loading on the Structural and Thermo-Physical Properties of Natural Rubber Latex Foam Composites

Mica waste, a type of commercial waste produced in bulk quantities by the mica mining industry, was processed and added to Natural Rubber Latex Foams (NRLF) made of centrifuged and creamed latex. Following the Dunlop method, NRLF composites with various Processed Mica Waste (PMW) loadings (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 phr) were prepared, and the thermo-physical characteristics were compared. Thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity of NRLF against the latex type and mica loading were compared for the first time. NRLFs prepared using creamed latex exhibit 33 and 50 μm (width and height) cell diameter, 3 ibf hardness, 281 % swelling index improvements and 0.05 Wm-1K-1 thermal conductivity, and 1 ˚C glass transition temperature (Tg) reductions than centrifuged NRLF and indistinguishable electrical resistivity. With the addition of mica (0-10 Phr), both NRLF types showed a similar ascending trend in hardness (42 ibf), water absorption (16%), Tg (7 ˚C), thermal conductivity (0.54 Wm-1K-1), electrical resistivity (69 × 103ohm m) with decreasing gel time (3 min) and swelling index (550 %). The key objective of this research was to prepare PMW-filled NRLF and compare structural, electrical and thermo-physical properties, for the first time, against mica content and latex type

Effect of lamellar microstructure on the permeability of polyethylene films

Lamellar microstructures can decrease the permeability to gases and vapors by increasing the diffusive path in plastic films, or the so-called tortuosity which depends on the aspect ratio, orientation, and the volume fraction of the dispersed material. In this research, different types and percentages of mica with relatively high aspect ratio are used as oxygen barrier materials in blown films. Both high and low density polyethylenes (HDPE and LDPE), as well as their blends are used as the matrix materials. A decrease in permeability of both LDPE and HDPE films to oxygen is achieved with increasing volume fraction of the higher aspect ratio mica. By contrast, use of the coarser mica grades did not result in the anticipated properties in HDPE films. In all cases, the morphology of the films corresponded to several overlapping, discontinuous mica layers with the broad faces of mica, essentially parallel to the surface of the films. Rheological properties, morphology, and mechanical properties were also examined. The experimentally determined permeability and elastic modulus values were found to be in good agreement with theoretical predictions. By contrast to LDPE, the processability of HDPE films was found to decrease dramatically with increasing mica loadings, It was found that optimization of barrier properties in HDPE films through addition of mica flakes is a compromise between the desired reduction in permeability and the loss in processahility and ductility

Mechanical, thermal and biodegradable properties of bioplast-spruce green wood polymer composites

Environmental and sustainability concerns push the industries to manufacture alternative materials having less environmental impact. The Wood Plastic Composites (WPCs) produced by blending the biopolymers and natural fillers permit not only to tailor the desired properties of materials but also are the solution to meet the environmenta l and sustainability requireme nts. This work presents the elaboration and characterization of the fully green WPCs prepared by blending a biopolymer, BIOPLAST® GS 2189 and spruce sawdust used as filler with different amounts. Since both components are bio-based, the resulting material is entire ly environmentally friendly. The mechanical, thermal, structural properties of these WPCs were characterized by different analyt ical methods like tensile, flexural and impact tests, Thermogravimet ric Analysis (TGA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X- ray Diffraction (XRD). Their wat er absorption properties and resistance to the termite and fungal attacks were determined in relation with different wood filler content. The tensile and fl exural moduli of WPCs increased with i ncreasing amount of wood fillers into the biopolymer, but WPCs became more brittle compared to t he neat polymer. Incorporation of spruce sawdust modified the ther mal properties of polymer: The degra dation, cold crystallization, a nd melting temperatures shifted to higher temperatures when spruce sawdust was added into polymer. The termite, fungal and water absorption resistance of WPCs decreased with increasing wood amount in WPCs, but remained in durability class 1 (durable) concerning fungal resistance and quoted 1 (attempted attack) in visual rating regarding to the termites resistance except that the WPC with the highest wood content (30 wt%) rated 2 (slight atta ck) indicating a long term durability. All the results showed the possibility to elaborate the easy injectable composite material s with adjustable properties by incorpor ation of BIOPLAST® GS 2189 and spruce sawdust. Therefore, lightweight WPCs allow both to recyc le wood industry byproducts and to produce a full ecologic material

A study on mechanical and thermal behavior of coir fiber reinforced epoxy composites

The main focus of this study is to utilize the properties of natural fibers and make them compatible with polymer resins effectively. Coir fibres have been used as reinforcement in epoxy resin with various weight percentages of 5%, 10% and 15%. Surface treatment method like alkali treatment is done to improve the performance of coir fibre on epoxy resin. Cow dung powder is added as filler to the composite with a purpose of improving the insulation property of the composite. The mechanical properties like tensile strength, flexural strength, impact strength and the micro hardness showed an increment with respect to fibre loading as well as the alkali treatment. The maximum value is found with the composite having 15% treated coir fibre. Flexural strength showed maximum value at 10% treated fibre loading which decreases after 10% fibre loading. When fibre loading was increased, thermal conductivity reduces. By adding cow dung powder to the untreated fibre composite, thermal conductivity is further decreased. From Thermo Gravimetric Analysis (TGA) it is found that the surface treated fibre composites resist the thermal decomposition effectively up to 2600C after that there is a considerable increase in the thermal stability. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) showed that the specific heat capacity increases with increase in fibre loading. Untreated fibre composites showed better specific heat capacity than the treated ones. Cow dung powder added to the untreated composite showed that maximum specific heat and specific heat capacity increases further to higher values as the quantity of cow dung powder is increased. Glass transition temperature (Tg) showed an increment with surface treatment as well as fibre loading of up to 10% and after that it decrease