Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell

This is the accepted version of the following article: Garcia-Garcia, D., Carbonell-Verdu, A., Jordá-Vilaplana, A., Balart, R. and Garcia-Sanoguera, D. (2016), Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 43940 doi: 10.1002/app.43940, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/app.43940[EN] In the present work, different compatibilizers, namely polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), polypropylene-graftmaleic anhydride (PP-g-MA), and polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene-graft-maleic anhydride (SEBS-g-MA) were used on green composites derived from biobased polyethylene and peanut shell (PNS) flour to improve particle polymer interaction. Composites of high-density polyethylene/peanut shell powder (HDPE/PNS) with 10 wt % PNS flour were compatibilized with 3 wt % of the abovementioned compatibilizers. As per the results, PP-g-MA copolymer lead to best optimized properties as evidenced by mechanical characterization. In addition, best particle matrix interface interactions with PP-g-MA were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently HDPE/PNS composites with varying PNS flour content in the 5 30 wt % range with PP-g-MA compatibilizer were obtained by melt extrusion and compounding followed by injection molding and were characterized by mechanical, thermal, and morphological techniques. The results showed that PNS powder, leads to an increase in mechanical resistant properties (mainly, flexural modulus, and strength) while a decrease in mechanical ductile properties, that is, elongation at break and impact absorbed energy is observed with increasing PNS flour content. Furthermore, PNS flour provides an increase in thermal stability due to the natural antioxidant properties of PNS. In particular, composites containing 30 wt % PNS powder present a flexural strength 24% and a flexural modulus 72% higher than the unfilled polyethylene and the thermo-oxidative onset degradation temperature is increased from 232 8C up to 2548C thus indicating a marked thermal stabilization effect. Resultant composites can show a great deal of potential as base materials for wood plastic composites.This research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness -MINECO, Ref: MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R. Authors also thank to "Conselleria d'Educacio, Cultura i Esport" - Generalitat Valenciana, Ref: GV/2014/008 for financial support. A. Carbonell-Verdu wants to thank Universitat Politecnica de Valencia for financial support through an FPI grant. D. Garcia-Garcia wants to thanks the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports for the financial support through an FPU grant (FPU13/06011).García García, D.; Carbonell Verdú, A.; Jorda-Vilaplana, A.; Balart Gimeno, RA.; García Sanoguera, D. (2016). Development and characterization of green composites from bio-based polyethylene and peanut shell. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 133(37):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1002/APP.43940S1121333

Manufacturing and properties of biobased thermoplastic composites from poly(lactid acid) and hazelnut shell wastes

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Balart, J.F., Garcia-Sanoguera, David, Balart, Rafael, Boronat, Teodomiro, Sanchez-Nacher, Lourdes. (2018). Manufacturing and properties of biobased thermoplastic composites from poly(lactid acid) and hazelnut shell wastes.Polymer Composites, 39, 3, 848-857. DOI: 10.1002/pc.24007 , which has been published in final form at [Link to final article using the DOI]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving.[EN] Poly(lactic acid), PLA-based green composites were obtained with hazelnut shell flour (HSF) derived from the food industry thus leading to fully biodegradable materials with attracting properties. The hazelnut shell flour content varied in the 10-40wt% range. An increase in the degree of crystallinity with increasing HSF was detected, mainly due to the nucleating effect of lignocellulosic particles. The thermodimensional stability was noticeably improved with increasing HSF amount as evidenced by a remarkable decrease in the coefficient of thermal-linear expansion. Increasing HSF leads to stiffer materials as HSF particles act as interlock points that restrict polymer chain motion. Addition of hazelnut shell flour as filler in PLA-based green composites leads to fully biodegradable composites with balanced mechanical and thermal properties. Furthermore, it gives a solution to upgrade wastes from the hazelnut industry and contributes to lower the cost of PLA-based materials. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:848-857, 2018. (c) 2016 Society of Plastics EngineersContract grant sponsor: Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad-MINECO; contract grant number: MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R; contract grant sponsor: Conselleria d'Educacio, Cultura i Esport; contract grant number: GV/2014/008.Balart, J.; Garcia-Sanoguera, D.; Balart, R.; Boronat, T.; Sanchez-Nacher, L. (2018). Manufacturing and properties of biobased thermoplastic composites from poly(lactid acid) and hazelnut shell wastes. Polymer Composites. 39(3):848-857. doi:10.1002/pc.24007S84885739

Processing and characterization of high environmental efficiency composites based on PLA and hazelnut shell flour (HSF) with biobased plasticizers derived from epoxidized linseed oil (ELO)

[EN] Different amounts of epoxidized linseed oil (ELO) have been added to poly(lactic acid)-PLA composites with hazelnut shell flour (HSF) to provide a plasticizing effect and improve the low intrinsic ductile properties of PLA/HSF composites. Mechanical, thermal, thermo-mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties have been studied in terms of the weight percentage ELO. Mechanical resistant properties in both tensile and flexural tests decrease with wt.% ELO while a remarkable increase with wt.% ELO is obtained. These results reveal a clear plasticization effect of ELO but, in addition, internal structure of PLA/HSF/ELO composites shows good PLA-HSF (matrix-particle) interactions so that indicating that ELO also provides a coupling effect between PLA matrix and HSF filler. ELO addition leads to a decrease in storage modulus (G ) obtained by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) in torsion mode thus giving clear evidence of the plasticization effect of ELO. Overall, the use of ELO in PLA/HSF composites is an attracting way to improve the low intrinsic fragility of these green composites; furthermore, ELO provides an improvement on thermal stability and a coupling effect between the polymer matrix and the surrounding lignocellulosic filler.This research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness - MINECO, Grant Number: MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R. Authors also thank to "Conselleria d'Educacio, Cultura i Esport" - Generalitat Valenciana, Grant Number: GV/2014/008 for financial support.Balart Gimeno, JF.; Fombuena Borrás, V.; Fenollar Gimeno, OÁ.; Boronat Vitoria, T.; Sánchez Nacher, L. (2016). Processing and characterization of high environmental efficiency composites based on PLA and hazelnut shell flour (HSF) with biobased plasticizers derived from epoxidized linseed oil (ELO). Composites Part B: Engineering. 86:168-177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compositesb.2015.09.063S1681778

Efect of maleated anhydride on mechanical properties of rice husk filler reinforced PLA Matrix Polymer Composite

Polylactic acid (PLA) formulated from corn starch has a bright potential to replace the non-renewable petroleum-based plastics. The combination of PLA and natural fbre has gained interest due to its unique performance, as reported in many researches and industries. Meanwhile, rice husk produced as the by-product of rice milling can be utilised, unless it is turned completely into waste. Therefore, in the present study, the rice husk powder (RHP) was used as a fller in the PLA, so to determine the infuence of the fller loading on the mechanical properties of the PLA composite. A coupling agent was selected for treatment from two options, i.e., maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) and maleic anhydride polyethylene (MAPE), by applying the agents with various loading contents, such as 2, 4 and 6 wt%. The composite was fabricated by using the hot compression machine. Both the treated and untreated RHP–PLA composites were characterised via the tensile, fexural and impact strength tests. The increase in the RHP loading content led to the decrease in the tensile and fexural strengths. The applications of the coupling agents (MAPE and MAPP) did not improve the tensile and impact strengths, but the fexural strength was enhanced

Kompozyty polimerowe z napełniaczami roślinnymi: wpływ rodzaju i zawartości napełniaczy na stabilność wymiarową oraz palność kompozytów na osnowie poliolefin

Composites of polyethylene matrices and fillers consisting of finely ground pistachio shells and sunflower husks were manufactured. These materials were subjected to a series of tests for the purpose of examining their processing qualities, physical, mechanical and thermal characteristics, flammability and resistance to environmental factors, determining their feasibility and application paths. The relationship between the natural fiber composites' morphology and stability was described. Based on the obtained test results, the influence of the lignin content and secondary components in the fillers' structure on the thermal stability of the composites was confirmed. It was also proven that the porosity of the composites and the hemicellulose content in the filler influenced the composites' capacity to take up considerable amounts of water.W ramach pracy wytworzono kompozyty na osnowie polietylenu napełnione drobno mielonymi łupinami pistacji oraz łuskami słonecznika. Materiały te poddano serii badań mających na celu poznanie ich właściwości przetwórczych, fizycznych, mechanicznych i termicznych, palności oraz odporności na działanie czynników środowiskowych, warunkujących możliwości i kierunki ich zastosowania. Określono związek między morfologią a stabilnością badanych kompozytów polimerowych z napełniaczami roślinnymi (NFC, z ang. natural fibre composites). Zbadano wpływ zawartości ligniny i pozostałych składników napełniaczy na stabilność termiczną NFC. Dowiedziono również, że na zdolność NFC do pochłaniania znacznych ilości wody zasadniczy wpływ ma porowatość kompozytów oraz zawartość hemicelulozy w napełniaczu