Effect of alkaline and benzoyl chloride treatments on the mechanical and morphological properties of sugar palm fiber-reinforced poly(lactic acid) composites

The present study deals with the effects of alkaline and benzoyl chloride treatments of sugar palm fibers (SPFs) on the mechanical and morphological properties of SPF-reinforced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites. Seven different parameters of SPFs were compared, which were untreated, three alkaline solution concentrations of 4%, 5%, and 6% for alkaline treatment, and 50 ml benzoyl chloride-treated SPFs at three different soaking durations of 10, 15, and 20 min. Composites of 30 wt.% SPF–reinforced 70 wt.% PLA were prepared by using a Brabender plastograph mixer and a hot press. The tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the SPF/PLA composites were improved after alkaline and benzoyl chloride treatments on the SPFs. However, the best tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the composites were observed at 6% alkaline treatment of SPF; the morphological analysis also supported this. The 6% alkaline treatment of the SPF/PLA composite demonstrated the highest tensile, flexural, and impact strength values of 17.08 MPa, 32.34 MPa, and 4.39 kJ/m2, respectively. These treated SPF/PLA composites could be appropriate for automobile component applications

Hybridization of MMT/Lignocellulosic fiber reinforced polymer nanocomposites for structural applications: a review

In the recent past, significant research effort has been dedicated to examining the usage of nanomaterials hybridized with lignocellulosic fibers as reinforcement in the fabrication of polymer nanocomposites. The introduction of nanoparticles like montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay was found to increase the strength, modulus of elasticity and stiffness of composites and provide thermal stability. The resulting composite materials has figured prominently in research and development efforts devoted to nanocomposites and are often used as strengthening agents, especially for structural applications. The distinct properties of MMT, namely its hydrophilicity, as well as high strength, high aspect ratio and high modulus, aids in the dispersion of this inorganic crystalline layer in water-soluble polymers. The ability of MMT nanoclay to intercalate into the interlayer space of monomers and polymers is used, followed by the exfoliation of filler particles into monolayers of nanoscale particles. The present review article intends to provide a general overview of the features of the structure, chemical composition, and properties of MMT nanoclay and lignocellulosic fibers. Some of the techniques used for obtaining polymer nanocomposites based on lignocellulosic fibers and MMT nanoclay are described: (i) conventional, (ii) intercalation, (iii) melt intercalation, and (iv) in situ polymerization methods. This review also comprehensively discusses the mechanical, thermal, and flame retardancy properties of MMT-based polymer nanocomposites. The valuable properties of MMT nanoclay and lignocellulose fibers allow us to expand the possibilities of using polymer nanocomposites in various advanced industrial applications

Development and characterization of sugar palm [Arenga pinnata (Wurmb.) Merr]/glass fiber reinforced poly (lactic acid) hybrid composites for motorcycle components

The automotive industry is always focusing on advanced composites to improve the strength-to-weight ratio. To meet this need, many unique composite materials have been developed or fabricated in the automotive industry. Both synthetic and natural polymers are being used in the production of composite materials for automotive applications. The use of synthetic polymers derived from petroleum sources is hazardous to the environment. The majority of the motorcycle's body frame parts are composed of an ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) engineering thermoplastic. ABS is a petroleum-based plastic that is non-biodegradable, is not a renewable resource, and is not environmental friendly. Because of the environmentally hazardous properties of ABS plastic, researchers are leaning toward biodegradable plastic in order to save the environment. This might have been achieved with biodegradable materials such as poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural fiber composites. PLA is an excellent choice for replacing ABS since it is a bio-degradable type of plastic that is made from plant-based materials such as corn starch or sugarcane. PLA is a biobased, biodegradable, biocompatible, compostable, and non-toxic polymer with low material and manufacturing costs as well as desired mechanical properties. Sugar palm [Arenga pinnata (Wurmb.) Merr] fiber has been chosen to mixed with PLA and glass fiber, because of its availability, particularly in Southeast Asia, and its proven performance. Therefore, this research describes the development and characterization of hybrid and non-hybrid composites of sugar palm and glass fiber reinforced poly(lactic acid) for Modenas Kriss 110 motorcycle battery housing part. To evaluate the impact of different wt.% of fiber loading, treatment and hybridization, hybrid and non-hybrid sugar palm/glass fiber (SPF/GF) reinforced PLA composites were developed using a Brabender Plastograph, followed by a compression molding method. Initially the effect of various fiber loading i.e. 10 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 30 wt.% and 40 wt.% on poly(lactic acid) were determined. The best physical, tensile, and flexural properties for SPF/PLA composites were exhibited by 30 wt.% SPF loading, whereas the maximum impact strength value was shown by 40 wt.% SPF loading. The major difficulty associated with natural fiber is its hydrophilic nature and lack of adhesion with the hydrophobic matrix. The inherent difficulties can be solved by chemical treatments and hybridization. In this work, the sugar palm fiber was treated with alkaline (NaOH) and benzoyl chloride (C6H5COCl) solutions. Various methods were used to evaluate the physical and mechanical properties of treated and untreated sugar palm fiber/PLA composites. The treated SPF improved in physical (density, thickness, swelling, and water absorption), mechanical (tensile, flexural, and impact) as well as morphological properties of SPF/PLA composite and became more hydrophobic, when compared to the untreated fiber SPF/PLA composite. Among the two treatments, alkaline treatment improved tensile, flexural, and impact strength, (17.08 MPa, 32.34 MPa, and 4.39 kJ/m2) whereas a benzoyl chloride (BC) treatment improved tensile and flexural modulus (602 MPa and 1916 MPa) while also increasing hydrophobicity, and for untreated SPF/PLA composite the tensile, flexural, impact strength, tensile, and flexural modulus were 6.85 MPa, 6 MPa, 1.56 kJ/m2, 500 MPa, and 850 MPa. Morphological, FTIR, and flammability investigations confirmed that the 6% alkaline SPF treatment improved the physical, tensile, flexural, and impact properties of SPF/PLA composites. In general, the alkaline treatment (6% NaOH conc.) performed better than the BC treatment. The analysis of a hybrid and a non-hybrid composite of SPF/GF reinforced PLA composite revealed a promising improvement in the composite's physical, mechanical, and morphological properties. The alkaline treatment improved the tensile strength, modulus, flexural, and impact strength by 19%, 3%, 17%, and 15% for SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composite, while the BC treatment improve the tensile modulus and impact strength by 19% and 3%. In the last section of this study, the mechanical properties of SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites such as creep, compression, and hardness were determined in comparison to commercially available ABS plastic motorcycle battery housing parts. Furthermore, the results revealed that hybridization of treated SPF with GF improved the overall performance of the composite as compared to both untreated or SPF/PLA single system composite. In conclusion, when compared to ABS plastic, employing treated SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composite results in a high-strength biodegradable plastic suitable for Modenas Kriss 110 motorcycle battery housing parts

Physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of treated sugar palm/glass reinforced poly(lactic acid) hybrid composites

This research was performed to evaluate the physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of treated sugar palm fiber (SPF)/glass fiber (GF) reinforced poly(lactic acid) (PLA) hybrid composites. Morphological investigations of tensile and flexural fractured samples of composites were conducted with the help of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Alkaline and benzoyl chloride (BC) treatments of SPFs were performed. A constant weight fraction of 30% total fiber loading and 70% poly(lactic acid) were considered. The composites were initially prepared by a Brabender Plastograph, followed by a hot-pressing machine. The results reported that the best tensile and flexural strengths of 26.3 MPa and 27.3 MPa were recorded after alkaline treatment of SPF, while the highest values of tensile and flexural moduli of 607 MPa and 1847 MPa were recorded after BC treatment of SPF for SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites. The novel SPF/GF/PLA hybrid composites could be suitable for fabricating automotive components

Physical, mechanical and morphological properties of sugar palm fiber reinforced polylactic acid composites

This research was performed to evaluate the physical, mechanical and morphological properties of sugar palm fiber (SPF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites. PLA is a thermoplastic biodegradable polymer which is mostly used as a matrix material in the composite. Sugar palm fiber and PLA were mixed to form composite compounds using twin-screw extruder. These biocomposites of various sugar palm fiber loads (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt. %) were prepared by using compression moulding. The effect of the loading of sugar palm fibers on the physical properties of composites (density, voids, and water absorption analysis), mechanical (tensile, flexural, and impact analysis) and morphology was studied. The determination of water absorption at different fiber loadings showed that the percentage of water absorption increased as the loading of fibers increased. The 30 % SPF loading composite displays optimum values for flexural and tensile strength which are 26.65 MPa and 13.70 MPa, respectively. Morphological studies by scanning electron microscopy revealed homogeneous fiber and matrix distribution also at 30 % loading of SPF with excellent adhesion, which plays an important role in enhancing the mechanical properties of composites. SEM analyzes show strong dispersion of SPF into PLA matrix

Sugar palm lignocellulosic fiber reinforced polymer composite: a review

The increasing depletion of petroleum resources, as well as increased awareness of global environmental problems linked with the usage of petroleum-based plastics, are the key driving factors for the widespread acceptance of natural fibres and biopolymers composites. Sugar palm fibre (Arenga pinnata Wurmb. Merr) is one of Malaysia's most abundant and renewable fibres. The purpose of this paper is to explore the development of a sugar palm lignocellulosic fibre reinforced polymer composite. SPF is mostly composed of cellulose (43.88 %), which results in good mechanical properties. According to the review of literature, no comprehensive review article on sugar palm lignocellulosic fibre reinforced polymer composite has been published. The current investigation is focused on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological aspects of SPFs and polymers. The research also demonstrates the potential of SPF polymer hybrid composites for industrial applications such as automotive, household goods, packaging, bioenergy, and others

Recent developments in sustainable arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea Linn) starch biopolymers, fibres, biopolymer composites and their potential industrial applications: a review

Raising environmental awareness had forced researchers to explore the potential and implementation of environmentally friendly materials as alternatives for conventional materials. Environmentally friendly materials are biodegradable, safer, non-toxic, lightweight, cheap, and readily available. Arrowroot starch has a high content of amylose (~35.20%) which makes it suitable for better film production. Starch extracted from arrowroot rhizomes can be blended, plasticized with other polymers, or reinforced with fibres to improve their properties. The melt blended glycidyl methacrylate-grafted polylactide (PLA-g-GMA) and treated arrowroot fiber (TAF) treated with coupling agent developed PLA-g-GMA/TAF composite, which showed better properties than the PLA/AF composite. To the best of our knowledge, no comprehensive review paper was published on arrowroot fibres, starch biopolymer, and its biocomposites before. The present review focuses on recent works related to the properties of arrowroot fibres and starch, and their fabrication as biocomposites. The review also reveals the vast potential of arrowroot fibres and starch for food industries, medicines, textiles, biofuel, pulp, and paper-making industries, bioenergy, packaging, automotive, and many more

Nanocellulose reinforced thermoplastic starch (TPS), poly(lactic) acid (PLA), and poly(butylene Succinate) (PBS) for food packaging applications

Synthetic plastics are severely detrimental to the environment because non-biodegradable plastics do not degrade for hundreds of years. Nowadays, these plastics are very commonly used for food packaging. To overcome this problem, food packaging materials should be substituted with “green” or environmentally friendly materials, normally in the form of natural fiber reinforced biopolymer composites. Thermoplastic starch (TPS), polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) were chosen for the substitution, because of their availability, biodegradability, and good food contact properties. Plasticizer (glycerol) was used to modify the starch, such as TPS under a heating condition, which improved its processability. TPS films are sensitive to moisture and their mechanical properties are generally not suitable for food packaging if used alone, while PLA and PBS have a low oxygen barrier but good mechanical properties and processability. In general, TPS, PLA, and PBS need to be modified for food packaging requirements. Natural fibers are often incorporated as reinforcements into TPS, PLA, and PBS to overcome their weaknesses. Natural fibers are normally used in the form of fibers, fillers, celluloses, and nanocelluloses, but the focus of this paper is on nanocellulose. Nanocellulose reinforced polymer composites demonstrate an improvement in mechanical, barrier, and thermal properties. The addition of compatibilizer as a coupling agent promotes a fine dispersion of nanocelluloses in polymer. Additionally, nanocellulose and TPS are also mixed with PLA and PBS because they are costly, despite having commendable properties. Starch and natural fibers are utilized as fillers because they are abundant, cheap and biodegradable

Antimicrobial activities of starch-based biopolymers and biocomposites incorporated with plant essential oils: a review

Recently, many scientists and polymer engineers have been working on eco-friendly materials for starch-based food packaging purposes, which are based on biopolymers, due to the health and environmental issues caused by the non-biodegradable food packaging. However, to maintain food freshness and quality, it is necessary to choose the correct materials and packaging technologies. On the other hand, the starch-based film’s biggest flaws are high permeability to water vapor transfer and the ease of spoilage by bacteria and fungi. One of the several possibilities that are being extensively studied is the incorporation of essential oils (EOs) into the packaging material. The EOs used in food packaging films actively prevent inhibition of bacteria and fungi and have a positive effect on food storage. This work intended to present their mechanical and barrier properties, as well as the antimicrobial activity of anti-microbacterial agent reinforced starch composites for extending product shelf life. A better inhibition of zone of antimicrobial activity was observed with higher content of essential oil. Besides that, the mechanical properties of starch-based polymer was slightly decreased for tensile strength as the increasing of essential oil while elongation at break was increased. The increasing of essential oil would cause the reduction of the cohesion forces of polymer chain, creating heterogeneous matrix and subsequently lowering the tensile strength and increasing the elongation (E%) of the films. The present review demonstrated that the use of essential oil represents an interesting alternative for the production of active packaging and for the development of eco-friendly technologies