Fully biodegradable polylactic composites reinforced with bleached softwood fibers
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The increasing environmental awareness of the society has led to the development of materials with a lower
environmental impact. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer with higher mechanical properties than PP.
The scientific literature shows some interest in PLA reinforced biocomposites, but the published mechanical properties
of such materials are comparatively low. In fact, the generation of a good interface, when the reinforcement contents
are higher than 30%, is nowadays unsolved. The main objective of this study is to obtain PLA biocomposites with a
good interface and with satisfactory improvements in their mechanical properties against reinforcement contents.
Bleached pine fibers, used as reinforcement, were prepared and shred with 1/3 and 2/3 of diglyme, in order to avoid the
formation of hydrogen bonds among the cellulose fibers. Then, composite materials were obtained through kinetic
mixing. The composites were injection molded to make standard specimens and were submitted to tensile tests. The
results showed that the addition of diglyme favored the formation of hydrogen bonds between the reinforcement and
the PLA. Only the fibers treated with 2/3 diglyme followed a linear positive progression of its tensile strength when
increasing reinforcement contents were added. Although suitable results were obtained, it seems that these composites
Tots els drets reservats. Reproduced by permission of Romanian Academy, the owner of the publishing rights